[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 26, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 88836-88839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28323]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 230306-0065]
RTID 0648-XD597


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Inseason 
Adjustment to the 2024 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Pollock, Atka 
Mackerel, and Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch Amounts

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2024 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts 
for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) pollock, Atka mackerel, 
and Pacific cod fisheries. This action is necessary because NMFS has 
determined these TACs are incorrectly specified, and will ensure the 
BSAI pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod TACs are the appropriate 
amounts based on the best scientific information available. This action 
is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management 
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management 
Area.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 1, 
2024, until the effective date of the final 2024 and 2025 harvest 
specifications for BSAI groundfish, unless otherwise modified or 
superseded through publication of a notification in the Federal 
Register.
    Comments must be received at the following address no later than 
4:30 p.m., A.l.t., January 10, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
docket number NOAA-NMFS-2022-0094, by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and 
enter NOAA-NMFS-2022-0094 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment'' 
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region 
NMFS. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Zaleski, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area 
(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in 
accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR parts 600 and 
679.
    The final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for groundfish in 
the BSAI (88 FR 14926, March 10, 2023) set the 2024 Aleutian Islands 
(AI) pollock TAC at 19,000 metric tons (mt), the 2024 Bering Sea (BS) 
pollock TAC at 1,302,000 mt, the 2024 BSAI Atka mackerel TAC at 66,855 
mt, the 2024 BS Pacific cod TAC at 123,295 mt, and the 2024 AI Pacific 
cod TAC at 8,425 mt. In December 2023, the Council recommended a 2024 
BS pollock TAC of 1,300,000 mt, which is less than the 1,302,000 mt TAC 
established by the final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI. The Council also recommended a 2024 BSAI Atka 
mackerel TAC of 72,987 mt, which is more than the 66,855 mt TAC 
established by the final 2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI. Furthermore, the Council recommended a 2024 BS 
Pacific cod TAC of 147,753 mt, and an AI Pacific cod TAC of 8,080 mt, 
which is more than the BS Pacific cod TAC of 123,295 mt, and less than 
the AI Pacific cod TAC of 8,425 mt established by the final 2023 and 
2024 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI. The Council's 
recommended 2024 TACs, and the area and seasonal apportionments, are 
based on the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation report (SAFE), 
dated November 2023, which NMFS has determined is the best scientific 
information available for these fisheries.
    Steller sea lions occur in the same location as the pollock, Atka 
mackerel, and Pacific cod fisheries and are listed as endangered under 
the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific 
cod are a principal prey species for Steller sea lions in the BSAI. The 
seasonal apportionment of pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod 
harvest is necessary to ensure the groundfish fisheries are not likely 
to cause jeopardy of extinction or adverse modification of critical 
habitat for Steller sea lions. NMFS published regulations and the 
revised harvest limit amounts for pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific 
cod fisheries to implement Steller sea lion protection measures to 
insure that groundfish fisheries of the BSAI are not likely to 
jeopardize the continued existence of the western distinct population 
segment of Steller sea lions or destroy or adversely modify their 
designated critical habitat (79 FR 70286, November 25, 2014).

[[Page 88837]]

    In accordance with Sec.  679.25(a)(1)(iii), (a)(2)(i)(B), and 
(a)(2)(iv), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional 
Administrator), has determined that, based on the November 2023 SAFE 
report for this fishery, the current BSAI pollock, Atka mackerel, and 
Pacific cod TACs are incorrectly specified. Pursuant to Sec.  
679.25(a)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator is adjusting the 2024 BS 
pollock TAC to 1,300,000 mt, the 2024 BSAI Atka mackerel TAC to 72,987 
mt, the 2024 BS Pacific cod TAC to 147,753 mt, and the 2024 AI Pacific 
cod TAC to 8,080 mt. Therefore, table 2 of the final 2023 and 2024 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (88 FR 14926, March 
10, 2023) is revised consistent with this adjustment.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i) and (iii), table 5 of the final 
2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (88 FR 
14926, March 10, 2023) is revised for the 2024 BS and AI allocations of 
pollock TAC to the directed pollock fisheries and to the Community 
Development Quota (CDQ) directed fishing allowances consistent with 
this adjustment.

