Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: Pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska

Federal Register: September 30, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 188)

Rules and Regulations

Page 50145-50146

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr30se09-8

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679

Docket No. 0910091344-9056-02

RIN 0648-XR90

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in

Statistical Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; modification of a closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is reopening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical

Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the C season allowance of the 2009 total

Page 50146

allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 620 of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 29, 2009, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., October 1, 2009. Comments must be received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t.,

October 15, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional

Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS,

Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by [RIN 0648-XR90], by any one of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at http:// www.regulations.gov.

Mail: P. O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.

Fax: (907) 586-7557.

Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th

Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.

All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All

Personal Identifying Information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit

Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.

NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or

Adobe portable document file (pdf) formats only.

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.

NMFS closed the directed fishery for pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA under Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on August 31, 2009 (74 FR 44772, August 31, 2009).

NMFS has determined that approximately 2,048 mt of pollock remain in the directed fishing allowance in Statistical Area 620 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 C season allowance of the 2009

TAC of pollock in Statistical Area 620, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is reopening directed fishing for pollock in

Statistical Area 620 of the GOA. This will enhance the socioeconomic well-being of harvesters dependent upon pollock in this area. The

Administrator, Alaska Region (Regional Administrator) considered the following factors in reaching this decision: (1) the current catch of pollock by the GOA trawl sector and, (2) the harvest capacity and stated intent on future harvesting patterns of vessels in participating in this fishery.

In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional

Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will be reached after 48 hours. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GO, effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., October 1, 2009.

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 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 679.25(c)(1)(ii) as such 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 opening of pollock in Statistical Area 620 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 September 24, 2009.

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.

Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the fishery for pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA to be harvested in an expedient manner and in accordance with the regulatory schedule. Under

Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this action to the above address until October 15, 2009.

This action is required bySec. 679.20 and Sec. 679.25 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

Dated: September 25, 2009.

Alan D. Risenhoover,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

FR Doc. E9-23578 Filed 9-25-09; 4:15 pm

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