[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 183 (Monday, September 21, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 59204-59205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20654]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 200221-0062; RTID 0648-XA485]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Exchange of 
Flatfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is exchanging unused flathead sole and rock sole 
Community Development Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin sole CDQ acceptable 
biological catch (ABC) reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2020 total 
allowable catch (TAC) of yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands management area to be harvested.

DATES: Effective September 17, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) according to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. 
vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 
600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    The 2020 flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves 
specified in the BSAI are 2,087 metric tons (mt), 5,040 mt, and 16,125 
mt as established by the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 9, 2020). The 2020 flathead 
sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves are 5,204 mt, 
11,363 mt, and 11,793 mt as established by the final 2020 and 2021 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 
9, 2020).
    The Coastal Villages Regional Fund has requested that NMFS exchange 
125 mt of flathead sole and 175 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves for 300 mt 
of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves under

[[Page 59205]]

Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS 
exchanges 125 mt of flathead sole and 175 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves 
for 300 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves in the BSAI. This action 
also decreases and increases the TACs and CDQ ABC reserves by the 
corresponding amounts. Tables 11 and 13 of the final 2020 and 2021 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 
9, 2020) are further revised as follows:

 Table 11--Final 2020 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAs), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands
                                     Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                                        Pacific ocean perch                Flathead sole     Rock sole    Yellowfin sole
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Sector                               Eastern         Central         Western
                                                             Aleutian        Aleutian        Aleutian          BSAI            BSAI            BSAI
                                                             District        District        District
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TAC.....................................................          10,613           8,094          10,000          19,375          46,925         151,000
CDQ.....................................................           1,136             866           1,070           1,962           4,865          16,425
ICA.....................................................             100              60              10           3,000           6,000           4,000
BSAI trawl limited access...............................             938             717             178  ..............  ..............          17,172
Amendment 80............................................           8,440           6,451           8,742          14,414          36,060         113,403
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


 Table 13--Final 2020 and 2021 ABC Surplus, ABC Reserves, Community Development Quota (CDQ) ABC Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC Reserves in the BSAI for
                                                      Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                          2020  Flathead    2020  Rock         2020          2021 \1\     2021 \1\  Rock     2021 \1\
                         Sector                                sole            sole       Yellowfin sole   Flathead sole       sole       Yellowfin sole
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ABC.....................................................          68,134         153,300         260,918          71,079         230,700         261,497
TAC.....................................................          19,375          46,925         151,000          24,000          49,000         168,900
ABC surplus.............................................          48,759         106,375         109,918          47,079         181,700          92,597
ABC reserve.............................................          48,759         106,375         109,918          47,079         181,700          92,597
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           5,329          11,538          11,493           5,037          19,442           9,908
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          43,430          94,837          98,425          42,042         162,258          82,689
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\1\ The 2021 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
  eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2020.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679, which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice 
and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest, 
as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries 
data in a timely fashion and would delay the flatfish exchange by the 
Coastal Villages Regional Fund in the BSAI. NMFS was unable to publish 
a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, 
relevant data only became available as of September 4, 2020.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: September 15, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-20654 Filed 9-17-20; 4:15 pm]
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