    Table 5--Final 2024 Allocations of Pollock TACs to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed
                                          Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 2024 A season \1\
                                                       2024      -----------------------------------------------
                 Area and sector                    Allocations                     SCA harvest
                                                                   A season DFA      limit \2\     B season DFA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\......................       1,300,000             n/a             n/a             n/a
CDQ DFA.........................................         130,000          58,500          36,400          71,500
ICA \1\.........................................          50,000             n/a             n/a             n/a
Total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA....................       1,120,000         504,000         313,600         616,000
AFA Inshore.....................................         560,000         252,000         156,800         308,000
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\......................         448,000         201,600         125,440         246,400
    Catch by CPs................................         409,920         184,464             n/a         225,456
    Catch by CVs \3\............................          38,080          17,136             n/a          20,944
    Unlisted CP Limit \4\.......................           2,240           1,008             n/a           1,232
AFA Motherships.................................         112,000          50,400          31,360          61,600
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\..................         196,000             n/a             n/a             n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\..................         336,000             n/a             n/a             n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC....................          43,092             n/a             n/a             n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\................          19,000             n/a             n/a             n/a
CDQ DFA.........................................           1,900           1,841             n/a              59
ICA.............................................           2,500           1,250             n/a           1,250
Aleut Corporation...............................          14,600          14,146             n/a             454
Area harvest limit \7\..........................             n/a             n/a             n/a             n/a
    541.........................................          12,928             n/a             n/a             n/a
    542.........................................           6,464             n/a             n/a             n/a
    543.........................................           2,155             n/a             n/a             n/a
Bogoslof District ICA \8\.......................             300             n/a             n/a             n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 \1\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting the CDQ DFA
  (10 percent) and the Initial Catch Allowance (ICA) (50,000 mt, 4.27 percent), is allocated as a DFA as
  follows: inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor sector (CP)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10
  percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, 45 percent of the DFAs are allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10)
  and 55 percent of the DFAs are allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). When the AI Pollock Acceptable
  Biological Catch (ABC) equals or exceeds 19,000 mt, the annual TAC is equal to 19,000 mt (Sec.
  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(1)). Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2), the Aleutian Islands subarea pollock
  TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and second for the ICA (2,500 mt), is allocated to
  the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the A season is
  allocated no more than 40 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
\2\ In the Bering Sea subarea, pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(C), no more than 28 percent of each sector's
  annual DFA may be taken from the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA) before noon, April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), 8.5 percent of the allocation to listed CPs shall be available for
  harvest only by eligible catcher vessels with a CP endorsement delivering to listed CPs, unless there is a CP
  sector cooperative for the year.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the American Fisheries Act (AFA) unlisted catcher/processors
  are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processor sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5
  percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0
  percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\7\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in
  Area 541 of no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 of no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 of no more than 5
  percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
\8\ Pursuant to Sec.   679.22(a)(7)(B), the Bogoslof District is closed to directed fishing for pollock. The
  amounts specified are for incidental catch only and are not apportioned by season or sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(8), table 7 of the final 2023 and 2024 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (88 FR 14926, March 
10, 2023) is revised for the 2024 seasonal and spatial allowances, gear 
shares, CDQ reserve, incidental catch allowance, jig, BSAI trawl 
limited access, and Amendment 80 allocations of the BSAI Atka mackerel 
TAC consistent with this adjustment.

[[Page 88838]]



Table 7--Final 2024 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and Amendment 80 Allocations of the BSAI Atka
                                                                      Mackerel TAC
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                             2024 allocation by area
                                                                                        ----------------------------------------------------------------
                  Sector \1\                               Season \2\ \3\ \4\             Eastern  Aleutian
                                                                                           District/ Bering      Central Aleutian      Western Aleutian
                                                                                                 Sea               District \5\            District
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC...........................................  n/a....................................               32,260                 16,754               23,973
CDQ reserve...................................  Total..................................                3,452                  1,793                2,565
                                                A......................................                1,726                    896                1,283
                                                Critical Habitat.......................                  n/a                    538                  770
                                                B......................................                1,726                    896                1,283
                                                Critical Habitat.......................                  n/a                    538                  770
Non-CDQ TAC...................................  n/a....................................               28,808                 14,961               21,408
ICA...........................................  Total..................................                  800                     75                   20
Jig \6\.......................................  Total..................................                  140
BSAI trawl limited access.....................  Total..................................                2,787                  1,489
                                                A......................................                1,393                    744
                                                Critical Habitat.......................                  n/a                    447
                                                B......................................                1,393                    744
                                                Critical Habitat.......................                  n/a                    447
Amendment 80 sector...........................  Total..................................               25,081                 13,398               21,388
                                                A......................................               12,541                  6,699               10,694
                                                Critical Habitat.......................                  n/a                  4,019                6,416
                                                B......................................               12,541                  6,699               10,694
                                                Critical Habitat.......................                  n/a                  4,019                6,416
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, ICAs, and jig gear allocation, to the Amendment 80
  and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the Initial Total Allowable Catch (ITAC) for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl
  limited access sectors is established in table 33 to 50 CFR part 679 and Sec.   679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ
  participants (see Sec.   679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C)).
\2\ Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
\3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season
  from June 10 to December 31.
\5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of Steller sea lion
  protection areas; section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the annual TACs between the A and B seasons as defined at Sec.   679.23(e)(3);
  and section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires that the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC in Area 543.
\6\ Sections 679.2 and 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian Islands District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be
  allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. NMFS sets the amount of this allocation for 2024 at 0.5 percent. The jig gear
  allocation is not apportioned by season.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(7), table 9 of the final 2023 and 2024 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (87 FR 76435, March 
10, 2023) is revised for the 2024 gear shares and seasonal allowances 
of the BSAI Pacific cod TAC consistent with this adjustment.

