Fishery conservation and management: Alaska; fisheries of Exclusive Economic Zone Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish; Alaska plaice,
[Federal Register: May 16, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 94)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 28285-28286]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16my06-21]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 060216045-6045-01; I.D. 051006A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Plaice 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.
SUMMARY: NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve of groundfish to the Alaska plaice initial total allowable catch (ITAC) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the fishery to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI.
DATES: Effective May 16, 2006 through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time, December 31, 2006. Comments must be received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., Alaska local time, May 26, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Records Officer. Comments may be submitted by:
Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802;
Hand delivery: 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, Alaska;
FAX: 907-586-7557;
E-mail: bsairelakpl@noaa.gov and include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the document identifier: bsairelakpl. Email comments with or without attachments are limited to 5 megabytes.
Webform at the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 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 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 2006 ITAC of Alaska plaice in the BSAI was established as 6,800 metric tons by the 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006). The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the ITAC for Alaska plaice in the BSAI needs to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve in order to continue operations.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(b)(3), NMFS apportions 7,000 metric tons from the non-specified reserve of groundfish to the Alaska plaice ITAC in the BSAI for a revised total of 13,800 mt. This apportionment is consistent with Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii) and does not result in overfishing of a target species because the revised ITAC is equal to or less than the specification of the acceptable biological catch (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006).
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, (AA) finds good cause to waive the
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requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 50 CFR 679.20(b)(3)(iii)(A) as such a requirement is 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 delay the apportionment of the non-specified reserves of groundfish to the Alaska plaice fishery. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of May 3, 2006.
The AA 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.
Under 679.20(b)(3)(iii), interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this action (see ADDRESSES) until May 26, 2006.
This action is required by 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.
Dated: May 10, 2006. James P. Burgess, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-4553 Filed 5-11-06; 1:10 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
