Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 164 / Friday, August 27, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 48045 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 210217–0022; RTID 0648– 

XB143] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch 

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 ocean perch in the 

Western Aleutian district (WAI) of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

management area (BSAI) by vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access sector fishery. This action is 

necessary to prevent exceeding the 2021 

total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific 

ocean perch in the WAI allocated to 

vessels participating in the BSAI trawl 

limited access sector fishery. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), August 24, 2021, through 

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Allyson Olds, 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 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 2021 TAC of Pacific ocean perch, 

in the WAI, allocated to vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access sector fishery was established as 

a directed fishing allowance of 187 

metric tons by the final 2021 and 2022 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (86 FR 11449, February 25, 

2021). 

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 

ocean perch in the WAI by vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access section fishery. 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 directed 

fishing of Pacific ocean perch in the 

WAI of the BSAI. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of August 23, 2021. 

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

Dated: August 24, 2021. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–18512 Filed 8–24–21; 4:15 pm] 

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