           Table 9--Final 2024 Sector Allocations and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      2024
             Sector               Percent    2024      2024   --------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Season                   Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Bering Sea TAC...........       n/a   147,753       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Bering Sea CDQ.................       n/a    15,810       n/a  See Sec.   679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)..........       n/a
Bering Sea non-CDQ TAC.........       n/a   131,943       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Total Aleutian Islands TAC.....       n/a     8,080       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Aleutian Islands CDQ...........       n/a       865       n/a  See Sec.   679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)..........       n/a
Aleutian Islands non-CDQ TAC...       n/a     7,215       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Western Aleutians Islands Limit       n/a     2,233       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC\1\......     100.0   139,159       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Total hook-and-line/pot gear...      60.8    84,609       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA\2\.......       n/a       n/a       500  n/a....................................       n/a
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total....       n/a    84,109       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/               48.7       n/a    67,370  n/a....................................       n/a
 processors.
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 1-Jun 10...........................    34,359
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jun 10-Dec 31..........................    33,011
Hook-and-line catcher vessels         0.2       n/a       277  n/a....................................       n/a
 >= 60 ft Length Overall (LOA).
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 1-Jun 10...........................       141
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jun 10-Dec 31..........................       136
Pot catcher/processors.........       1.5       n/a     2,075  n/a....................................       n/a

[[Page 88839]]

 
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 1-Jun 10...........................     1,058
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Sept 1-Dec 31..........................     1,017
Pot catcher vessels >= 60 ft          8.4       n/a    11,620  n/a....................................       n/a
 LOA.
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 1-Jun 10...........................     5,926
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Sept-1-Dec 31..........................     5,694
Catcher vessels < 60 ft LOA           2.0       n/a     2,767  n/a....................................       n/a
 using hook-and-line or pot
 gear.
Trawl catcher vessels \3\......      22.1    30,754       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
A-Season ICA...................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 20-Apr 1...........................     1,500
A-season PCTC..................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 20-Apr 1...........................    21,258
B-season ICA...................  ........  ........  ........  Apr 1-Jun 10...........................       700
B-season PCTC..................  ........  ........  ........  Apr 1-Jun 10...........................     2,683
C-season trawl catcher vessels.  ........  ........  ........  Jun 10-Nov 1...........................     4,613
AFA trawl catcher/processors...       2.3     3,201       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 20-Apr 1...........................     2,400
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Apr 1-Jun 10...........................       800
C-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jun 10-Nov 1...........................  ........
Amendment 80...................      13.4    18,647       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 20-Apr 1...........................    13,985
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Apr 1-Jun 10...........................     4,662
C-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jun 10-Dec 31..........................  ........
Jig............................       1.4     1,948       n/a  n/a....................................       n/a
A-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Jan 1-Apr 30...........................     1,169
B-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Apr 30-Aug 31..........................       390
C-season.......................  ........  ........  ........  Aug 31-Dec 31..........................       390
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The sector allocations and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and
  AI Pacific cod TACs, after subtraction of the reserves for the CDQ Program. If the TAC for Pacific cod in
  either the BS or AI is or will be reached, then directed fishing will be prohibited for non-CDQ Pacific cod in
  that subarea, even if a BSAI allowance remains (Sec.   679.20(d)(1)(iii)).
\2\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
  allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt based on
  anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in other fisheries.
\3\ The A and B season trawl CV Pacific cod allocation will be allocated to the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative
  Program after subtraction of the A and B season ICAs (Sec.   679.131(b)(1)). The Regional Administrator
  approves the A and B seasons ICAs of 1,500 mt and 700 mt, respectively, to account for projected incidental
  catch of Pacific cod by trawl catcher vessels engaged in directed fishing for groundfish other than Pacific
  Cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) Program Pacific cod.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

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 allow for harvests that exceed the 
appropriate allocations for pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod in 
the BSAI based on the best scientific information available. NMFS was 
unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because 
the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 14, 
2023.
    Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the fishery 
for pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod in the BSAI to be harvested 
in an expedient manner and in accordance with the regulatory schedule. 
Under Sec.  679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit 
written comments on this action to the above address until January 10, 
2024.

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

    Dated: December 19, 2023.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-28323 Filed 12-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P