Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 60383 

(A) For a short-term experimental 

hunting season, a Tribe and the Service 

may formally agree on allowed methods 

of take, notwithstanding the regulations 

in § 20.21 for on-reservation and ceded 

lands hunting by Tribal members. The 

Service will make public any such 

formal agreement. 

(B) A Tribe that would like to make 

an additional hunting method 

operational would need to provide data 

to the Service for consideration. If the 

Service agrees with the Tribe’s proposal, 

the Service will conduct rulemaking to 

amend the regulations in this part to 

allow Tribal members to use the 

additional hunting method. 

(2) Tribes may establish offreservation hunting regulations by 

Tribal members on ceded lands, with 

hunting seasons that may be outside of 

Federal limits for season dates, season 

length, and daily bag and possession 

limits. 

(d) Provisions for ceded lands. Tribes 

that have special migratory game bird 

hunting regulations for Tribal members 

on ceded lands must send a copy of the 

Tribal regulations to officials in the 

affected State(s) as soon as reasonably 

possible prior to the season opening. 

Maureen D. Foster, 

Chief of Staff, Office of the Assistant Secretary 

for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19067 Filed 8–30–23; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 4333–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 230224–0053; RTID 0648– 

XD251] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Trawl 

Catcher Vessels in the Western 

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 Pacific cod by catcher vessels 

using trawl gear in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary to 

prevent exceeding the 2023 Pacific cod 

total allowable catch apportioned to 

trawl catcher vessels in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), September 1, 2023, 

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

2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Krista Milani, 907–581–2062. 

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 (Magnuson-Stevens 

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. Regulations 

governing sideboard protections for 

GOA groundfish fisheries appear at 

subpart B of 50 CFR part 680. 

The 2023 Pacific cod total allowable 

catch (TAC) apportioned to trawl 

catcher vessels in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA is 1,956 

metric tons (mt), as established by the 

final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023). 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that the 2023 Pacific cod 

TAC apportioned to trawl catcher 

vessels in the Western Regulatory Area 

of the GOA will soon be reached. 

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 1,356 mt and is setting 

aside the remaining 600 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 

Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

While this closure is effective the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time 

during a trip. 

Classification 

NMFS issues this action pursuant to 

section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 

part 679, which was issued pursuant to 

section 304(b), and is exempt from 

review under Executive Order 12866. 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there 

is good cause to waive prior notice and 

an opportunity for public comment on 

this action, as notice and comment 

would be 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 directed fishing 

closure of Pacific cod by catcher vessels 

using trawl gear in the Western 

Regulatory Area of 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 August 28, 2023. 

The Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries, NOAA 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. 

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

Dated: August 28, 2023. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–18910 Filed 8–31–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 230224–0053; RTID 0648– 

XD283] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Catcher Vessels Greater Than or Equal 

to 50 Feet Length Overall Using Hookand-Line Gear 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 retention 

of Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater 

than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) 

length overall using hook-and-line 

(HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory 

Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 

action is necessary because the 2023 

total allowable catch of Pacific cod 

apportioned to catcher vessels greater 

than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length 

overall using HAL gear in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the GOA has been 

reached. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), September 1, 2023, 

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

2023. 


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