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 Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060216044-6044-01; I.D. 010807A]
 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
 ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; request for comments.
 SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the current A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA are incorrectly specified and to ensure the A and B season catch of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA does not exceed the appropriate amount, based on the best available scientific information for pollock in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.
 DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 16, 2007, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., April 15, 2007, unless otherwise modified or superceded through publication of a notification in the 
                        **Federal Register**
                        . Comments must be received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., January 31, 2007.
 ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Comments may be submitted by: Mail to: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802;
                    Hand delivery to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th
                         Street, Room 420A, Juneau, Alaska;
                    FAX to 907-586-7557;
                    E-mail to*620PLCKADJUSTMENT@noaa.gov*
                         and include the subject line of the e-mail comment the document identifier: 620PLCKADJUSTMENT (E-mail comments, with or without attachments, are limited to 5 megabytes); or
                    Webform at the Federal eRulemaking Portal:*http://www.regulations.gov*. Follow the instructions at that site for submitting comments.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hogan, 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. The 2007 total allowable catch of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA is 24,275 metric tons (mt) as established by the 2006 and 2007 harvest specification for groundfish in the GOA (71 FR 10870, March 3, 2006). The A season allowance is 8,910 mt and the B season allowance is 10,663 mt for pollock in Statistical area 620 of the GOA as established by the 2006 and 2007 harvest specification for groundfish in the GOA (71 FR 10870, March 3, 2006). In December 2006, the Council recommended 2007 A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of 7,357 mt and 8,924 mt, respectively. This amount is less than the A and B season allowances currently established by the 2006 and 2007 harvest specification for groundfish in the GOA (71 FR 10870, March 3, 2006). The A and B season allowances as recommended by the Council are based on the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation report (SAFE), dated November 2006, which is the best available scientific information for this fishery. In accordance with § 679.25(a)(2)(i)(B), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined, based on the November 2006 SAFE report for this fishery, that the current A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA are incorrectly specified. Consequently, the Regional Administrator is adjusting the 2007 A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA to 7,357 mt and 8,924 mt, respectively. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iv), Tables 6, 13, and 16 of the 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (71 FR 10870, March 3, 2006) are revised for the 2007 A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA consistent with this adjustment.
                    ( print page 1672) Table 6 - Final 2007 Distribution of Pollock in the Central and Western Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska; Seasonal Biomass Distribution, Area Apportionments; and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC.
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
Area Apportionments Resulting From Seasonal Distribution of BiomassSeason
Shumagin
                             (Area 610)
Chirikof
                             (Area 620)
Kodiak
                             (Area 630)
TotalA
3,352 (21.63%)
7,357 (52.76%)
3,234 (20.87%)
13,943 (100%)B
3,352 (21.63%)
8,924 (64.87%)
1,481 (9.56%)
13,757 (100%)C
8,159 (52.65%)
2,351 (15.17%)
4,986 (32.18%)
15,496 (100%)D
8,159 (52.65%)
2,351 (15.17%)
4,986 (32.18%)
15,496 (100%)Annual Total
23,022
20,983
14,687
58,692
 Table 13 - Final 2007 GOA Non-Exempt American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations.
[Values are in metric tons]
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/processor/gear
Ratio of 1995-1997 non-exempt AFA CV catch to 1995-1997 TAC
2007 TAC
2007 non-exempt AFA catcher vessel sideboardPollock
A Season (W/C areas only)
                             January 20 - February 25Shumagin (610)
0.6112
3,352
2,049Chirikof (620)
0.1427
7,357
1,050Kodiak (630)
0.2438
3,234
788B Season (W/C areas only)
                             March 10 - May 31Shumagin (610)
0.6112
3,352
2,049Chirikof (620)
0.1427
8,924
1,274Kodiak (630)
0.2438
1,481
361C Season (W/C areas only)
                             August 25 - September 15Shumagin (610)
0.6112
8,159
4,987Chirikof (620)
0.1427
2,351
335Kodiak (630)
0.2438
4,986
1,216D Season (W/C areas only)
                             October 1 - November 1Shumagin (610)
0.6112
8,159
4,987Chirikof (620)
0.1427
2,351
335Kodiak (630)
0.2438
4,986
1,216AnnualWYK (640)
0.3499
1,426
499SEO (650)
0.3499
6,157
2,154Pacific cod
A Season1
                             January 1 - June 10W inshore
0.1423
7,813
1,112W offshore
0.1026
868
89C inshore
0.0722
11,019
796C offshore
0.0721
1,224
88B Season2
                             September 1 - December 31W inshore
0.1423
5,209
741W offshore
0.1026
579
59C inshore
0.0722
7,346
530C offshore
0.0721
816
59AnnualE inshore
0.0079
2,404
19E offshore
0.0078
267
2Flatfish deep-water
W
0.0000
421C
0.0670
4,145
278E
0.0171
4,111
70( print page 1673)Rex sole
W
0.0010
1,096
1C
0.0402
5,207
209E
0.0153
2,397
37Flathead sole
W
0.0036
2,000
7C
0.0261
5,000
131E
0.0048
2,153
10Flatfish shallow-water
W
0.0156
4,500
70C
0.0598
13,000
777E
0.0126
2,472
31Arrowtooth flounder
W
0.0021
8,000
17C
0.0309
25,000
773E
0.0020
5,000
10Sablefish
W trawl gear
0.0000
472
0C trawl gear
0.0720
1,126
81E trawl gear
0.0488
257
13Pacific ocean perch
W
0.0623
4,290
267C
0.0866
7,660
663E
0.0466
2,776
129Shortraker rockfish
W
0.0000
153
0C
0.0237
353
8E
0.0124
337
4Rougheye rockfish
W
0.0000
133
0C
0.0237
596
14E
0.0124
235
3Other rockfish
W
0.0034
577
2C
0.2065
386
80E
0.0000
517
0Northern rockfish
W
0.0003
1,483
0C
0.0336
3,608
121Pelagic shelf rockfish
W
0.0001
1,463
0C
0.0000
3,318
0E
0.0067
749
5Thornyhead rockfish
W
0.0308
513
16C
0.0308
989
30E
0.0308
707
22Big skates
W
0.0090
695
6C
0.0090
2,250
20E
0.0090
599
5Longnose skates
W
0.0090
65
1C
0.0090
1,969
18E
0.0090
861
8Other skates
GW
0.0090
1,617
15Demersal shelf rockfish
SEO
0.0020
410
1( print page 1674)Atka mackerel
Gulfwide
0.0309
1,500
46Other species
Gulfwide
0.0090
12,229
1101
                        The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.2
                        The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
 Table 16 - Final 2007 GOA Non American Fisheries Act Crab Vessel (CV) Groundfish Harvest Sideboard Limitations.
