76870 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 

PART 571—FEDERAL MOTOR 

VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS

■ 1. The authority citation for part 571 

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 

30117, and 30166; delegation of authority at 

49 CFR 1.50.

■ 2. Section 571.403 is amended by 

revising S3 to read as follows:

§ 571.403 Standard No. 403; Platform lift 

systems for motor vehicles.

* * * * *

S3. Application. This standard 

applies to platform lifts manufactured 

on and after April 1, 2005, that are 

designed to carry passengers into and 

out of motor vehicles.

* * * * *

■ 3. Section 571.404 is amended by 

revising S3 to read as follows:

§ 571.404 Standard No. 404; Platform lift 

installations in motor vehicles.

* * * * *

S3. Application. This standard 

applies to motor vehicles manufactured 

on and after July 1, 2005, that are 

equipped with a platform lift to carry 

passengers into and out of the vehicle.

* * * * *

Issued on: December 17, 2004. 

Jeffrey W. Runge, 

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 04–28085 Filed 12–20–04; 12:27 

pm] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 041202338–4338–01; I.D. 

112204B] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone off Alaska; Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands Management Area; 

2005 Interim Harvest Specifications for 

Groundfish

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS); National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); 

Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; interim 

specifications. 

SUMMARY: NMFS issues 2005 interim 

total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for 

each category of groundfish, Community 

Development Quota (CDQ) reserve 

amounts, American Fisheries Act (AFA) 

pollock allocations and sideboard 

limits, and prohibited species catch 

(PSC) allowances and prohibited species 

quota (PSQ) reserves for the groundfish 

fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands management area (BSAI). The 

intended effect is to conserve and 

manage the groundfish resources in the 

BSAI.

DATES: The interim harvest 

specifications are effective from 0001 

hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 

1, 2005, until the effective date of the 

2005 final harvest specifications for 

BSAI groundfish, which will be 

published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the 

Environmental Assessment (EA) 

prepared for this action are available 

from the NMFS Alaska Region Web site 

at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov. The final 

2003 Stock Assessment and Fishery 

Evaluation (SAFE) report, dated 

November 2003, and the final 2004 

SAFE report, dated November 2004, are 

available from the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, West 4th Avenue, 

Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510–2252, 

telephone (907) 271–2809, or from its 

Web site at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/

npfmc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228, or 

mary.furuness@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 

implementing the Fishery Management 

Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea 

and Aleutian Islands Management Area 

(FMP) govern the groundfish fisheries in 

the BSAI. The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) 

prepared the FMP, and NMFS approved 

it under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act). General 

regulations that also pertain to the U.S. 

fisheries appear at subpart H of 50 CFR 

part 600. 

The Council met in October 2004 to 

review scientific information 

concerning groundfish stocks, including 

the 2003 SAFE report and the EA (see 

ADDRESSES), and to recommend 2005 

proposed harvest specifications. The 

Council recommended a proposed total 

acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 

3,345,963 metric tons (mt) and a 

proposed total TAC of 2,000,000 mt for 

the 2005 fishing year. The proposed 

TAC amounts for each species were 

based on the best available biological 

and socioeconomic information. 

Under § 679.20(c)(1), NMFS 

published in the Federal Register the 

2005 proposed harvest specifications for 

BSAI groundfish (December 8, 2004, 69 

FR 70974). That document contains a 

detailed discussion of the 2005 

proposed TACs, initial TACs (ITACs) 

and related apportionments, CDQ 

reserves, ABC amounts, overfishing 

levels, PSC allowances, PSQ reserve 

amounts, and associated management 

measures of the BSAI groundfish 

fishery. 

This action provides interim harvest 

specifications and apportionments 

thereof for the 2005 fishing year that 

will become available on January 1, 

2005, and will remain in effect until 

superseded by the 2005 final harvest 

specifications. Background information 

concerning the 2005 harvest 

specification process on which this 

interim action is based is provided in 

the above mentioned proposed harvest 

specification document. 

Establishment of Interim TACs 

Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires that 15 

percent of the TAC for each target 

species and species group, except for 

pollock and the hook-and-line and pot 

gear allocation of sablefish, be placed in 

a non-specified reserve. The AFA 

supersedes this provision for pollock by 

requiring that the TAC for this species 

be fully allocated among the CDQ 

program, incidental catch allowance 

(ICA), and inshore, catcher/processor, 

and mothership directed fishery 

allowances. Section 803 of the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 

2004 (CAA), Public Law (Pub. L.) 108–

199, supersedes portions of the AFA 

and allocates the AI directed pollock 

fishery (DPF) to the Aleut Corporation 

after subtraction for the CDQ directed 

fishing allowance and ICA. Amendment 

82 to the FMP would establish the 

management measures for the AI DPF. 

