Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 12505 

(46°38.17′ N. lat.) (Washington state 

Marine Area 2), recreational fishing for 

groundfish, is prohibited seaward of a 

boundary line approximating the 30 fm 

(55 m) depth contour from March 15 

through June 15 with the following 

exceptions: Recreational fishing for 

lingcod is permitted within the RCA on 

days that the primary halibut fishery is 

open; recreational fishing for rockfish is 

permitted within the RCA from March 

15 through June 15; recreational fishing 

for sablefish and Pacific cod is 

permitted within the recreational RCA 

from May 1 through June 15. In addition 

to the RCA described above, between 

the Queets River (47°31.70′ N. lat.) and 

Leadbetter Point (46°38.17′ N. lat.) 

(Washington state Marine Area 2), 

recreational fishing for lingcod is 

prohibited year round seaward of a 

straight line connecting all of the 

following points in the order stated: 

47°31.70′ N. lat., 124°45.00′ W. long.; 

46°38.17′ N. lat., 124°30.00′ W. long. 

with the following exceptions: On days 

that the primary halibut fishery is open 

lingcod may be taken, retained and 

possessed within the lingcod area 

closure. Days open to Pacific halibut 

recreational fishing off Washington are 

announced on the NMFS hotline at 

(206) 526–6667 or (800) 662–9825. 

Retention of lingcod seaward of the 

boundary line approximating the 30 fm 

(55 m) depth contour south of 46°58′ N. 

lat. is prohibited on Fridays and 

Saturdays from July 1 through August 

31. For additional regulations regarding 

the Washington recreational lingcod 

fishery, see paragraph (c)(1)(iv) of this 

section. Coordinates for the boundary 

line approximating the 30 fm (55 m) 

depth contour are listed in § 660.71. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2012–4989 Filed 2–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 101126522–0640–02] 

RIN 0648–XB049 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical 

Area 620 in 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 pollock in Statistical Area 

620 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 

action is necessary to prevent exceeding 

the A season allowance of the 2012 total 

allowable catch of pollock for Statistical 

Area 620 in the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), February 27, 2012, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 10, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Keaton, 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 A season allowance of the 2012 

total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in 

Statistical Area 620 of the GOA is 

14,023 metric tons (mt) as established 

by the final 2011 and 2012 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(76 FR 11111, March 1, 2011) and 

inseason adjustment (77 FR 438, January 

5, 2012). 

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

the Regional Administrator has 

determined that the A season allowance 

of the 2012 TAC of pollock in Statistical 

Area 620 of the GOA will soon be 

reached. Therefore, the Regional 

Administrator is establishing a directed 

fishing allowance of 13,773 mt and is 

setting aside the remaining 250 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 pollock in Statistical 

Area 620 of the 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 Acting 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)(1)(ii) 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 pollock in Statistical Area 620 

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 February 24, 2012. 

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: February 27, 2012. 

James P. Burgess, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4975 Filed 2–27–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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