[Values are rounded to nearest metric ton]
Species
Apportionments and allocations by area/season/processor/gear
Ratio of 1996-2000 non-AFA CV catch to 1996-2000 total harvest
2007 TAC
2007 non-AFA crab vessel sideboardPollock
A Season (W/C areas only)
                             January 20 - March 10Shumagin (610)
0.0098
3,352
33Chirikof (620)
0.0031
7,357
23Kodiak (630)
0.0002
3,234
1B Season (W/C areas only)
                             March 10 - May 31Shumagin (610)
0.0098
3,352
33Chirikof (620)
0.0031
8,924
28Kodiak (630)
0.0002
1,481
0C Season (W/C areas only)
                             August 25 - October 1Shumagin (610)
0.0098
8,159
80Chirikof (620)
0.0031
2,351
7Kodiak (630)
0.0002
4,986
1D Season (W/C areas only)
                             October 1 - November 1Shumagin (610)
0.0098
8,159
80Chirikof (620)
0.0031
2,351
7Kodiak (630)
0.0002
4,986
1AnnualWYK (640)
0.0000
1,426
0SEO (650)
0.0000
6,157
0Pacific cod
A Season1
                             January 1 - June 10W inshore
0.0902
7,813
705W offshore
0.2046
868
178C inshore
0.0383
11,019
422C offshore
0.2074
1,224
254B Season2
                             September 1 - December 31W inshore
0.0902
5,209
470W offshore
0.2046
579
118C inshore
0.0383
7,346
281C offshore
0.2074
816
169AnnualE inshore
0.0110
2,404
26E offshore
0.0000
267
0Flatfish deep-water
W
0.0035
421
1C
0.0000
4,145
0E
0.0000
4,111
0Rex sole
W
0.0000
1,096
0C
0.0000
5,207
0( print page 1675)E
0.0000
2,397
0Flathead sole
W
0.0002
2,000
0C
0.0004
5,000
2E
0.0000
2,153
0Flatfish shallow-water
W
0.0059
4,500
27C
0.0001
13,000
1E
0.0000
2,472
0Arrowtooth flounder
W
0.0004
8,000
3C
0.0001
25,000
3E
0.0000
5,000
0Sablefish
W trawl gear
0.0000
472
0C trawl gear
0.0000
1,126
0E trawl gear
0.0000
257
0Pacific ocean perch
W
0.0000
4,290
0C
0.0000
7,660
0E
0.0000
2,776
0Shortraker rockfish
W
0.0013
153
0C
0.0012
353
0E
0.0009
337
0Rougheye rockfish
W
0.0067
133
1C
0.0047
596
3E
0.0008
235
0Other rockfish
W
0.0035
577
2C
0.0033
386
1E
0.0000
517
0Northern rockfish
W
0.0005
1,483
1C
0.0000
3,608
0Pelagic shelf rockfish
W
0.0017
1,463
2C
0.0000
3,318
0E
0.0000
749
0Thornyhead rockfish
W
0.0047
513
2C
0.0066
989
7E
0.0045
707
3Big skates
W
0.0392
695
27C
0.0159
2,250
36E
0.0000
599
0Longnose skate
W
0.0392
65
3C
0.0159
1,969
36E
0.0000
861
0Other skates
GW
0.0176
1,617
28Demersal shelf rockfish
SEO
0.0000
410
0Atka mackerel
Gulfwide
0.0000
1,500
0( print page 1676)Other species
Gulfwide
0.0176
12,229
2151
                        The Pacific cod A season for trawl gear does not open until January 20.2
                        The Pacific cod B season for trawl gear closes November 1.
 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) and 679.25(c)(2) 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 allow for harvests that exceed the appropriate A and B season allowances of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA based on the best scientific information available. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 19, 2006, and additional time for prior public comment would result in conservation concerns. 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. Under § 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this action to the above address until January 31, 2007. This action is required by § 679.22 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority:
                    16 U.S.C. 1801 
                        *et seq.* Dated: January 8, 2007. James P. Burgess, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.


[FR Doc. 07-120 Filed 1-10-07; 12:43 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S