The proposed rule to implement 

Amendment 82 was published in the 

Federal Register for public comment 

and review on December 7, 2004 (69 FR 

70589). If Amendment 82 is approved, 

final regulations implementing 

Amendment 82 are anticipated to be 

effective by March 2005. 

Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii) requires that 

one half of each TAC amount placed in 

the non-specified reserve, with the 

exception of squid, be allocated to the 

groundfish CDQ reserve and that 20 

percent of the hook-and-line and pot 

gear allocation of sablefish be allocated 

to the fixed gear sablefish CDQ reserve. 

Sections 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 

679.31(a)(2) require that 10 percent of 

the pollock TAC be allocated to the 

pollock CDQ reserve. With the 

exception of the hook-and-line and pot 

gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the CDQ 

reserves are not further apportioned by 

gear. Section 679.21(e)(1)(i) also 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 76871

requires that 7.5 percent of each PSC 

limit, with the exception of herring, be 

withheld as a PSQ reserve for the CDQ 

fisheries. Regulations governing the 

management of the CDQ and PSQ 

reserves are set forth at §§ 679.30 and 

679.31. 

Section 679.20(c)(2) requires interim 

harvest specifications to be effective at 

0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, and remain 

in effect until superseded by the final 

harvest specifications. Section 

679.20(c)(2)(ii) provides that the interim 

harvest specifications will be 

established as one-fourth of each 

proposed ITAC amount and 

apportionment thereof (not including 

pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, and 

the hook-and-line and pot gear 

allocation of sablefish), one-fourth of 

each proposed PSQ reserve and PSC 

allowance established at § 679.21, and 

the proposed first seasonal allowance of 

pollock, Pacific cod and Atka mackerel 

TAC. As stated in the proposed harvest 

specifications (69 FR 70974), no harvest 

of groundfish is authorized before the 

effective date of this action 

implementing the interim harvest 

specifications. 

2005 Interim BSAI Harvest 

Specifications 

Table 1 provides interim TAC and 

CDQ amounts and apportionments. 

Section 679.20(c)(2)(ii) does not provide 

for an interim harvest specification for 

the hook-and-line and pot gear 

allocations of sablefish for the CDQ 

reserve or for sablefish managed under 

the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) 

program. As a result, directed fishing for 

the hook-and-line and pot gear 

allocations of CDQ sablefish and IFQ 

sablefish is prohibited until the effective 

date of the 2005 final harvest 

specifications. 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

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76874 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 

Interim Allocation of PSC Limits for 

Crab, Halibut, and Herring 

Under § 679.21(e), annual PSC limits 

are specified for red king crab, 

Chionoecetes bairdi Tanner crab, and C. 

opilio crab in applicable Bycatch 

Limitation Zones (see § 679.2) of the 

Bering Sea subarea, and for Pacific 

halibut and Pacific herring throughout 

the BSAI. Section 679.21(e) authorizes 

the apportionment of each PSC limit 

into PSC allowances for specified 

fishery categories. Under 

§ 679.21(e)(1)(i), 7.5 percent of each PSC 

limit specified for halibut, crab, and 

salmon is allocated as a PSQ reserve for 

use by the groundfish CDQ program. 

Section 679.20(c)(2)(ii) provides that 

one-fourth of each proposed PSQ 

reserve and PSC allowance be made 

available on an interim basis for harvest 

at the beginning of the fishing year, 

until superseded by the final harvest 

specifications. Table 2 lists the PSQ 

reserves and fishery specific interim 

PSC allowances for halibut and crab 

effective at 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 

2005.


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Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 76875

BILLING CODE 3510–22–C

Directed Fishing Closures 

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), if 

the Administrator, NMFS, Alaska 

Region (Regional Administrator) 

determines that any allocation or 

apportionment of a target species or 

‘‘other species’’ category has been or 

will be reached, the Regional 

Administrator may establish a directed 

fishing allowance for that species or 

species group. If the Regional 

Administrator establishes a directed 

fishing allowance, and that allowance is 

or will be reached before the end of the 

fishing year, NMFS will prohibit 

directed fishing for that species or 

species group in the specified subarea or 

district (§ 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, 

under regulations at § 679.21(e), if the 

Regional Administrator determines that 

a fishery category’s bycatch allowance 

of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab 

or C. opilio crab for a specified area has 

been reached, the Regional 

Administrator will prohibit directed 

fishing for each species in that category 

in the specified area. 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that the remaining 

allocation amounts in Table 3 will be 

necessary as incidental catch to support 

other anticipated groundfish fisheries 

for the 2005 fishing year.


