67984 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 

Authority: 14 U.S.C. 503; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 

46 U.S.C. 2101, 2103, and 2110; 46 U.S.C. 

chapter 71; 46 U.S.C. 7502, 7505, 7701, 8906, 

and 70105; E.O. 10173; DHS Delegation No. 

00170.1, Revision No. 01.3. Section 11.107 is 

also issued under the authority of 44 U.S.C. 

3507. 

■ 2. Amend § 11.201 by: 

■ a. Revising the first sentence of 

paragraph (h)(1) introductory text; 

■ b. Revising paragraphs (h)(2)(i), 

(h)(3)(i) and (ii); 

■ c. Adding paragraphs (h)(3)(iii) and 

(iv); and 

■ d. In paragraph (l), after the word 

‘‘service’’ and before the words ‘‘and 

examination’’ adding the text ‘‘, 

training’’. 

The revisions and additions read as 

follows: 

§ 11.201 General requirements for national 

and STCW officer endorsements. 

* * * * * 

(h) * * * 

(1) Applicants for an original officer 

endorsement in the following categories 

must present a certificate of completion 

from a firefighting course of instruction 

relevant to the endorsement being 

sought that has been approved by the 

Coast Guard. * * * 

(2) * * * 

(i) All national officer endorsements 

as master or mate on seagoing vessels of 

200 GRT or more. 

* * * * * 

(3) * * * 

(i) All officer endorsements as master 

on vessels of less than 500 GT in ocean 

service. 

(ii) All officer endorsements for 

master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels 

for service on near-coastal waters, 

except apprentice mate (steersman) of 

towing vessels. 

(iii) All officer endorsements for 

master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels 

for service on Great Lakes, except 

apprentice mate (steersman) of towing 

vessels. 

(iv) All officer endorsements as 

master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels 

for service on inland waters or Western 

Rivers, except apprentice mate 

(steersman) of towing vessels. 

(A) The Coast Guard will accept a 

Coast Guard-approved modified basic 

firefighting course, which is the basic 

firefighting training described in 

paragraph (h)(3) of this section modified 

to only cover the equipment, fire 

prevention procedures, and firefighting 

operations required on towing vessels 

on inland waters or Western Rivers 

routes required in 46 CFR parts 140 and 

142. A mariner who completes this 

modified basic firefighting course will 

be issued an endorsement that is 

restricted to inland waters or Western 

Rivers. 

(B) To increase in scope to Great 

Lakes, near-coastal or oceans, the 

applicant will be required to complete 

the firefighting course appropriate to the 

route sought. 

* * * * * 

Dated: September 21, 2023. 

W.R. Arguin, 

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant 

Commandant for Prevention Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21560 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 665 

[RTID 0648–XD391] 

Pacific Island Fisheries; 2023 U.S. 

Territorial Longline Bigeye Tuna Catch 

Limits for the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Announcement of a valid 

specified fishing agreement. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces a valid 

specified fishing agreement that 

allocates up to 1,500 metric tons (t) of 

the 2023 bigeye tuna limit for the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands (CNMI) to U.S. longline fishing 

vessels. The agreement supports the 

long-term sustainability of fishery 

resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands, and 

fisheries development in the CNMI. 

DATES: The specified fishing agreement 

was valid as of February 2, 2023. The 

start date for attributing 2023 bigeye 

tuna catch to the CNMI is October 8, 

2023. 

ADDRESSES: The Fishery Ecosystem Plan 

for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western 

Pacific (FEP) describes specified fishing 

agreements and is available from the 

Western Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., 

Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, 

telephone 808–522–8220, fax 808–522– 

8226, or https://www.wpcouncil.org. 

NMFS prepared environmental 

analyses that describe the potential 

impacts on the human environment that 

would result from the action. The 

analyses, identified by NOAA–NMFS– 

2022–0117, are available from https://

www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAANMFS-2022-0117, or from Sarah Malloy, 

Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS 

Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp 

Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Keith Kamikawa, NMFS PIR Sustainable 

Fisheries, 808–725–5177. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final 

rule published on June 15, 2023, NMFS 

specified a 2023 limit of 2,000 t of 

longline-caught bigeye tuna for each of 

the U.S. Pacific Island territories of 

American Samoa, Guam, and the CNMI 

(88 FR 39201). NMFS allows each 

territory to allocate up to 1,500 t of the 

2,000 t limit to U.S. longline fishing 

vessels identified in a valid specified 

fishing agreement, but the overall 

allocation limit among all territories 

may not exceed 3,000 t. 

