[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 138 (Friday, July 17, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 43492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15538]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 200227-0066]
RTID 0648-XA291
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish in
the Aleutian Islands Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of non-Community Development
Quota (CDQ) sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the Aleutian
Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2020 non-CDQ sablefish
initial total allowable catch (ITAC) in the Aleutian Islands subarea of
the BSAI will be reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 14, 2020,
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI 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 2020 non-CDQ sablefish trawl ITAC in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI is 433 metric tons (mt) as established by the final
2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR
13553, March 9, 2020). In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has
determined that the 2020 non-CDQ sablefish trawl ITAC in the Aleutian
Islands subarea of the BSAI will soon be reached. Therefore, NMFS is
requiring that non-CDQ sablefish caught with vessels using trawl gear
in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI be treated as prohibited
species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(a).
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 prohibited retention of
non-CDQ sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI.
NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public
comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as
of July 13, 2020.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 14, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-15538 Filed 7-14-20; 5:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P