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76876 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 3.—2005 INTERIM DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES FOR THE BSAI 

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Area Species1

Incidental 

catch allowance 

Bogoslof District 

Pollock .................................................................... 50 

Aleutian Islands subarea: 

Non-CDQ Pollock ................................................... 1,200 

‘‘Other rockfish’’ ...................................................... 135 

Bering Sea subarea 

Pacific ocean perch ................................................ 409 

‘‘Other rockfish’’ ...................................................... 98 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

Northern rockfish .................................................... 1,063 

CDQ Northern rockfish ........................................... 94 

‘‘Other species’’ ...................................................... 5,781 

CDQ ‘‘Other species’’ ............................................. 510 

Rougheye rockfish ................................................. 42 

CDQ Rougheye rockfish ........................................ 4 

Shortraker rockfish ................................................. 112 

CDQ Shortraker rockfish ........................................ 10 

1Closures do not include CDQ fisheries unless stated. 

Consequently, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the directed 

fishing allowances for the above species 

or species groups as zero. 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is immediately 

prohibiting directed fishing for these 

species in the specified areas in Table 

3. These closures will remain in effect 

from 0001 hrs, A.l.t., January 1, 2005, 

until superseded by the 2005 final 

harvest specifications for BSAI 

groundfish or for the AI DPF on the 

approval of Amendment 82 and the 

effective date of its implementing 

regulations. 

In addition, the BSAI Zone 1 annual 

red king crab allowance specified for the 

trawl rockfish fishery (see 

§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(D)) is 0 mt and the 

BSAI first seasonal halibut bycatch 

allowance specified for the trawl 

rockfish fishery is 0 mt. The BSAI 

annual halibut bycatch allowance 

specified for the trawl Greenland turbot/

arrowtooth flounder/sablefish fishery 

categories is 0 mt (see 

§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C)). Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.21(e)(7)(ii) and 

(v), NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for rockfish by vessels using 

trawl gear in Zone 1 of the BSAI and 

directed fishing for Greenland turbot/

arrowtooth flounder/sablefish by vessels 

using trawl gear in the BSAI from 0001 

hrs., A.l.t., January 1, 2005, until 

superseded by the final 2005 harvest 

specifications for BSAI groundfish. 

NMFS is also prohibiting directed 

fishing for rockfish outside Zone 1 in 

the BSAI until 1200 hrs, A.l.t, July 1, 

2005. 

While these closures are in effect, the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

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

during a fishing trip. These closures to 

directed fishing are in addition to 

closures and prohibitions found in 

regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Areas 

are defined in § 679.2. In the BSAI, 

‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes Sebastes and 

Sebastolobus species except for Pacific 

ocean perch, shortraker, rougheye, and 

northern rockfish. 

Bering Sea Subarea Inshore Pollock 

Allocations 

Section 679.4(1) sets forth procedures 

for AFA inshore catcher vessel pollock 

cooperatives to apply for and receive 

cooperative fishing permits and inshore 

pollock allocations. Table 4 lists the 

interim pollock allocations to the seven 

inshore catcher vessel pollock 

cooperatives for 2005. Allocations for 

cooperatives and vessels not 

participating in cooperatives are not 

made for the AI subarea because the 

CAA requires the non-CDQ directed 

pollock fishery to be fully allocated to 

the Aleut Corporation.

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 76877

TABLE 4.—2005 INTERIM BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Cooperative name and member vessels Sum of member vessel’s 

official catch histories1

Percentage of inshore 

sector allocation 

2005 Interim cooperative 

allocation 

Akutan Catcher Vessel Association ............................................ 245,922 28.130 72,044 

ALDEBARAN, ARCTIC EXPLORER, ARCTURUS, BLUE 

FOX, CAPE KIWANDA, COLUMBIA, DOMINATOR, EXODUS, FLYING CLOUD, GOLDEN DAWN, GOLDEN 

PISCES, HAZEL LORRAINE, INTREPID EXPLORER, 

LESLIE LEE, LISA MELINDA, MAJESTY, MARCY J, 

MARGARET LYN, MARK I, NORDIC EXPLORER, 

NORTHERN PATRIOT, NORTHWEST EXPLORER, PACIFIC RAM, PACIFIC VIKING, PEGASUS, PEGGY JO, 

PERSEVERANCE, PREDATOR, RAVEN, ROYAL 

AMERICAN, SEEKER, SOVEREIGNTY, TRAVELER, VIKING EXPLORER 

Arctic Enterprise Association

BRISTOL EXPLORER, OCEAN EXPLORER, PACIFIC EXPLORER 36,807 4.210 10,783 

Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative.

