Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 219 / Monday, November 15, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 69601 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 0910131363–0087–02] 

RIN 0648–XA035 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch 

in the Central Aleutian District of 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 ocean perch in the 

Central Aleutian District of the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands management 

area (BSAI) by vessels participating in 

the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. 

This action is necessary to prevent 

exceeding the 2010 allocation of Pacific 

ocean perch in this area allocated to 

vessels participating in the BSAI trawl 

limited access fishery. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), November 10, 2010, 

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

2010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

BSAI exclusive economic zone 

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 allocation of Pacific ocean perch, 

in the Central Aleutian District, 

allocated as a directed fishing allowance 

to vessels participating in the BSAI 

trawl limited access fishery was 

established as 376 metric tons (mt) by 

the final 2010 and 2011 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI (75 FR 11778, March 12, 2010). 

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 Pacific 

ocean perch in the Central Aleutian 

District by vessels participating in the 

BSAI trawl limited access fishery. 

After the effective dates 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 a 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 the Pacific ocean 

perch fishery in the Central Aleutian 

District for vessels participating in the 

BSAI trawl limited access fishery. 

NMFS was unable to publish a notice 

providing time for public comment 

because the most recent, relevant data 

only became available as of November 8, 

2010. 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: November 9, 2010. 

Brian Parker, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–28687 Filed 11–9–10; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 0910131363–0087–02] 

RIN 0648–XA036 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch 

in the Western Aleutian District of 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 ocean perch in the 

Western Aleutian District of the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands management 

area (BSAI) by vessels participating in 

the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. 

This action is necessary to prevent 

exceeding the 2010 allocation of Pacific 

ocean perch in this area allocated to 

vessels participating in the BSAI trawl 

limited access fishery. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), November 10, 2010, 

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

2010. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

BSAI exclusive economic zone 

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 allocation of Pacific ocean perch, 

in the Western Aleutian District, 

allocated as a directed fishing allowance 

to vessels participating in the BSAI 

trawl limited access fishery was 

established as 116 metric tons (mt) by 

the final 2010 and 2011 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI (75 FR 11778, March 12, 2010). 

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 Pacific 

ocean perch in the Western Aleutian 

District by vessels participating in the 

BSAI trawl limited access fishery. 

After the effective dates 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 a requirement 

is impracticable and contrary to the 


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