88840 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 

HAL gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), December 21, 2023, 

through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 

2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Adam Zaleski, 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 2023 Pacific cod TAC 

apportioned to catcher/processors using 

HAL gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the GOA is 1,439 metric tons 

(mt) as established by the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, 

March 2, 2023) and inseason adjustment 

(88 FR 76141, November 6, 2023). 

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

the Regional Administrator has 

determined that the 2023 Pacific cod 

TAC apportioned to catcher/processors 

using HAL gear in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA will soon 

be reached. Therefore, the Regional 

Administrator is establishing a directed 

fishing allowance of 1,430 mt and is 

setting aside the remaining 9 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 

catcher/processors using HAL gear in 

the Western Regulatory Area of the 

GOA. 

While this closure is effective the 

maximum retainable amounts at 

§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time 

during a trip. 

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 delay the closure of Pacific 

cod by catcher/processors using HAL 

gear in the Western 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 December 19, 2023. 

The Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries, NOAA 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. 

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

Dated: December 20, 2023. 

Everett Wayne Baxter, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28416 Filed 12–21–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 230224–0053; RTID 0648– 

XD598] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Inseason Adjustment 

to the 2024 Gulf of Alaska Pollock 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. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2024 

total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for 

the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) pollock and 

Pacific cod fisheries. This action is 

necessary because NMFS has 

determined these TACs are incorrectly 

specified, and will ensure the GOA 

pollock and Pacific cod TACs are the 

appropriate amount based on the best 

scientific information available for 

pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. 

This action is consistent with the goals 

and objectives of the Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish 

of the Gulf of Alaska. 

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 GOA 

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 eRulemaking 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 

GOA exclusive economic zone 

according to the FMP for Groundfish of 

the Gulf of Alaska 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 part 600 

and 50 CFR part 679. 

The final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) set the 

2024 pollock TAC at 168,416 metric 

tons (mt) in the GOA. In December 

2023, the Council recommended a 2024 

pollock TAC of 195,720 mt for the GOA, 

which is greater than the 168,416 mt 

established by the final 2023 and 2024 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the GOA. The Council’s recommended 

2024 TAC, and the area and seasonal 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 88841 

apportionments, is based on the Stock 

Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 

report (SAFE), dated November 2023. 

The final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) set the 

2024 Pacific cod TAC at 16,668 mt in 

the GOA. In December 2023, the 

Council recommended a 2024 Pacific 

cod TAC of 23,766 mt for the GOA, 

which is greater than the 16,668 mt 

established by the final 2023 and 2024 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the GOA. The Council’s recommended 

2024 TAC, and the area and seasonal 

apportionments, is based on the SAFE, 

dated November 2023. 

Steller sea lions occur in the same 

location as the pollock and Pacific cod 

fisheries and are listed as endangered 

under the Endangered Species Act. 

Pollock and Pacific cod are principal 

prey species for Steller sea lions in the 

GOA. The seasonal apportionment of 

pollock and Pacific cod harvests are 

necessary to ensure the groundfish 

fisheries are not likely to cause jeopardy 

of extinction or adverse modification of 

critical habitat for Steller sea lions. The 

regulations at § 679.20(a)(5)(iv) specify 

how the pollock TAC will be 

apportioned and the regulations at 

§ 679.20(a)(6)(ii) and (a)(12)(i) specify 

how the Pacific cod TAC will be 

apportioned. 

In accordance with § 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 best 

scientific information available for this 

fishery, the current GOA pollock and 

Pacific cod TACs are incorrectly 

specified. Consequently, pursuant to 

§ 679.25(a)(1)(iii), the Regional 

Administrator is adjusting the 2024 

GOA pollock TAC to 195,720 mt and the 

2024 Pacific cod TAC to 23,766 mt. 

Therefore, tables 4 and 6 of the final 

2023 and 2024 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, 

March 2, 2023) are revised consistent 

with this adjustment. 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iv), table 4 

of the final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) is revised 

for the 2024 TACs of pollock in the 

Central and Western Regulatory Area of 

the GOA. 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2024 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF

ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS; 1 AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Season 2 Shumigan 

(Area 610) 

Chirikof 

(Area 620) 

Kodiak 

(Area 630) Total 3

A (January 20–May 31) ................................................................................... 5,422 70,918 13,862 90,202 

B (September 1–November 1) ........................................................................ 33,460 20,019 36,725 90,204 

Annual Total ............................................................................................. 38,882 90,937 50,587 180,406 

1Area apportionments and seasonal allowances may not total precisely due to rounding. 