ANITA J, COLLIER BROTHERS, COMMODORE, EXCALIBUR II, GOLDRUSH, HALF MOON BAY, MISS 

BERDIE, NORDIC FURY, PACIFIC FURY, POSEIDON, 

ROYAL ATLANTIC, SUNSET BAY, STORM PETREL 73,656 8.425 21,578 

Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative.

AJ, AMBER DAWN, AMERICAN BEAUTY, ELIZABETH F, 

MORNING STAR, OCEAN LEADER, OCEANIC, PACIFIC CHALLENGER, PROVIDIAN, TOPAZ, WALTER 

N 23,850 2.728 6,987 

Unalaska Cooperative.

ALASKA ROSE, BERING ROSE, DESTINATION, GREAT 

PACIFIC, MESSIAH, MORNING STAR, MS AMY, 

PROGRESS, SEA WOLF, VANGUARD, WESTERN 

DAWN 106,737 12.209 31,269 

UniSea Fleet Cooperative.

ALSEA, AMERICAN EAGLE, ARGOSY, AURIGA, AURORA, DEFENDER, GUN–MAR, MAR–GUN, NORDIC 

STAR, PACIFIC MONARCH, SEADAWN, STARFISH, 

STARLITE, STARWARD 213,521 24.424 62,552 

Westward Fleet Cooperative.

ALASKAN COMMAND, ALYESKA, ARCTIC WIND, 

CAITLIN ANN, CHELSEA K, DONA MARTITA, FIERCE 

ALLEGIANCE, HICKORY WIND, OCEAN HOPE 3, PACIFIC KNIGHT, PACIFIC PRINCE, VIKING, WESTWARD I 173,744 19.874 50,899 

Open access AFA vessels .......................................................... 0 0 0 

Total inshore allocation ........................................................ 874,238 100 256,112 

1According to regulations at § 679.62(e)(1) the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel’s best 2 of 3 years inshore pollock 

landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes landings to catcher/processors for vessels that made 500 or more mt of landings to catcher/processors from 1995 through 1997. 

In accordance with regulations at 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(3), NMFS must 

further divide the inshore allocation 

into separate allocations for cooperative 

and open access fishing. In addition, 

according to regulations at 

§ 679.22(a)(7)(vii), NMFS must establish 

harvest limits inside the Steller Sea Lion 

Conservation Area (SCA) and provide a 

set-aside so that catcher vessels less 

than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA have 

the opportunity to operate entirely 

within the SCA until April 1. 

Accordingly, Table 5 lists the interim 

Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations 

to the inshore cooperative and open 

access sectors and establishes a 

cooperative sector SCA set-aside for 

AFA catcher vessels less than or equal 

to 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA. The SCA set-aside 

for catcher vessels less than or equal to 

99 ft (30.2 m) LOA that are not 

participating in a cooperative will be 

established inseason based on actual 

participation levels and is not included 

in Table 5.

TABLE 5.—2005 INTERIM BERING SEA

SUBAREA POLLOCK ALLOCATIONS TO

THE COOPERATIVE AND OPEN ACCESS SECTORS OF THE INSHORE

POLLOCK FISHERY

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

A season 

TAC 

A season 

SCA 

harvest 

limit1

Cooperative sector 

Vessels > 99 ft ... n/a ........... 153,969 

Vessels ≤ 99 ft ... n/a ........... 25,309 

Total ............ 256,112 ... 179,278 

76878 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 5.—2005 INTERIM BERING SEA

SUBAREA POLLOCK ALLOCATIONS TO

THE COOPERATIVE AND OPEN ACCESS SECTORS OF THE INSHORE

POLLOCK FISHERY—Continued

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

A season 

TAC 

A season 

SCA 

harvest 

limit1

Open access sector.0 .............. 0 2

Total inshore 256,112 ... 179,278 

1 The Steller sea lion conservation area 

(SCA) is established at § 679.22(a)(7)(vii). 

2 SCA limitations for vessels less than or 

equal to 99 ft LOA that are not participating in 

a cooperative will be established on an 

inseason basis in accordance with 

§ 679.22(a)(7)(vii)(C)(2) which specifies that 

‘‘’the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for pollock by vessels greater 

than 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA, catching pollock for 

processing by the inshore component before 

reaching the inshore SCA harvest limit before 

April 1 to accommodate fishing by vessels 

less than or equal to 99 ft (30.2 m) inside the 

SCA until April 1.’’

