Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 11, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 51717 

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 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 2007 TAC of Pacific ocean perch 

allocated to catcher processors 

participating in the rockfish limited 

access fishery in the Central GOA is 

1,008 metric tons (mt) as established by 

§ 679.81(a), 679.82(b), and the 2007 and 

2008 harvest specifications for 

groundfish of the GOA (72 FR 9676, 

March 5, 2007), and as posted as the 

2007 Rockfish Program Allocations at 

http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ 

sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm. 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the 2007 TAC of Pacific 

ocean perch allocated to catcher 

processors participating in the rockfish 

limited access fishery in the Central 

GOA will soon be reached. Therefore, 

the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 1,008 mt, and is setting 

aside the remaining 0 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 ocean perch 

for catcher processors participating in 

the rockfish limited access fishery in the 

Central GOA. 

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 

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 ocean perch 

for catcher processors participating in 

the rockfish limited access fishery in the 

Central GOA. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of September 5, 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: September 6, 2007. 

Emily H. Menashes 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–4443 Filed 9–6–07; 1:54 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 070213032–7032–01] 

RIN 0648–XC43 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Shallow-Water 

Species Fishery by Vessels Using 

Trawl Gear in the Gulf of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; modification of 

a closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed 

fishing for 12 hours for shallow-water 

species by vessels using trawl gear in 

the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 

necessary to allow the shallow-water 

species fishery in the GOA to resume. 

DATES: Effective 0800 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), September 6, 2007, through 

2000 hrs, A.l.t., September 6, 2007. 

Comments must be received at the 

following address no later than 4:30 

p.m., A.l.t., September 21, 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 inseason.fakr@noaa.gov 

and include in the subject line of the email the document identifier: 

goaswx4sre.fo.wpd (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 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 shallow-water fishery in the GOA 

opened on September 1, 2007 at 1200 

hrs and closed on September 1, 2007 at 

2400 hrs (72 FR 49229, August 28, 

2007). NMFS has determined that 

approximately 150 mt remain in the 

fourth seasonal apportionment of the 

2007 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance 

specified for the shallow-water species 

fishery in the GOA. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.25(a)(1)(i), 

(a)(2)(i)(C) and (a)(2)(iii)(D), and to 

allow the shallow-water species fishery 

in the GOA to resume, NMFS is 

terminating the previous closure and is 

reopening directed fishing for shallowwater species for 12 hours by vessels 

using trawl gear in the GOA, effective 

0800 hrs, A.l.t., September 6, 2007, 

through 2000 hrs, A.l.t., September 6, 

2007. The species and species groups 

that comprise the shallow-water species 

fishery are pollock, Pacific cod, shallowwater flatfish, flathead sole, Atka 

mackerel, skates and ‘‘other species.’’

This opener does not apply to fishing by 

vessels participating in the cooperative 

fishery in the Rockfish Pilot Program for 

the Central GOA. 

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 


yshivers on PROD1PC62 with RULES
51718 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 11, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

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 opening of the shallow-water 

species fishery by vessels using trawl 

gear 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 September 4, 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. 

Without this inseason adjustment, 

NMFS could not allow the fishery for 

the shallow-water species fishery in the 

GOA to be harvested in an expedient 

manner and in accordance with the 

regulatory schedule. Under 

§ 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments on 

this action to the above address until 

September 21, 2007. 

This action is required by § 679.20 

and § 679.25 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: September 5, 2007. 

Emily H. Menashes 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–4442 Filed 9–6–07; 1:54 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 070213032–7032–01] 

RIN 0648–XC47 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Northern Rockfish for 

Catcher Processors Participating in 

the Rockfish Limited Access Fishery in 

the Central Regulatory Area of 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 northern rockfish for catcher 

processors participating in the rockfish 

limited access fishery in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary to 

prevent exceeding the 2007 total 

allowable catch (TAC) of northern 

rockfish allocated to catcher processors 

participating in the rockfish limited 

access fishery in the Central Regulatory 

Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), September 6, 2007, through 

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007. 

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 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 2007 TAC of northern rockfish 

allocated to catcher processors 

participating in the rockfish limited 

access fishery in the Central GOA is 675 

metric tons (mt) as established by 

§ 679.81(b)(2) and the 2007 and 2008 

harvest specifications for groundfish of 

the GOA (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007), 

and as posted as the 2007 Rockfish 

Program Allocations at http:// 

www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/ 

goarat/default.htm. 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the 2007 TAC of 

northern rockfish allocated to catcher 

processors participating in the rockfish 

limited access fishery in the Central 

GOA will soon be reached. Therefore, 

the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 675 mt, and is setting aside 

the remaining 0 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 northern rockfish for 

catcher processors participating in the 

rockfish limited access fishery in the 

Central GOA. 

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 

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 northern rockfish 

for catcher processors participating in 

the rockfish limited access fishery in the 

Central GOA. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of September 5, 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: September 6, 2007. 

Emily H. Menashes 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–4441 Filed 9–6–07; 1:54 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 


yshivers on PROD1PC62 with RULES