Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 11393 

onboard the vessel, no groundfish may 

be taken and retained, possessed or 

landed, except sablefish and Pacific cod. 

The following sublimits and closed 

areas apply: 

* * * * * 

(iii) * * * 

(B) Between 48°10′ N. lat. (Cape 

Alava) and 46°16′ N. lat. (Washington/ 

Oregon border) (Washington Marine 

Areas 1–3), recreational fishing for 

lingcod is open for 2011, from March 12 

through October 16. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2011–4728 Filed 3–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–C 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 0910131362–0087–02] 

RIN 0648–XA258 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical 

Area 630 in 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 opening directed 

fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 

630 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 24 

hours. This action is necessary to fully 

use the A season allowance of the 2011 

total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in 

Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), February 28, 2011, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2011. 

Comments must be received no later 

than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., March 17, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments to James W. 

Balsiger, Regional Administrator, Alaska 

Region, NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. 

You may submit comments, identified 

by RIN 0648–XA258, by any one of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic Submissions: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal 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. Comment will 

generally be posted without change. All 

Personal Identifying Information (for 

example, name, address, etc.) 

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). You may submit 

attachments to electronic comments in 

Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or 

Adobe PDF file formats only. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Keaton, 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 MagnusonStevens 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 directed fishing for 

pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the 

GOA under § 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on 

January 21, 2011 (76 FR 4082, January 

24, 2011). 

As of February 24, 2011, NMFS has 

determined that approximately 4,141 

metric tons of pollock remain in the 

directed fishing allowance for pollock in 

Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and 

(a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully utilize the A 

season allowance of the 2011 TAC of 

pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the 

GOA, NMFS is terminating the previous 

closure and is reopening directed 

fishing pollock in Statistical Area 630 of 

the GOA. The Administrator, Alaska 

Region (Regional Administrator) 

considered the following factors in 

reaching this decision: (1) The current 

catch of pollock in Statistical Area 630 

of the GOA and, (2) the harvest capacity 

and stated intent on future harvesting 

patterns of vessels in participating in 

this fishery. In accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional 

Administrator finds that this directed 

fishing allowance will be reached after 

24 hours. Consequently, NMFS is 

prohibiting directed fishing for pollock 

in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA 

effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2011. 

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) 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 the pollock fishery 

in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. 

Immediate notification is necessary to 

allow for the orderly conduct and 

efficient operation of this fishery, to 

allow the industry to plan for the fishing 

season, and to avoid potential 

disruption to the fishing fleet and 

processors. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of February 24, 2011. 

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 pollock fishery 

in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA to be 

harvested in an expedient manner and 

in accordance with the regulatory 

schedule. Under § 679.25(c)(2), 

interested persons are invited to submit 

written comments on this action to the 

above address until March 17, 2011. 

This action is required by § 679.25 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: February 25, 2011. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4628 Filed 2–25–11; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

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