Listed AFA Catcher/Processor 

Sideboard Limits 

The basis for these sideboard limits is 

described in detail in the final rule 

implementing major provisions of the 

AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002). 

Table 6 lists the 2005 interim catcher/

processor sideboard limits. 

All groundfish, other than pollock, 

that is harvested by listed AFA catcher/

processors, whether as targeted catch or 

as incidental catch, will be deducted 

from the interim sideboard limits in 

Table 6. However, groundfish, other 

than pollock, that is delivered to listed 

catcher/processors by catcher vessels 

will not be deducted from the 2005 

interim sideboard limits for the listed 

catcher/processors.

TABLE 6.—2005 INTERIM BSAI LISTED AFA CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Target species Area 

1995–1997 

2005 Interim TAC 

available to trawl 

C/Ps 

2005 Interim C/P 

sideboard limit Retained catch Total catch 

Ratio of retained 

catch to total 

catch 

Pacific cod trawl .......... BSAI ............. 12,424 48,177 0.258 21,568 5,565 

Sablefish trawl ............. BS ................ 8 497 0.016 257 4 

AI .................. 0 145 0.000 148 0 

Atka mackerel .............. Western AI ... .............................. .............................. .............................. .............................. ..............................

A season1 n/a n/a 0.200 8,781 1,756 

HLA limit 2 .............................. .............................. .............................. 5,268 1,054 

Central AI ..... .............................. .............................. .............................. .............................. ..............................

A season1 n/a n/a 0.115 13,218 1,520 

HLA limit 2 .............................. .............................. .............................. 7,931 912 

Yellowfin sole .............. BSAI ............. 100,192 435,788 0,230 18,291 4,207 

Rock sole ..................... BSAI ............. 6,317 169,362 0.037 8,808 326 

Greenland turbot ......... BS ................ 121 17,305 0.007 574 4 

AI .................. 23 4,987 0.005 170 1 

Arrowtooth flounder ..... BSAI ............. 76 33,987 0.002 2,550 5 

Flathead sole ............... BSAI ............. 1,925 52,755 0.036 4,038 145 

Alaska plaice ............... BSAI ............. 14 9,438 0.001 2,125 2 

Other flatfish ................ BSAI ............. 3,058 52,298 0.058 638 37 

Pacific ocean perch ..... BS ................ 12 4,879 0.002 409 1 

Western AI ... 54 13,598 0.004 989 4 

Central AI ..... 3 5,698 0.001 564 1 

Estern AI ...... 125 6,179 0.020 592 12 

Northern rockfish ......... BSAI ............. 91 13,040 0.007 1,063 7 

Shortraker rockfish ...... BSAI ............. 50 2,811 0.018 112 2 

Rougheye rockfish ....... BSAI ............. 50 2,811 0.018 42 1 

Other rockfish .............. BS ................ 18 621 0.029 98 3 

AI .................. 22 806 0.027 135 4 

Squid ........................... BSAI ............. 73 3,328 0.022 271 6 

Other species .............. BSAI ............. 553 68,672 0.008 5,781 46 

1The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of 

the available TAC in the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the available TAC in the Central Aleutian District. 2HLA limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (§ 679.2). In 2005, 60 percent of each 

seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts. Pacific cod harvest by trawl gear in the 

Aleutian Islands HLA, west of 178 degrees W. long. is prohibited during the Atka mackerel HLA directed fisheries. 

Section 679.64(a)(5) establishes a 

formula for PSC sideboard limits for 

listed AFA catcher/processors. These 

amounts are equivalent to the 

percentage of PSC amounts taken in the 

groundfish fisheries other than pollock 

by the AFA catcher/processors listed in 

subsection 208(e) and section 209 of the 

AFA from 1995 through 1997 (see Table 

7). These amounts were used to 

calculate the relative amount of PSC 

that was caught by pollock catcher/

processors. That relative amount of PSC 

was then used to determine the PSC 

sideboard limits for listed AFA catcher/

processors in the 2005 interim fisheries 

for groundfish other than pollock. 

PSC that is caught by listed AFA 

catcher/processors participating in any 

groundfish fishery other than pollock 

listed in Table 7 will accrue against the 

interim 2005 PSC sideboard limits for 

the listed AFA catcher/processors. 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 76879

Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS 

to close directed fishing for groundfish, 

other than pollock, for listed AFA 

catcher/processors once a 2005 interim 

PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 7 is 

reached. 

