11810 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 49 / Wednesday, March 14, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

(113) 44°17.99′ N. lat., 124°51.04′ W. 

long.; 

(114) 44°12.92′ N. lat., 124°56.28′ W. 

long.; 

(115) 44°00.14′ N. lat., 124°55.25′ W. 

long.; 

(116) 43°57.68′ N. lat., 124°55.48′ W. 

long.; 

(117) 43°56.66′ N. lat., 124°55.45′ W. 

long.; 

(118) 43°56.47′ N. lat., 124°34.61′ W. 

long.; 

(119) 43°42.73′ N. lat., 124°32.41′ W. 

long.; 

(120) 43°30.92′ N. lat., 124°34.43′ W. 

long.; 

(121) 43°20.83′ N. lat., 124°39.39′ W. 

long.; 

(122) 43°17.45′ N. lat., 124°41.16′ W. 

long.; 

(123) 43°07.04′ N. lat., 124°41.25′ W. 

long.; 

(124) 43°03.45′ N. lat., 124°44.36′ W. 

long.; 

(125) 43°03.91′ N. lat., 124°50.81′ W. 

long.; 

(126) 42°55.70′ N. lat., 124°52.79′ W. 

long.; 

(127) 42°54.12′ N. lat., 124°47.36′ W. 

long.; 

(128) 42°50.00′ N. lat., 124°45.33′ W. 

long.; 

(129) 42°44.00′ N. lat., 124°42.38′ W. 

long.; 

(130) 42°40.50′ N. lat., 124°41.71′ W. 

long.; 

(131) 42°38.23′ N. lat., 124°41.25′ W. 

long.; 

(132) 42°33.02′ N. lat., 124°42.38′ W. 

long.; 

(133) 42°31.90′ N. lat., 124°42.04′ W. 

long.; 

(134) 42°30.08′ N. lat., 124°42.67′ W. 

long.; 

(135) 42°28.28′ N. lat., 124°47.08′ W. 

long.; 

(136) 42°25.22′ N. lat., 124°43.51′ W. 

long.; 

(137) 42°19.23′ N. lat., 124°37.91′ W. 

long.; 

(138) 42°16.29′ N. lat., 124°36.11′ W. 

long.; 

(139) 42°13.67′ N. lat., 124°35.81′ W. 

long.; 

(140) 42°05.66′ N. lat., 124°34.92′ W. 

long.; 

(141) 42°00.00′ N. lat., 124°35.27′ W. 

long.; 

(142) 41°47.04′ N. lat., 124°27.64′ W. 

long.; 

(143) 41°32.92′ N. lat., 124°28.79′ W. 

long.; 

(144) 41°24.17′ N. lat., 124°28.46′ W. 

long.; 

(145) 41°10.12′ N. lat., 124°20.50′ W. 

long.; 

(146) 40°51.41′ N. lat., 124°24.38′ W. 

long.; 

(147) 40°43.71′ N. lat., 124°29.89′ W. 

long.; 

(148) 40°40.14′ N. lat., 124°30.90′ W. 

long.; 

(149) 40°37.35′ N. lat., 124°29.05′ W. 

long.; 

(150) 40°34.76′ N. lat., 124°29.82′ W. 

long.; 

(151) 40°36.78′ N. lat., 124°37.06′ W. 

long.; 

(152) 40°32.44′ N. lat., 124°39.58′ W. 

long.; 

(153) 40°30.00′ N. lat., 124°38.13′ W. 

long.; 

(154) 40°24.82′ N. lat., 124°35.12′ W. 

long.; 

(155) 40°23.30′ N. lat., 124°31.60′ W. 

long.; 

(156) 40°23.52′ N. lat., 124°28.78′ W. 

long.; 

(157) 40°22.43′ N. lat., 124°25.00′ W. 

long.; 

(158) 40°21.72′ N. lat., 124°24.94′ W. 

long.; 

(159) 40°21.87′ N. lat., 124°27.96′ W. 

long.; 

(160) 40°21.40′ N. lat., 124°28.74′ W. 

long.; 

(161) 40°19.68′ N. lat., 124°28.49′ W. 

long.; 

(162) 40°17.73′ N. lat., 124°25.43′ W. 

long.; 

(163) 40°18.37′ N. lat., 124°23.35′ W. 

long.; 

(164) 40°15.75′ N. lat., 124°26.05′ W. 

long.; 

(165) 40°16.75′ N. lat., 124°33.71′ W. 

long.; 

(166) 40°16.29′ N. lat., 124°34.36′ W. 

long.; and 

(167) 40°10.00′ N. lat., 124°21.12′ W. 

long. 

[FR Doc. 07–1196 Filed 3–9–07; 3:02 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 070213033–7033–01; I.D. 

030907A] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Catcher Vessels Using Trawl Gear in 

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 cod by catcher vessels 

using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands management area 

(BSAI). This action is necessary to 

prevent exceeding the 2007 first 

seasonal allowance of the Pacific cod 

total allowable catch (TAC) specified for 

catcher vessels using trawl gear in the 

BSAI. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), March 12, 2007, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., April 1, 2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennifer Hogan, 907–586–7228. 

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 2007 first seasonal allowance of 

the Pacific cod TAC specified for 

catcher vessels using trawl gear in the 

BSAI is 25,977 metric tons (mt) as 

established by the 2007 and 2008 final 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (72 FR 9451, March 2, 2007), 

for the period 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 

1, 2007, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., April 

1, 2007. See § 679.20(c)(3)(iii), 

§ 679.20(c)(5), and § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B). 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the 2007 first seasonal 

allowance of the Pacific cod TAC 

specified for catcher vessels using trawl 

gear in the BSAI will soon be reached. 

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 25,777 mt, and is setting 

aside the remaining 200 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 Pacific cod by 

catcher vessels using trawl gear in the 

BSAI. 

After the effective date 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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 49 / Wednesday, March 14, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 11811 

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 closure of Pacific cod by 

catcher vessels using trawl gear in the 

BSAI. NMFS was unable to publish a 

notice providing time for public 

comment because the most recent, 

relevant data only became available as 

of March 8, 2007. 

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: March 09, 2007. 

James P. Burgess, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–1194 Filed 3–9–07; 3:02 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 


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