[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67183-67184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26433]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
15 CFR Part 902
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 191203-0100]
RIN 0648-BI53
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Halibut Deck
Sorting Monitoring Requirements for Trawl Catcher/Processors Operating
in Non-Pollock Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska; Correction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; correcting amendments; stay of effectiveness.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is correcting a final rule that published on October 15,
2019, issuing regulations to implement catch handling and monitoring
requirements to allow Pacific halibut (halibut) bycatch to be sorted on
the deck of trawl catcher/processors (C/Ps) and motherships
participating in the non-pollock groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The
final rule incorrectly stated that the collection-of-information
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) had been
approved by the Office of Management and Business (OMB) at the time the
final rule was published. The final rule also inadvertently omitted
amendatory language to remove a now obsolete and unnecessary
regulation. The intent of this final rule is to make corrections and to
stay the effectiveness of associated collection-of-information
requirements.
DATES: This rule is effective December 9, 2019. Effective December 9,
2019, 50 CFR 679.28(d)(9) and (10) and (l) and Sec. 679.120(b), (c),
(d), and (e) are stayed indefinitely.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Krieger, 907-586-7228 or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Need for Correction
NMFS published the final rule issuing regulations to implement
catch handling and monitoring requirements to allow halibut bycatch to
be sorted on the deck of trawl C/Ps and motherships participating in
the non-pollock groundfish fisheries off Alaska in the Federal Register
on October 15, 2019 (84 FR 55044). The final rule incorrectly stated
that the collection-of-information
[[Page 67184]]
requirements subject to the PRA had been approved by the OMB under
Control Number 0648-0318 (North Pacific Observer Program) and Control
Number 0648-0330 (Alaska Region, Scale and Catch Weighing Requirements)
at the time the final rule was published. The effective date for the
final rule's collection of information requirements is delayed. When
OMB approval is received, NOAA will publish a document in the Federal
Register announcing the effective date for these information collection
requirements.
Although the proposed and final rule preambles explained that
certain obsolete and unnecessary regulations would be removed, the
final rule inadvertently omitted amendatory language to remove a now
obsolete and unnecessary regulation. This rule corrects this error.
Classification
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) as such requirement is unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. With respect to the final rule's inadvertent omission of
amendatory text that would remove the obsolete and unnecessary
regulation, the public was already provided with notice and opportunity
to comment via electronic submission (www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0122) and by mail during the proposed
rule public comment period which began on April 16, 2019 and ended on
May 16, 2019. Further delay would result in public confusion with
respect to the effectiveness of the remaining regulations established
by the final rule.
For the reasons above, the AA also finds good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effective date and make this
rule effective immediately upon publication.
Correction to Final Rule
In final rule FR Doc. 2019-22198, published on October 15, 2019 (84
FR 55044), the following corrections are made:
1. On page 55044, in the second column, under ``National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration'', ``15 CFR 902.1'' is removed and ``15
CFR part 902'' added in its place.
2. On page 55050, second column, the heading ``OMB Revisions to PRA
References in 15 CFR 902.1(b)'' and corresponding paragraph are
removed.
3. On page 55051, first column, the first sentence of the last
paragraph is corrected to read as follows:
This final rule contains collection-of-information requirements
subject to review and approval by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). These requirements have
been submitted to OMB for approval under Control Number 0648-0318
(North Pacific Observer Program) and Control Number 0648-0330 (Alaska
Region, Scale and Catch Weighing Requirements). When approval is
received, NMFS will announce in the Federal Register the effective date
for these information collection requirements.
List of Subjects
15 CFR Part 902
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
50 CFR Part 679
Alaska, Fisheries, Pacific halibut, Recordkeeping and reporting
requirements.
Dated: December 3, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
Accordingly, 15 CFR part 902 and 50 CFR part 679 are corrected by
making the following correcting amendments:
Title 15--Commerce and Foreign Trade
PART 902--NOAA INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT: OMB CONTROL NUMBERS
0
1. The authority citation for part 902 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
Sec. [thinsp]902.1 [Amended]
0
2. In Sec. [thinsp]902.1, in the table in paragraph (b), under the
entry ``50 CFR'', remove the entries for ``679.28(l)'', ``679.120(b)'',
and ``679.120(c), (d), and (e)''.
* * * * *
Title 50--Wildlife and Fisheries
PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA
0
3. The authority citation for 50 CFR part 679 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.;
Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.
Sec. 679.28 [Amended]
0
4. Amend Sec. 679.28 by removing paragraphs (i)(1)(iii) and (iv).
[FR Doc. 2019-26433 Filed 12-6-19; 8:45 am]
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