Crab or halibut PSC that is caught by 

listed AFA catcher/processors while 

fishing for pollock will accrue against 

the bycatch allowances annually 

specified for either the midwater 

pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/ 

‘‘other species’’ fishery categories under 

regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).

TABLE 7.—2005 INTERIM BSAI AFA LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES SIDEBOARD LIMITS 1

PSC species 

1995—1997 

2005 Interim 

PSC available 

to trawl C/Ps 

2005 Interim 

C/P sideboard 

PSC catch Total PSC limit 

Ratio of PSC 

catch to total 

PSC 

Halibut mortality ................................................................... 955 11,325 0.084 850 71 

Red king crab ....................................................................... 3,098 473,750 0.007 45,556 319 

C. opilio 2 .............................................................................. 2,323,731 15,139,178 0.153 1,005,938 153,908 

C. bairdi ................................................................................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................

Zone 1 .................................................................................. 385,978 2,750,000 0,140 226,625 31,728 

Zone 2 .................................................................................. 406,860 8,100,000 0.050 686,813 34,341 

1 Halibut mortality amounts are in mt of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. 2 C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone. Boundaries are defined at Figure 13 of 50 CFR part 679. 

AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboards Limits 

Section 679.64(b) establishes a 

formula for setting AFA catcher vessel 

groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for 

the BSAI. The basis for these sideboard 

limits is described in detail in the final 

rule implementing major provisions of 

the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 

2002). Tables 8 and 9 list the 2005 

interim AFA catcher vessel sideboard 

limits. 

All harvests of groundfish sideboard 

species made by non-exempt AFA 

catcher vessels, whether as targeted 

catch or incidental catch, will be 

deducted from the interim sideboard 

limits listed in Table 8. 

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BILLING CODE 3510–22–C

The AFA catcher vessel PSC limit for 

halibut and each crab species in the 

BSAI, for which a trawl bycatch limit 

has been established, will be a portion 

of the PSC limit equal to the ratio of 

aggregate retained groundfish catch by 

AFA catcher vessels in each PSC target 

category from 1995 through 1997, 

relative to the retained catch of all 

vessels in that fishery from 1995 

through 1997. Table 9 lists the 2005 

interim PSC sideboard limits for AFA 

catcher vessels. 

Halibut and crab PSC that are caught 

by AFA catcher vessels participating in 

fisheries for groundfish, other than 

pollock, listed in Table 9 will accrue 

against the 2005 interim PSC sideboard 

limits for AFA catcher vessels. Sections 

679.21(d)(8) and (e)(3)(v) provide 

authority to close directed fishing for 

groundfish other than pollock for AFA 

catcher vessels once an 2005 interim 

PSC sideboard limit for the BSAI listed 

in Table 9 is reached. PSC that is caught 

by AFA catcher vessels, while fishing 

for pollock in the BSAI, will accrue 

against either the midwater pollock or 

the pollock/Atka mackerel/‘‘other 

species’’ fishery categories under 

regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv).

TABLE 9.—2005 INTERIM BSAI AFA CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD LIMITS 1

PSC species Target fishery category 2

Ratio of 

1995–1997 

AFA CV retained catch 

to total retained catch 

2005 Interim 

PSC limit 

2005 Interim 

AFA catcher 

vessel PSC 

sideboard 

limit 

Halibut ......................................... Pacific cod trawl ............................................................................. 0.6183 359 222 

Pacific cod hook-and-line or pot ..................................................... 0.0022 194 0 

Yellowfin sole .................................................................................. 0.1144 222 25 

Rock sole/flat. sole/other flatfish 5 .................................................. 0.2841 195 55 

Turbot/Arrowtooth/Sablefish ........................................................... 0.2327 0 0 

Rockfish (July 1–December 31) ..................................................... 0.0245 17 0 

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species .............................................. 0.0227 58 1 

Red King Crab ............................ Pacific cod ...................................................................................... 0.6183 6,641 4,106 

Zone 1 4 ............................... Yellowfin sole .................................................................................. 0.1144 8,461 968 

Rock sole/flat. sole/other flatfish 5 .................................................. 0.2841 30,353 8,623 

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species .............................................. 0.0227 102 2 

C. opilio ....................................... Pacific cod ...................................................................................... 0.6183 31,184 19,281 

COBLZ 3 .............................. Yellowfin sole .................................................................................. 0.1144 694,245 79,422 

Rock sole/flat. sole/other flatfish 5 .................................................. 0.2841 242,283 68,833 

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species .............................................. 0.0227 18,107 411 

Rockfish .......................................................................................... 0.0245 10,059 246 

