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 Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878-4158-02]
RIN 0648-XD728
 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
 ACTION: Temporary rule.
 SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Community Development Quota pollock directed fishing allowances from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2015 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
 DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 26, 2015, until the effective date of the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish, unless otherwise modified or superseded through publication of a notification in the 
                        **Federal Register**
                        .
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 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 part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2015 pollock total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the Community Development Quota (CDQ) directed fishing allowance (DFA) is 1,900 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014), and as adjusted by an inseason adjustment (80 FR 188, January 5, 2015). As of January 15, 2015, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has determined that 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(
                    *4*), NMFS reallocates 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the 2015 Bering Sea subarea allocations. The 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA is added to the 2015 Bering Sea CDQ DFA. As a result, the 2015 harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea included in the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) are revised as follows: 0 mt to CDQ DFA. Furthermore, pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5), Table 3 of the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014), as adjusted by the inseason adjustment (80 FR 188, January 5, 2015), is revised to make 2015 pollock allocations consistent with this reallocation. This reallocation results in adjustments to the 2015 CDQ pollock allocations established at § 679.20(a)(5). Table 3—Final 2015 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Area and sector
2015 Allocations
2015 A season 1
2015 B season 1A season DFA
SCA harvest limit 2
B season DFABering Sea subarea TAC 1
1,310,000
n/a
n/a
n/aCDQ DFA
132,900
53,160
37,212
79,740ICA 1
47,160
n/a
n/a
n/aAFA Inshore
565,920
226,368
158,458
339,552AFA Catcher/Processors 3
452,736
181,094
126,766
271,642Catch by C/Ps
414,253
165,701
n/a
248,552Catch by CVs 3
38,483
15,393
n/a
23,090Unlisted C/P Limit 4
2,264
905
n/a
1,358AFA Motherships
113,184
45,274
31,692
67,910Excessive Harvesting Limit 5
198,072
n/a
n/a
n/aExcessive Processing Limit 6
339,552
n/a
n/a
n/aTotal Bering Sea DFA
1,131,840
452,736
316,915
679,104Aleutian Islands subarea ABC
29,659
n/a
n/a
n/aAleutian Islands subarea TAC 1
19,000
n/a
n/a
n/aCDQ DFA
0
0
n/a
0ICA
2,400
1,200
n/a
1,200Aleut Corporation
15,100
12,259
n/a
2,841( print page 3917)Area harvest limit: 541
8,898
n/a
n/a
n/a542
4,449
n/a
n/a
n/a543
1,483
n/a
n/a
n/aBogoslof District ICA 7
100
n/a
n/a
n/a1
                         Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(
                        *2*)
                        *(i*) and 
                        *(ii),*
                         the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.2
                         In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1.3
                         Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(
                        *4*), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.4
                         Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(
                        *4*)(
                        *iii*), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.5
                         Pursuant to § 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 § 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 § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(
                        *6*), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or sector.**Note:**
                         Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
 Classification This action responds to the best available information recently obtained from the fishery. The 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 reallocation of AI pollock. Since the pollock fishery opens January 20, 2015, it is important to immediately inform the industry as to the final Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery; allow the industry to plan for the fishing season and avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet as well as processors; and provide opportunity to harvest increased seasonal pollock allocations while value is optimum. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of January 15, 2014. 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: January 21, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.


[FR Doc. 2015-01302 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P