11776 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 28, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

For the aforementioned reasons, the 

AA also finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delay in the effectiveness of this 

action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). 

This action is taken under 50 CFR 

622.43(a) and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: February 23, 2012. 

Steven Thur, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4709 Filed 2–23–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 101126522–0640–2] 

RIN 0648–XB004 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Catcher/Processors Using Hook-andLine 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 directed 

fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/ 

processors (C/Ps) using hook-and-line 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 

necessary to prevent exceeding the A 

season allowance of the 2012 Pacific 

cod total allowable catch apportioned to 

C/Ps using hook-and-line gear in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), February 23, 2012, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 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. 

Regulations governing sideboard 

protections for GOA groundfish 

fisheries appear at subpart B of 50 CFR 

part 680. 

The A season allowance of the 2012 

Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) 

apportioned to C/Ps using hook-and-line 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the GOA is 1,736 metric tons (mt), as 

established by the final 2011 and 2012 

harvest specifications for groundfish of 

the GOA (76 FR 11111, March 1, 2011), 

revision to the final 2012 harvest 

specifications for Pacific cod (76 FR 

81860, December 29, 2011), and 

inseason adjustment to the final 2012 

harvest specifications for Pacific cod (77 

FR 438, January 5, 2012). 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that the A season allowance 

of the 2012 Pacific cod TAC 

apportioned to C/Ps using hook-and-line 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the GOA will soon be reached. 

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 1,721 mt, and is setting 

aside the remaining 15 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 C/Ps 

using hook-and-line gear in the Central 

Regulatory Area 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 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 directed fishing closure of 

Pacific cod for C/Ps using hook-and-line 

gear in the Central 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 February 21, 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 23, 2012. 

Steven Thur, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4702 Filed 2–23–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 101126522–0640–02] 

RIN 0648–XB036 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical 

Area 630 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 

630 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 630 in the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), February 25, 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 630 of the GOA is 5,787 

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 


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