Turbot/Arrowtooth/Sablefish ........................................................... 0.2327 10,060 2,341 

C. bairdi ...................................... Pacific cod ...................................................................................... 0.6183 45,778 28,305 

Zone 1 ................................. Yellowfin sole .................................................................................. 0.1144 85,211 9,748 

Rock sole/flat. sole/other flatfish 5 .................................................. 0.2841 91,330 25,947 

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species .............................................. 0.0227 4,306 98 

C. bairdi ...................................... Pacific cod ...................................................................................... 0.6183 81,044 50,110 

Zone 2 ................................. Yellowfin sole .................................................................................. 0.1144 447,115 51,150 

Rock sole/flat. sole/other flatfish 5 .................................................. 0.2841 149,039 42,342 

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species .............................................. 0.0227 6,868 156 


ER23DE04.036</GPH>
76882 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 9.—2005 INTERIM BSAI AFA CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD LIMITS 1—Continued

PSC species Target fishery category 2

Ratio of 

1995–1997 

AFA CV retained catch 

to total retained catch 

2005 Interim 

PSC limit 

2005 Interim 

AFA catcher 

vessel PSC 

sideboard 

limit 

Rockfish .......................................................................................... 0.0245 2,747 67 

1 Halibut mortality amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. 

2Target fishery categories are defined in regulation at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv). 3 C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone. Boundaries are defined at Figure 13 of 50 CFR part 679. 4 In October 2004, the Council recommended that the red king crab bycatch for trawl fisheries within the Red King Crab Savings Subarea be 

limited to 35 percent of the total allocation to the rock sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’ fishery category (§ 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)). 5 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin 

sole, arrowtooth flounder. 

AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher 

Vessel Sideboard Limit Directed 

Fishing Closures 

The Regional Administrator has 

determined that many of the interim 

AFA catcher/processor and catcher 

vessel sideboard limits listed in Table 

10 and 11 are necessary as incidental 

catch to support other anticipated 

groundfish fisheries for the 2005 fishing 

year. In accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 

Administrator establishes the directed 

fishing allowances for the below species 

or species groups as zero. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by 

AFA catcher/processors for the species 

in the specified areas set out in Table 10 

and directed fishing by non-exempt 

AFA catcher vessels for the species in 

the specified areas set out in Table 11.

TABLE 10.—2005 INTERIM BSAI AFA LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD LIMIT DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Species Area Gear types 

Incidental 

catch

allowance 

Sablefish trawl ............................................................ BS .................................................. Trawl .............................................. 4 

AI .................................................... Trawl .............................................. 0 

Rock sole .................................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 326 

Greenland turbot ......................................................... BS .................................................. all .................................................... 4 

AI .................................................... all .................................................... 1 

Arrowtooth flounder .................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 5 

Alaska plaice .............................................................. BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 2 

Pacific ocean perch .................................................... BS .................................................. all .................................................... 1 

Western AI ..................................... all .................................................... 4 

Central AI ....................................... all .................................................... 1 

Eastern AI ...................................... all .................................................... 12 

Northern rockfish ........................................................ BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 7 

Shortraker rockfish ..................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 2 

Rougheye rockfish ...................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 1 

Other rockfish ............................................................. BS .................................................. all .................................................... 3 

AI .................................................... all .................................................... 4 

Squid ........................................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 6 

Other species ............................................................. BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 46 

1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. 

TABLE 11.—2005 INTERIM BSAI AFA CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD LIMIT DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Species Area Gear 

Incidental 

catch

allowance 

Pacific cod .................................................................. BSAI ............................................... hook-and-line ................................. 0 

BSAI ............................................... pot .................................................. 5 

BSAI ............................................... jig .................................................... 0 

Sablefish ..................................................................... BS .................................................. trawl ................................................ 23 

AI .................................................... trawl ................................................ 10 

Atka mackerel ............................................................. Eastern AI/BS ................................ jig .................................................... 0 

Eastern AI/BS ................................ other ............................................... 15 

Central AI ....................................... all .................................................... 1 

Western AI ..................................... all .................................................... 0 

Greenland Turbot ....................................................... BS .................................................. all .................................................... 37 

AI .................................................... all .................................................... 3 

Arrowtooth flounder .................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 176 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Rules and Regulations 76883

TABLE 11.—2005 INTERIM BSAI AFA CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD LIMIT DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Species Area Gear 

Incidental 

catch

allowance 

Pacific ocean perch .................................................... BS .................................................. all .................................................... 41 

Western AI ..................................... all .................................................... 0 

Central AI ....................................... all .................................................... 1 

Eastern AI ...................................... all .................................................... 8 

Northern rockfish ........................................................ BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 9 

Shortraker rockfish ..................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 0 

Rougheye rockfish ...................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 0 

Other rockfish ............................................................. BS .................................................. all .................................................... 0 

AI .................................................... all .................................................... 1 

Squid ........................................................................... BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 104 

Other species ............................................................. BSAI ............................................... all .................................................... 313 

1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. 

