[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 25, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 75238-75239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26102]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 200227-0066]
RTID 0648-XA664


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Several 
Groundfish Species 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; apportionment of reserves; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the 
initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
(BSAI) arrowtooth flounder, BSAI ``other flatfish,'' Bering Sea subarea 
and Eastern Aleutian District (BS/EAI) blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, 
Western Aleutian District and Central Aleutian District (WAI/CAI) 
blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, BSAI skates; and to the total allowable 
catch (TAC) of BSAI Alaska plaice. This action is necessary to allow 
the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the 
goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI 
management area.

DATES: Effective November 20, 2020, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local 
time, December 31, 2020. Comments must be received at the following 
address no later than 4:30 p.m., Alaska local time, December 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket number NOAA-NMFS-
2019-0074, by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0074 click the ``Comment 
Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your 
comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant 
Regional

[[Page 75239]]

Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS. Mail 
comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
    Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments if they are sent by 
any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after 
the comment period ends. All comments received are a part of the public 
record and NMFS will post the comments for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender is publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the BSAI 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 ITAC of BSAI arrowtooth flounder was established as 8,500 
metric tons (mt), the 2020 ITAC of BSAI ``other flatfish'' was 
established as 3,600 mt, the 2020 ITAC of BS/EAI blackspotted/rougheye 
rockfish was established as 112 mt, the 2020 ITAC of WAI/CAI 
blackspotted/rougheye rockfish was established as 224 mt, the 2020 ITAC 
of BSAI skates was established as 13,866 mt, and the 2020 TAC of BSAI 
Alaska plaice was established as 17,450 mt by the final 2020 and 2021 
harvest specifications for groundfish of the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 
9, 2020) and revised in the release of groundfish reserves (85 FR 
49976, August 17, 2020). In accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(3) the 
Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has reviewed the most 
current available data and finds that the ITACs of the BSAI arrowtooth 
flounder, BSAI ``other flatfish,'' BS/EAI blackspotted/rougheye 
rockfish, WAI/CAI blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, BSAI skates; and the 
TAC of BSAI Alaska plaice need to be supplemented from the non-
specified reserve to promote efficiency in the utilization of fishery 
resources in the BSAI and allow fishing operations to continue.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.20(b)(3), NMFS apportions 
from the non-specified reserve of groundfish to ITACs in the BSAI 
management area as follows: 430 mt to BSAI arrowtooth flounder, 521 mt 
to BSAI ``other flatfish,'' 20 mt to BS/EAI blackspotted/rougheye 
rockfish, 40 mt to WAI/CAI blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, 3,340 mt to 
BSAI skates, and 2,600 mt to BSAI Alaska plaice. These apportionments 
are consistent with Sec.  679.20(b)(1)(i) and do not result in 
overfishing of any target species because the revised ITACs and TACs 
are equal to or less than the specifications of the acceptable 
biological catch in the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 9, 2020).
    The harvest specification for the 2020 ITACs and TACs included in 
the harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI are revised as 
follows: 8,930 mt for BSAI arrowtooth flounder, 4,121 mt for BSAI 
``other flatfish,'' 20,050 mt for BSAI Alaska plaice, 17,206 mt for 
BSAI skates, 132 mt for BS/EAI blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, and 264 
mt for WAI/CAI blackspotted/rougheye rockfish.

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 apportionment of the non-
specified reserves of groundfish to the BSAI arrowtooth flounder, BSAI 
``other flatfish,'' BS/EAI blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, WAI/CAI 
blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, BSAI skates, and to the BSAI Alaska 
plaice. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public 
comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as 
of November 17, 2020.
    Under Sec.  679.20(b)(3)(iii), interested persons are invited to 
submit written comments on this action (see ADDRESSES) until December 
7, 2020.

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

    Dated: November 20, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-26102 Filed 11-20-20; 4:15 pm]
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