1302 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 200221–0062; RTID 0648– 

XA772] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical 

Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 

610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 

action is necessary to prevent exceeding 

the A season allowance of the 2021 total 

allowable catch of pollock for Statistical 

Area 610 in the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), January 20, 2021, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., May 31, 2021. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Krista Milani, 907–581–2062. 

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. 

The A season allowance of the 2021 

total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in 

Statistical Area 610 of the GOA is 799 

metric tons (mt) as established by the 

final 2020 and 2021 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(85 FR 13802, March 10, 2020) and 

inseason adjustment (85 FR 83834, 

December 23, 2020). 

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

and 679.20(d)(1)(ii)(B), the Regional 

Administrator has determined that the 

A season allowance of the 2021 TAC of 

pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the 

GOA is necessary to account for the 

incidental catch in other anticipated 

fisheries. Therefore, the Regional 

Administrator is establishing a directed 

fishing allowance of 0 mt and is setting 

aside the remaining 799 mt as bycatch 

to support other anticipated groundfish 

fisheries. In accordance with 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional 

Administrator finds that this directed 

fishing allowance has been reached. 

Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting 

directed fishing for pollock in Statistical 

Area 610 of the GOA. 

While this closure is effective the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

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

during a trip. 

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 closure of pollock 

in Statistical Area 610 in 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 December 

30, 2020. 

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

Dated: January 4, 2021. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00109 Filed 1–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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