13500 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 50 / Monday, March 16, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

year it is available. States and tribes 

must keep records of activities carried 

out under the authority of the 

conservation order. We believe that this 

recordkeeping requirement is necessary 

to ensure that those individuals carrying 

out control activities are authorized to 

do so. The States and tribes must submit 

an annual report summarizing the 

activities conducted under the 

conservation order. Reported 

information helps us to assess the 

effectiveness of light geese population 

control methods and strategies, and 

assess whether or not additional 

population control methods are needed. 

However, we believe that the number of 

elements in the information collection 

requirement can be reduced while 

maintaining a core of elements that 

allow us to monitor the number of 

participants in the conservation order 

and resulting harvest of birds. We have 

revised 50 CFR 21.60(f)(8) to require 

that information be collected only on 

the number of: • Persons participating in the 

conservation order; • Days people participated in the 

conservation order; • Light geese shot and retrieved 

under the conservation order; and • Light geese shot but not retrieved. Each State and tribe determines how 

they collect data from participants. 

Though there is no common form or 

method, the States and tribes have 

shared their forms and there is 

commonality. Some States require 

participants to obtain a permit to 

participate in the conservation order; 

others do not. Post-harvest survey 

questions and questionnaire delivery 

methods differ among States and tribes. 

States measure harvest and hunter 

activity through the use of mail 

questionnaires, phone surveys, hunter 

diaries, online data entry, and so forth. 

Differences also exist within similar 

survey types, such as the proportion of 

participants surveyed and the type and 

number of followup contacts. During the proposed rule stage, we 

solicited comments on the new 

information collection requirements. We 

received several comments that 

addressed information collection. Most 

conflated the information collection and 

control of overabundant light geese. We 

did not change our requirements based 

on these comments. Several of the 

comments only noted that we proposed 

to change the information collection. 

We have addressed all comments in the 

preamble above. The public may comment at any time 

on the accuracy of the information 

collection burden in this rule and may 

submit any comments to the 

Information Collection Clearance 

Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street 

NW., (Mailstop BPHC), Washington, DC 

20240. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

We have analyzed this rule in 

accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 

U.S.C. 432–437(f) and Part 516 of the 

U.S. Department of the Interior Manual 

(516 DM). The regulations change 

would simply remove unused 

regulations, and is administrative in 

nature. The action is categorically 

excluded from further NEPA 

consideration by 43 CFR 46.210(i). 

Socioeconomic. The regulations 

change would have no discernible 

socioeconomic impacts. Migratory bird populations. The 

regulations change would not affect 

native migratory bird populations. Endangered and Threatened Species. 

The regulation change would not affect 

endangered or threatened species or 

habitats important to them. 

Endangered Species Act 

Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered 

Species Act (ESA), as amended (16 

U.S.C. 1531–1543; 87 Stat. 884) 

provides that ‘‘Each Federal agency 

shall, in consultation with and with the 

assistance of the Secretary, insure that 

any action authorized, funded, or 

carried out . . . is not likely to 

jeopardize the continued existence of 

any endangered species or threatened 

species or result in the destruction or 

adverse modification of [critical] 

habitat. . . .’’ We previously completed 

section 7 consultation under the ESA for 

the rule that authorized the light goose 

regulations (73 FR 65926, November 5, 

2008). This rule will only affect 

information collection and reporting 

requirements, so a section 7 

consultation is not needed. 

Energy Effects—Executive Order 13211 

Executive Order 13211 requires 

agencies to prepare Statements of 

Energy Effects when undertaking certain 

actions. This rule is not a significant 

regulatory action under Executive Order 

13211, and will not adversely affect 

energy supplies, distribution, or use. 

This action is not a significant energy 

action, so no Statement of Energy Effects 

is required. 

Government-to-Government 

Relationship With Tribes 

In accordance with the President’s 

memorandum of April 29, 1994, 

‘‘Government-to-Government Relations 

With Native American Tribal 

Governments’’ (59 FR 22951), Executive 

Order 13175, and 512 DM 2, we have 

determined that this rule has very little 

effect on federally recognized Indian 

tribes because few participate in the 

order. 

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 21 

Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting 

and recordkeeping requirements, 

Transportation, Wildlife. 

Regulation Promulgation 

For the reasons stated in the 

preamble, we hereby amend part 21, of 

subchapter B, chapter I, title 50 of the 

Code of Federal Regulations, as set forth 

below: 

PART 21—[AMENDED] 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 21 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 703–712. 

■ 2. Amend § 21.60 by revising 

paragraph (f)(8) to read as follows: 

§ 21.60 Conservation order for light geese. 

* * * * * 

(f) * * * 

(8) States and tribes must keep annual 

records of activities carried out under 

the authority of the conservation order. 

Specifically, information must be 

collected on: 

(i) The number of persons 

participating in the conservation order; 

(ii) The number of days people 

participated in the conservation order; 

(iii) The number of light geese shot 

and retrieved under the conservation 

order; and 

(iv) The number of light geese shot 

but not retrieved. 

* * * * * 

Dated: February 2, 2015. 

Michael J. Bean, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish 

and Wildlife and Parks. 

[FR Doc. 2015–05977 Filed 3–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 140918791–4999–02] 

RIN 0648–XD823 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Trawl 

Catcher Vessels in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 


Rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 50 / Monday, March 16, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 13501 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 

using trawl gear in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary to 

prevent exceeding the A season 

allowance of the 2015 Pacific cod total 

allowable catch apportioned to trawl 

catcher vessels in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), March 11, 2015, 

through 1200 hours, A.l.t., June 10, 

2015. 

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 2015 

Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) 

apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in 

the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA 

is 7,242 metric tons (mt), as established 

by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(80 FR 10250, February 25, 2015). 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that the A season allowance 

of the 2015 Pacific cod TAC 

apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in 

the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA 

will soon be reached. Therefore, the 

Regional Administrator is establishing a 

directed fishing allowance of 6,942 mt 

and is setting aside the remaining 300 

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 vessels using trawl gear 

in the Western 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 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 directed fishing closure of 

Pacific cod by catcher vessels using 

trawl 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 March 10, 2015. 

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 11, 2015. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–05912 Filed 3–11–15; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


Rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with RULES