[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 161 (Monday, August 21, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48483-48485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7052]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 060216045-6045-01; I.D. 081506A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of Community 
Development Quota (CDQ) and non-CDQ pollock from the Aleutian Islands 
subarea to the Bering Sea subarea and Bering Sea subarea pollock from 
the incidental catch allowance to the directed fisheries. These actions 
are necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2006 total 
allowable catch (TAC) of pollock, consistent with the goals and 
objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP).

DATES: Effective August 16, 2006, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time 
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI according to the 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.
    In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the 2006 TAC of non-CDQ pollock is 
9,500 metric tons (mt) and the CDQ pollock is 1,140 mt as established 
by the 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications for groundfish in the 
BSAI (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006) and the reallocation on March 3, 2006 
(71 FR 11541, March 8, 2006).
    As of August 10, 2006, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
(Regional Administrator) has determined that the following amounts of 
pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be harvested: 4,000 mt 
of non-CDQ pollock and 1,140 mt of CDQ pollock. Therefore, in 
accordance

[[Page 48484]]

with Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS proportionally reallocates 
4,000 mt of non-CDQ pollock and 1,140 mt of CDQ pollock from the 
Aleutian Islands subarea to the 2006 Bering Sea subarea B season 
allocations, as listed in Tables 3 and 10 of the 2006 and 2007 final 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (71 FR 11541, March 
8, 2006).
    The harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands 
subarea included in the harvest specifications for groundfish in the 
BSAI (71 FR 11541, March 8, 2006) are revised as follows: 5,500 mt to 
non-CDQ pollock and 0 mt to CDQ pollock.
    The 2006 pollock incidental catch allowance in the BS was 
established as 44,967 mt by the 2006 and 2007 final harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006), 
in accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1) and the American 
Fisheries Act (AFA) (Public Law 105 277, Division C, Title II).
    As of August 10, 2006, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has 
determined that approximately 20,072 mt of pollock remain in the 
incidental catch allowance. Based on projected harvest rates of other 
groundfish species and the expected incidental catch of pollock in 
those fisheries, the Regional Administrator has determined that 14,000 
mt of pollock specified in the incidental catch allowance will not be 
necessary as incidental catch. Therefore, NMFS is apportioning the 
projected unused amount, 14,000 mt, of pollock from the incidental 
catch allowance to the directed fishing allowances established pursuant 
to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(A).
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5), Tables 3 and 10 of the 2006 and 
2007 final harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (71 FR 
11541, March 8, 2006) are revised for 2006 non-CDQ pollock and CDQ 
pollock allocations consistent with this reallocation. This 
reallocation results in proportional adjustments to the 2006 B season 
non-CDQ pollock directed fishery allocation (DFA) established at Sec.  
679.20(a)(5).

        TABLE 3--2006 AND 2007 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)\1\
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         2006 A season\1\      2006 B                      2007 A season\1\      2007 B
                                                                      ---------------------- season\1\                  ---------------------- season\1\
                   Area and sector                          2006                     SCA    -----------       2007                     SCA    ----------
                                                        Allocations     A season   harvest    B season    Allocations     A season   harvest    B season
                                                                          DFA      limit\2\     DFA                         DFA      limit\2\     DFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea                                          1,496,700        n/a        n/a        n/a        1,500,000        n/a        n/a        n/a
 CDQ DFA                                                      150,400     60,160     41,793     90,240          149,670     59,868     41,908     89,802
 ICA                                                           30,967        n/a        n/a        n/a           45,236        n/a        n/a        n/a
 AFA Inshore                                                  657,666    261,148    181,626    396,518          652,547    261,019    182,713    391,528
 AFA Catcher/Processors\3\                                    526,133    208,918    145,301    317,215          522,038    208,815    146,171    313,223
 Catch by C/Ps                                                481,412    191,160        n/a    290,252          477,664    191,066        n/a    286,599
 Catch by CVs\3\                                               44,721     17,758        n/a     26,963           44,373     17,749        n/a     26,624
 Unlisted C/P Limit\4\                                          2,631      1,045        n/a      1,586            2,610      1,044        n/a      1,566
AFA Motherships                                               131,533     52,230     36,325     79,304          130,509     52,204     36,543     78,306
Excessive Harvesting Limit\5\                                 256,503        n/a        n/a        n/a          228,391        n/a        n/a        n/a
Excessive Processing Limit\6\                                 439,720        n/a        n/a        n/a          391,528        n/a        n/a        n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA                                        1,465,733    582,456    405,045    883,277        1,454,764    581,906    407,334    872,858
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands subarea\1\                                     6,160        n/a        n/a        n/a           19,000        n/a        n/a        n/a
 CDQ DFA                                                            0        n/a        n/a          0            1,900        760        n/a      1,140
 ICA                                                            1,800      1,200        n/a        600            1,800      1,200        n/a        600
 Aleut Corporation                                              5,500      4,000        n/a      1,500           15,300      9,800        n/a      5,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District ICA\7\                                           10        n/a        n/a        n/a               10        n/a        n/a        n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock, after subtraction for the CDQ DFA - 10 percent and the ICA - 3.35 percent, is
  allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component - 50 percent, catcher/processor component - 40 percent, and mothership component - 10 percent. In the
  Bering Sea subarea, the A season, January 20 - June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B season, June 10 - November 1, is allocated 60
  percent of the DFA. Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed
  fishing allowance - 10 percent and second the ICA - 1,800 mt, is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI subarea,
  the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of
  the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent of the annual DFA
  is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
  only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
\4\Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
  processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
\6\Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
\7\The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only, and are
  not apportioned by season or sector.


[[Page 48485]]


                   TABLE 10--2006 AND 2007 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Sum of member
                                      vessel's official     Percentage of      2006 Annual        2007 Annual
Cooperative name and member vessels   catch histories\1\   inshore sector      cooperative        cooperative
                                             (mt)            allocation      allocation (mt)    allocation (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association    ...................  31.145            204830             203,186
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
Arctic Enterprise Association        ...................  1.146             7,535              7,476
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative    ...................  8.412             55,326             54,879
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative          ...................  2.876             18,916             18,763
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
Unalaska Cooperative                 ...................  12.191            80,173             79,533
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
UniSea Fleet Cooperative             ...................  25.324            166,549            165,211
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
Westward Fleet Cooperative           ...................  18.906            124,336            123,340
------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------------------
Open access AFA vessels              ...................  0                 0                  0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total inshore allocation             875,572              100               657,666            652,388
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\According to regulations at Sec.   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.>

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 reallocation of Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
pollock. Since the pollock fishery is currently open, it is important 
to immediately inform the industry as to the final Bering Sea subarea 
pollock allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for 
the orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery; allow the 
industry to plan for the fishing season and avoid potential disruption 
to the fishing fleet as well as processors; and provide opportunity to 
harvest increased B season pollock allocations while value is optimum.
    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 Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: August 15, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-7052 Filed 8-16-06; 2:14 pm]
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