[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 89319-89320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28486]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 230224-0053; RTID 0648-XD567]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific 
cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear to vessels using jig gear, 
catcher/processors using trawl gear, and catcher vessels greater than 
or equal to 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) length overall using hook-and-
line gear in the Central Regulatory

[[Page 89320]]

Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 
2023 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.

DATES: Effective December 21, 2023, through 2400 hours, Alaska local 
time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2023.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA 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 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher vessels using trawl 
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 4,579 metric tons 
(mt), as established by the final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications 
for groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023).
    The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified for vessels using jig gear in 
the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 111 mt, as established by the 
final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA 
(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023).
    The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher/processors using 
trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 462 mt, as 
established by the final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023).
    The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher vessels greater than 
or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using hook-and-line gear in 
the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 738 mt, as established by the 
final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA 
(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023).
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) 
has determined that catcher vessels using trawl gear will not be able 
to harvest 395 mt of the 2023 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those 
vessels under Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(i)(B)(4).
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(ii)(B), NMFS 
apportions 395 mt of Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear 
to the annual amounts specified for vessels using jig gear, catcher/
processors using trawl gear, and catcher vessels greater than or equal 
to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using hook-and-line gear.
    The harvest specifications for 2023 Pacific cod included in the 
final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for groundfish in the 
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA (88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) is 
revised as follows: 4,184 mt to catcher vessels using trawl gear, 246 
mt to vessels using jig gear, 597 mt to catcher/processors using trawl 
gear, and 863 mt to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet 
(15.2 m) length overall using hook-and-line gear.

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. 
This requirement is 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 allow for harvests that exceed the 
originally specified apportionment of the Pacific cod TAC. NMFS was 
unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because 
the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 20, 
2023.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA also finds good 
cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effective date of this action 
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon the reasons 
provided above for waiver of prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment.

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

    Dated: December 20, 2023.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-28486 Filed 12-21-23; 8:45 am]
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