[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17570-17571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7482]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 101126522-0640-02]
RIN 0648-XA331


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
the West Yakutat District 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.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in the West 
Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary 
to fully use the 2011 total allowable catch of pollock in the West 
Yakutat District of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 26, 2011, 
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011. Comments must be received 
at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., April 11, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to James W. Balsiger, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648-
XA331, by any one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov.
    <bullet> Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
    <bullet> Fax: (907) 586-7557.
    <bullet> Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th 
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
    Instructions: 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 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 directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat 
District of the GOA under Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii) on March 5, 2011 (76 
FR 12883, March 9, 2011).
    As of March 23, 2011, NMFS has determined that approximately 850 
metric tons of pollock remain in the directed fishing allowance for 
pollock in the West Yakutat District 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 2011 total allowable catch 
(TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA, NMFS is 
terminating the previous closure and is reopening directed fishing for 
pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. The Administrator, 
Alaska Region (Regional Administrator) considered the following factors 
in reaching this decision: the current catch of pollock in the West 
Yakutat District of the GOA and, 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 pollock in the West Yakutat District 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 March 23, 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

[[Page 17571]]

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 the West Yakutat District 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 April 11, 
2011.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.20 and Sec.  679.25 and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: March 25, 2011.
Margo Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-7482 Filed 3-25-11; 4:15 pm]
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