Classification 

This action is authorized under 50 

CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

Because this action is a final action by 

NMFS, analyses required under the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act must be 

completed and considered by the 

agency before promulgation of the 

interim harvest specifications. 

Section 679.20(c)(2) requires NMFS to 

specify harvest specifications to be 

effective January 1 and to remain in 

effect until superceded by the final 

harvest specifications. Without interim 

harvest specifications in effect on 

January 1, the groundfish fisheries 

would not be able to open, resulting in 

disruption within the fishing industry. 

NMFS cannot publish interim harvest 

specifications until proposed harvest 

specifications are completed because 

the interim harvest specifications are 

derived from the proposed harvest 

specifications, as required by 

regulations at § 679.20(c)(2). 

The proposed harvest specifications 

are based on the preliminary 

recommendations of the Plan Team, 

which were reviewed by the Scientific 

and Statistical Committee, and Council 

in October 2004, in projecting 2005 

biomass amounts, as identified in the 

2003 SAFE Report, for the 2005 

proposed ABC, overfishing levels, and 

TAC amounts. The Plan Team 

recommendations incorporate the most 

current data available from a number of 

sources, including current-year industry 

catch levels, and current-year trawl and 

hydro-acoustic surveys. These data are 

not available in time for Council review 

prior to the October Council meeting, as 

the surveys are conducted during the 

summer months, and industry catch 

levels reflect current year activity. These 

updated data sources represent the best 

available scientific information. These 

data provide the basis for the proposed 

and interim harvest specifications. 

The proposed harvest specifications, 

as required by § 679.20(c)(1)(i)(A), must 

be published as soon as practicable after 

consultation with the Council, which 

occurs at the Council’s October meeting. 

Because the interim harvest 

specifications are derived from the 

proposed harvest specifications, the 

proposed harvest specifications 

publication requirement, along with the 

requirement of National Standard 2 of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Act to use the 

best scientific information available, 

prevents NMFS from publishing the 

interim harvest specifications in 

sufficient time to have a public 

comment period and to have the interim 

harvest specifications effective on 

January 1. 

As stated above, disruption to the 

fishing industry and consequent 

impacts to fishing communities and to 

the public would occur if the interim 

harvest specifications were not effective 

January 1. Additionally, the public is 

provided an opportunity to comment on 

the proposed harvest specifications, 

from which the interim harvest 

specifications are derived. For these 

reasons, good cause exists under 5 

U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice 

and opportunity for public comment on 

this action as such procedures would be 

impracticable and contrary to the public 

interest. 

Likewise, the Assistant Administrator 

finds good cause to waive the 30-day 

delay in effectiveness date of the interim 

harvest specifications. Section 

679.20(c)(2) requires NMFS to establish 

interim harvest specifications to be 

effective on January 1 and to remain in 

effect until superseded by the 

publication of final harvest 

specifications by the Office of the 

Federal Register. NMFS interprets 

§ 679.20(c)(2) as requiring the filing of 

interim harvest specifications with the 

Office of the Federal Register before any 

harvest of groundfish is authorized. The 

interim harvest specifications are based 

on the 2005 proposed harvest 

specifications. 

The interim harvest specifications 

rely on data used to propose the 2005 

harvest specifications, and those data 

are not available until after the summer 

surveys are conducted (see above). 

Without interim harvest specifications 

in effect on January 1, the groundfish 

fisheries would not be able to open on 

that date, resulting in disruption to the 

fishing industry. These reasons 

constitute good cause pursuant to 5 

U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day 

delay in effectiveness date. 

Because these interim harvest 

specifications are not required to be 

issued with prior notice and 

opportunity for public comment 

pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other 

law, the analytical requirements of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act do not apply. 

Consequently, no regulatory flexibility 

analysis has been prepared for this 

action.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et 

seq., and 3631 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); Pub. 

L. 105–277, Title II of Division C; Pub L. 106–

31, Sec. 3027; Pub L. 106–554, Sec. 209; and 

Pub. L. 108–199, Sec. 803.

Dated: December 15, 2004. 

Rebecca Lent, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–27735 Filed 12–22–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P