2As established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (ii), the A and B season allowances are available from January 20 through May 31 and September 1 through November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in 

this table. 3 The West Yakutat and Southeast Outside District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs 

shown in this table. 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(6)(ii) and 

(a)(12)(i), table 6 of the final 2022 and 

2023 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, 

March 2, 2023) is revised for the 2024 

TACs of Pacific cod in the GOA. 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2024 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

AMOUNTS IN THE GOA; ALLOCATIONS IN THE WESTERN GOA AND CENTRAL GOA SECTORS, AND THE EASTERN

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (2.5% of TAC) ......................................................... 153 N/A 92 N/A 61 

Hook-and-line CV ......................................................... 84 0.7% 42 0.70% 42 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 1,182 10.9% 651 8.90% 531 

Trawl CV ....................................................................... 2,292 31.54% 1,882 6.86% 409 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 143 0.9% 54 1.50% 90 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 2,268 19.80% 1,182 18.20% 1,086 

Total ....................................................................... 6,121 63.84% 3,902 36.16% 2,219 

Central GOA: 

Jig (1.0% of TAC) ......................................................... 154 N/A 93 N/A 62 

Hook-and-line <50 CV .................................................. 2,232 9.32% 1,424 5.29% 808 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV .................................................. 1,025 5.61% 858 1.10% 168 

Hook-and-line CP ......................................................... 780 4.11% 628 1.00% 152 

Trawl CV1 ..................................................................... 6,357 25.29% 3,867 16.29% 2,490 

Trawl CP ....................................................................... 642 2.00% 306 2.19% 335 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
88842 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2024 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

AMOUNTS IN THE GOA; ALLOCATIONS IN THE WESTERN GOA AND CENTRAL GOA SECTORS, AND THE EASTERN

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS—Continued 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton] 

Regulatory area and sector 

Annual 

allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

Sector 

percentage of 

annual non-jig 

TAC 

Seasonal 

allowances 

(mt) 

All Pot CV and Pot CP ................................................. 4,251 17.83% 2,726 9.98% 1,525 

Total ....................................................................... 15,442 64.16% 9,901 35.84% 5,541 

Eastern GOA ........................................................................ ........................ Inshore (90% of Annual TAC) Offshore (10% of Annual TAC) 

2,203 1,983 220 

1Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 588 mt, of the annual Central GOA TAC (see 

table 28c to 50 CFR part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season allowance (see table 13. Final 2024 Apportionments of Rockfish 

Secondary Species in the Central GOA and table 28c to 50 CFR part 679). 

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 allocation for 

pollock and Pacific cod 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 and Pacific cod in the GOA to 

be harvested in an expedient manner 

and in accordance with the regulatory 

schedule. Under § 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. 2023–28324 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 230224–0053; RTID 0648– 

XD578] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of 

Pacific Cod in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the 

projected unused amount of Pacific cod 

from vessels using pot gear to catcher 

vessels using trawl gear, catcher vessels 

using hook-and-line gear, and vessels 

using jig gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 

action is necessary to allow the 2023 

total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific 

cod to be harvested. 

DATES: Effective December 21, 2023, 

through 2400 hours, Alaska local time 

(A.l.t.), December 31, 2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

GOA 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 

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 part 600 

and 50 CFR part 679. 

The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified 

for vessels using pot gear in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA is 1,716 mt, 

as established by the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, 

March 2, 2023) and one reallocation (88 

FR 76141, November 6, 2023). 

The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified 

for catcher vessels using trawl gear in 

the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA 

is 1,526 metric tons (mt), as established 

by the final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) and one 

reallocation (88 FR 76141, November 6, 

2023). 

The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified 

for catcher vessels using hook-and-line 

gear in the Western Regulatory Area of 

the GOA is 291 mt, as established by the 

final 2023 and 2024 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(88 FR 13238, March 2, 2023) and one 

reallocation (88 FR 76141, November 6, 

2023). 

The 2023 Pacific cod TAC specified 

for vessels using jig gear in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA is 131 mt, 

as established by the final 2023 and 

2024 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (88 FR 13238, 

March 2, 2023). 

The Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has 

determined vessels using pot gear will 

not be able to harvest 232 mt of the 2023 

Pacific cod TAC allocated to those 

vessels under § 679.20(a)(12)(i)(A)(5). 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(ii)(B), NMFS apportions 

232 mt of Pacific cod from vessels using 

pot gear to the annual amount specified 

for catcher vessels using trawl gear, 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES