19396 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 64 / Monday, April 4, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

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 vessels greater than or 

equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall 

using HAL gear in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. NMFS was 

unable to publish a notification 

providing time for public comment 

because the most recent, relevant data 

only became available as of March 29, 

2022. 

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: March 30, 2022. 

Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–07058 Filed 3–30–22; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 220223–0054; RTID 0648– 

XB753] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Catcher Vessels Using Trawl Gear 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; closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 

using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands management area 

(BSAI). This action is necessary to 

prevent exceeding the A season 

apportionment of the 2022 Pacific cod 

total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to 

catcher vessels using trawl gear in the 

BSAI. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), March 30, 2022, 

through 1200 hours, A.l.t., April 1, 

2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Krista Milani, 907–581–2062. 

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 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 A season apportionment of the 

2022 Pacific cod TAC allocated to 

catcher vessels using trawl gear in the 

BSAI is 21,944 metric tons (mt) as 

established by the final 2022 and 2023 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (87 FR 11626, March 2, 2022). 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the A season 

apportionment of the 2022 Pacific cod 

TAC allocated to trawl catcher vessels 

in the BSAI will soon be reached. 

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 3,000 mt and is setting 

aside the remaining 18,944 mt as 

incidental catch 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 BSAI. 

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 vessels using trawl gear 

in the BSAI. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notification providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of March 28, 2022. 

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: March 30, 2022. 

Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–07079 Filed 3–30–22; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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