Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 21, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 16481 

Section Remove Add Frequency 

§ 648.24(a) ............................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 4 

§ 648.24(c)(3) ........................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 2 

§ 648.26(b) ............................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 7 

§ 648.27 (section heading) ...................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 1 

§ 648.27(a) ............................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 1 

§ 648.27(b) ............................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 5 

§ 648.27(c) ............................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 3 

§ 648.27(d) ............................................... Loligo ....................................................... longfin squid ............................................ 2 

§ 648.124(a)(2) ........................................ Loligo ....................................................... longfin ...................................................... 1 

§ 648.124(b)(2) ........................................ Loligo ....................................................... longfin ...................................................... 1 

[FR Doc. 2012–6456 Filed 3–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 111207737–2141–02] 

RIN 0648–XB102 

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 B 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.), March 17, 2012, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., August 25, 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 B season allowance of the 2012 

total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in 

Statistical Area 620 of the GOA is 

17,221 metric tons (mt) as established 

by the final 2012 and 2013 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(77 FR 15194, March 14, 2012). In 

accordance with § 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), 

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator), hereby 

decreases the B season pollock 

allowance by 106 mt to reflect the total 

overharvest of the A seasonal 

apportionment in Statistical Area 620. 

Therefore, the revised B season 

allowance of the pollock TAC in 

Statistical Area 620 is 17,115 mt (17,221 

mt minus 106 mt) 

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

the Regional Administrator has 

determined that the B 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 17,000 mt and is 

setting aside the remaining 115 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 directed fishing for 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 March 15, 

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: March 16, 2012. 

Carrie Selberg, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6814 Filed 3–16–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 111207737–2141–02] 

RIN 0648–XB100 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in the West 

Yakutat District 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 pollock in the West Yakutat 

District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). 

This action is necessary to prevent 

exceeding the 2012 total allowable catch 

(TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat 

District of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), March 17, 2012, through 

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Keaton, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 


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