Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 57 / Friday, March 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 16949 

vessel name; vessel permit number; port 

where vessel will return; date trip 

started; estimated date/time of return to 

port; and a statement from the operator 

that no fish were onboard and no fishing 

activity occurred; and 

(C) The owner or operator of the 

vessel operating under the DAS program 

required to use the IVR call in as 

specified under § 648.10(h) makes an 

initial trip cancelation notification to 

NMFS by calling the IVR back at the 

time the trip was canceled, or at the 

earliest opportunity prior to returning to 

port. This request must include at least 

the following information: Operator 

name; vessel name; vessel permit 

number; port where vessel will return; 

date trip started; estimated date/time of 

return to port; and a statement from the 

operator that no fish were onboard and 

no fishing activity occurred; and 

(D) The owner or operator of the 

vessel requesting a canceled trip DAS 

credit, in addition to the requirements 

in paragraphs (b)(4)(ii)(B) and (C) of this 

section, submits a written DAS credit 

request form to NMFS within 30 days of 

the vessel’s return to port from the 

canceled trip. This application must 

include at least the following 

information: Date and time when the 

vessel canceled the fishing trip; date 

and time of trip departure and landing; 

operator name; owner/corporation 

name; permit number; hull 

identification number; vessel name; date 

and time notification requirements 

specified under paragraphs (b)(4)(ii)(B) 

and (C) of this section were made; 

reason for canceling the trip; and 

owner/operator signature and date; and 

(E) The vessel trip report for the 

canceled trip as required under 

§ 648.7(b) is submitted along with the 

DAS credit request form; and 

(F) For DAS credits that are requested 

near the end of the fishing year as 

defined at § 648.2, and approved by the 

Regional Administrator, the credited 

DAS apply to the fishing year in which 

the canceled trip occurred. Credited 

DAS that remain unused at the end of 

the fishing year or are not credited until 

the following fishing year and may be 

carried over into the next fishing year, 

not to exceed the maximum number of 

carryover DAS as specified under 

paragraph (a)(1) of this section. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7062 Filed 3–22–12; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 111207737–2141–02] 

RIN 0648–XB112 

Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels 

Greater Than or Equal to 50 Feet (15.2 

Meters) 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 directed 

fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 

(CVs) greater than or equal to 50 feet 

(15.2 meters (m)) in length overall 

(LOA) 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 CVs 

greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) 

LOA using hook-and-line gear in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), March 20, 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 CVs greater than or equal 

to 50 feet (15.2 m) LOA using hook-andline gear in the Central Regulatory Area 

of the GOA is 2,372 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(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 CVs greater than or equal 

to 50 feet (15.2 m) LOA using hook-andline gear in the Central Regulatory Area 

of the GOA will soon be reached. 

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 2,272 mt, and is setting 

aside the remaining 100 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 CVs 

greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) 

LOA 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 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) 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 

Pacific cod for CVs greater than or equal 

to 50 feet (15.2 m) LOA using hook-andline 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 March 19, 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 20, 2012. 

Steven Thur, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7043 Filed 3–20–12; 4:15 pm] 

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