46792 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 159 / Friday, August 20, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 210210–0018; RTID 0648– 

XB312] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Chinook Salmon 

Prohibited Species Catch Limits in the 

Gulf of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason 

adjustment. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is reapportioning the 

projected unused amount, 1,350 

Chinook salmon prohibited species 

catch limit, from the vessels 

participating in directed fishing for 

pollock in the Central Regulatory Area 

of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to nonRockfish Program catcher vessel sector 

participating in directed fishing for 

groundfish, other than pollock, in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA. This action is consistent with 

the goals and objectives of the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), August 18, 2021, until 

2400 hours A.l.t., December 31, 2021. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations governing fishing by U.S. 

vessels in accordance with the fishery 

management plan appear at subpart H of 

50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. 

The 2021 Chinook salmon prohibited 

species catch (PSC) limit for the nonRockfish Program catcher vessel sector 

directed fishing for non-pollock 

groundfish using trawl gear in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA is 3,060 Chinook salmon 

(§ 679.21(h)(4)(i)(C)). 

The 2021 Chinook salmon 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)). 

The Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that the vessels 

participating in directed fishing for 

pollock in the Central Regulatory Area 

of the GOA will not require 1,350 

Chinook salmon of the Chinook salmon 

PSC limit allocated to those vessels 

under § 679.21(h)(2)(ii). Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.21(h)(5)(iii) and 

taking into account the need of the 

sectors for Chinook salmon PSC, and 

following the limits set forth in 

§ 679.21(h)(5)(iv)(D), NMFS 

reapportions 1,350 Chinook salmon PSC 

limit to the non-Rockfish Program 

catcher vessel sector participating in the 

directed fishery for groundfish, other 

than pollock, in the Western and Central 

Regulatory Areas of the GOA. 

The 2021 Chinook salmon PSC limits 

are revised as follows: 16,966 Chinook 

salmon for vessels participating in 

directed fishing for pollock in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA 

(18,316 minus 1,350 Chinook salmon) 

and 4,410 Chinook salmon to the nonRockfish Program catcher vessel sector 

participating in directed fishing for 

groundfish, other than pollock, in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas of 

the GOA (3,060 plus 1,350 Chinook 

salmon). 

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 reallocation of 

Chinook salmon to the non-Rockfish 

Program catcher vessel sector in the 

Western and Central Regulatory Areas 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 August 16, 2021. 

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: August 17, 2021. 

David R. Blankinship, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17867 Filed 8–17–21; 4:15 pm] 

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