On September 18, 2023, NMFS 

received from the Council, through its 

Executive Director, a specified fishing 

agreement between the CNMI and the 

Hawaii Longline Association (HLA) 

allocating 1,500 t of CNMI’s 2,000 t 

bigeye tuna limit to U.S. fishing vessels 

identified in the agreement for 2023. 

The Council’s Executive Director 

advised that the agreement is consistent 

with the FEP and its implementing 

regulations. On September 26, 2023, 

NMFS reviewed the agreement and 

determined that it is consistent with the 

FEP, implementing regulations, the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, and 

other applicable laws. 

In accordance with 50 CFR 300.224(d) 

and 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9), vessels in the 

agreement may retain and land bigeye 

tuna in the western and central Pacific 

Ocean under the CNMI attribution 

specified in the fishing agreement. 

Based on logbook data submitted by 

U.S. longline vessels in the WCPFC 

Convention Area, NMFS forecasts that 

the U.S. longline fishery will reach the 

U.S. bigeye tuna limit of 3,554 t by 

October 15, 2023. Regulations at 

665.819(c)(9)(i) directs NMFS to begin 

attributing catch to the applicable U.S. 

territory starting seven days before the 

date NMFS forecasts the U.S. limit to be 

reached, or upon the effective date of 

the agreement, whichever is later. 

Therefore, on October 8, 2023, NMFS 

will begin attributing bigeye tuna caught 

by vessels in the agreement to the 

CNMI. If NMFS determines that the 

fishery will reach the overall 2,000 t 

territorial catch limit or the 1,500 t 

allocation limit, we will restrict the 

catch and retention of longline-caught 

bigeye tuna by vessels in order to not 

exceed these limits, unless the vessels 

are included in a subsequent specified 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 67985 

fishing agreement with another U.S. 

territory. 

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

Dated: September 28, 2023. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21838 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 230306–0065; RTID 0648– 

XD208] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch 

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 ocean perch in the 

Central Aleutian district (CAI) of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

management area (BSAI) by vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access sector fishery. This action is 

necessary to prevent exceeding the 2023 

total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific 

ocean perch in the CAI allocated to 

vessels participating in the BSAI trawl 

limited access sector fishery. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), September 28, 2023, 

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

2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

BSAI exclusive economic zone 

according to the Fishery Management 

Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the BSAI 

prepared by the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council under authority of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act). Regulations 

governing fishing by U.S. vessels in 

accordance with the BSAI FMP appear 

at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 

CFR part 679. 

The 2023 TAC of Pacific ocean perch, 

in the CAI, allocated to vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access sector fishery was established as 

a directed fishing allowance of 498 

metric tons by the final 2023 and 2024 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (88 FR 14926, March 10, 2023) 

and correction (88 FR 18258, March 28, 

2023). 

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 in the CAI by vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access sector fishery. 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 closure of Pacific 

ocean perch directed fishery in the CAI 

for vessels participating in the BSAI 

trawl limited access sector fishery. 

NMFS was unable to publish a notice 

providing time for public comment 

because the most recent, relevant data 

only became available as of September 

27, 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: September 28, 2023. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21846 Filed 9–28–23; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 230306–0065] 

RTID 0648–XD231 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the 

Central Aleutian District of 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 Atka mackerel in the Central 

Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea 

and Aleutian Islands management area 

(BSAI) by vessels participating in the 

BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery. 

This action is necessary to prevent 

exceeding the 2023 total allowable catch 

(TAC) of Atka mackerel in the CAI 

allocated to vessels participating in the 

BSAI trawl limited access sector fishery. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), September 28, 2023, 

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

2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

BSAI exclusive economic zone 

according to the Fishery Management 

Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the BSAI 

prepared by the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council under authority of 

the Magnuson-Stevens 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. 

The 2023 TAC of Atka mackerel, in 

the CAI, allocated to vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access sector fishery was established as 

a directed fishing allowance of 1,542 

metric tons by the final 2023 and 2024 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (88 FR 14926, March 10, 2023) 

and correction (88 FR 18258, March 28, 

2023). 

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 Atka 

mackerel in the CAI by vessels 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1