79454 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

Comments and Responses 

The public comment period for the 

original emergency rule ended on June 

21, 2024, and NMFS did not receive any 

comments from the public. 

Classification 

The Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries, NOAA, has determined that 

this rule is necessary to respond to an 

emergency situation and is consistent 

with the national standards and other 

provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act 

and other applicable laws. 

The Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause 

under the authority contained in 5 

U.S.C. 553(b)(B) that it is contrary to the 

public interest and impracticable to 

provide prior notice and opportunity for 

the public to comment. As more fully 

explained above, the reasons justifying 

promulgation of this action on an 

emergency basis, coupled with the fact 

that the public has had the opportunity 

to comment on NMFS’ emergency 

action that this is extending, make 

solicitation of public comment 

unnecessary, impractical, and contrary 

to the public interest. In the interest of 

receiving public input on this action, 

the EA analyzing the impacts of this 

action was made available to the public 

and the original emergency action 

solicited public comment. 

This action is being taken pursuant to 

the emergency provision of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act and is exempt 

from review by the Office of 

Management and Budget. 

The analytical requirements of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 

et seq.) are inapplicable to this 

emergency rule extension because 

notice and opportunity for comment are 

not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or 

any other law. Therefore, a regulatory 

flexibility analysis is not required, and 

none has been prepared. 

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

Dated: September 20, 2024. 

Samuel D. Rauch III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22373 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 240227–0061] 

RTID 0648–XE228 

Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock Fishing by 

Vessels Using Trawl 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 pollock by vessels using 

trawl gear in the Central Regulatory 

Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 

action is necessary to prevent exceeding 

the 2024 Chinook salmon prohibited 

species catch limit established for 

vessels using trawl gear in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective September 25, 2024, 

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

2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Abby Jahn, 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 (Magnuson-Stevens 

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 2024 Chinook salmon prohibited 

species catch (PSC) limit for vessels 

directed fishing for pollock using trawl 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the GOA is 18,316 Chinook salmon 

(§ 679.21(h)(2)(ii)). 

In accordance with § 679.21(h)(8)(i), 

the Regional Administrator has 

determined that the 2024 Chinook 

salmon PSC limit established for vessels 

directed fishing for pollock using trawl 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the GOA has been reached. Therefore, 

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 

pollock by vessels using trawl gear in 

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

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 closing directed 

fishing for pollock by vessels using 

trawl 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 September 25, 2024. 

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: September 25, 2024. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22378 Filed 9–25–24; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 240304–0068; RTID 0648– 

XE312] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of 

Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands Management Area 

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 catcher vessels using trawl gear to 

catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) 

length overall (LOA) using hook-andline or pot gear in the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands management area 

(BSAI). This action is necessary to allow 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 79455 

the 2024 total allowable catch (TAC) of 

Pacific cod to be harvested. 

DATES: September 27, 2024, through 

2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), 

December 31, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Adam Zaleski, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

BSAI 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 under authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens 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 2024 Pacific cod TAC specified 

for vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) 

LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in 

the BSAI is 5,884 metric tons (mt) as 

established by the final 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024) 

and reallocations (89 FR 24736, April 9, 

2024 and 89 FR 67327, August 20, 

2024). 

The 2024 Pacific cod TAC specified 

for trawl catcher vessels in the BSAI is 

29,754 mt as established by the final 

2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the BSAI (89 FR 17287, 

March 11, 2024) and reallocation (89 FR 

67327, August 20, 2024). 

The Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that trawl catcher vessels 

will not be able to harvest 1,000 mt of 

the 2024 Pacific cod TAC allocated to 

those vessels under 

§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(9). 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A), NMFS reallocates 

1,000 mt from trawl catcher vessels to 

the annual amount specified for catcher 

vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA 

using hook-and-line or pot gear. 

The harvest specifications for 2024 

Pacific cod included in the final 2024 

and 2025 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the BSAI (89 FR 17287, 

March 11, 2024) and reallocations (89 

FR 24736, April 9, 2024 and 89 FR 

67327, August 20, 2024) are revised as 

follows: 6,884 mt to catcher vessels less 

than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hookand-line or pot gear, and 28,754 mt to 

trawl catcher vessels. 

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. 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 

allow for harvests that exceed the 

originally specified apportionment of 

the Pacific cod TAC. NMFS was unable 

to publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of September 24, 2024. 

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: September 25, 2024. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–22376 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1