13098 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 47 / Thursday, March 10, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

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. Comments 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 

February 28, 2011 (76 FR 11393, March 

2, 2011). 

As of March 2, 2011, NMFS has 

determined that approximately 4,100 

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. 

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 March 2, 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 22, 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: March 7, 2011. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–5520 Filed 3–7–11; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 101126521–6040–02 ] 

RIN 0648–XA279 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Feet 

(18.3 m) Length Overall Using Hookand-Line or Pot Gear 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; closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 

less than 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall 

(LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear 

in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

management area (BSAI). This action is 

necessary to prevent exceeding the 2011 

Pacific cod total allowable catch 

allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 

feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot 

gear in the BSAI. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), March 8, 2011, through 

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011. 

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 2011 Pacific cod total allowable 

catch (TAC) allocated as a directed 

fishing allowance to catcher vessels less 

than 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line or 

pot gear in the BSAI is 4,055 metric 

tons, as established by the final 2011 

and 2012 harvest specification for 

groundfish in the BSAI (76 FR 11139, 

March 1, 2011). 

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS, has determined that the 2011 

Pacific cod TAC allocated as a directed 

fishing allowance allocated to catcher 

vessels less than 60 feet LOA using 

hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 47 / Thursday, March 10, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 13099 

has been reached. Consequently, NMFS 

is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific 

cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet 

LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in 

the BSAI. 

After the effective date of this closure 

the maximum retainable amounts at 

§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time 

during a trip. 

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 closure of Pacific cod by 

catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA 

using hook-and-line or pot gear in 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 March 3, 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. 

This action is required by § 679.20 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: March 7, 2011. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–5528 Filed 3–7–11; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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