[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 62 (Friday, April 2, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17320-17321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06849]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 210210-0018; RTID 0648-XA987]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Pollock in 
the West Yakutat District in the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; modification of closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in the West 
Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary 
to fully use the 2021 total allowable catch of pollock in the West 
Yakutat District of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 1, 2021, 
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2021. Comments must be 
received at the

[[Page 17321]]

following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., April 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by FDMS 
Docket Number NOAA-NMFS-2020-0140 by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA-NMFS-2020-0140 in the Search box. 
Click on the ``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter 
or attach your comments.
     Mail: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region 
NMFS, Attn: Records Office. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. 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 will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (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 2021 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat 
District of the GOA is 5,412 metric tons (mt) as established by the 
final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA 
(86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021).
    NMFS closed directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat 
District of the GOA under Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii) on March 9, 2021 (86 
FR 14015, March 12, 2021).
    As of March 29, 2021, NMFS has determined that approximately 660 mt 
of pollock remains in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. Therefore, 
in accordance with Sec.  679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and 
(a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully utilize the 2021 TAC of pollock in the 
West Yakutat District of the GOA, NMFS is terminating the previous 
closure and is reopening directed fishing for pollock in the West 
Yakutat District of the GOA, effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., April 1, 
2021.
    The Administrator, Alaska Region (Regional Administrator) 
considered the following factors in reaching this decision: (1) The 
catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA and, (2) the 
harvest capacity and stated intent on future harvesting patterns of 
vessels in participating in this fishery.

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 opening of directed 
fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. NMFS was 
unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because 
the most recent, relevant data only became available as of March 29, 
2021.

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

    Dated: March 30, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-06849 Filed 3-30-21; 4:15 pm]
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