[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58066-58083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-19986]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 040830250-5062-03; I.D. 093005A]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Specifications and Management 
Measures; Inseason Adjustments

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Inseason adjustments to management measures; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces changes to management measures in the 
commercial and recreational Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries. These 
actions, which are authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), will allow fisheries to access more abundant 
groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.

[[Page 58067]]


DATES: Effective 0001 hours (local time) October 1, 2005. Comments on 
this rule will be accepted through November 4, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 093005A by any of the 
following methods:
    <bullet> E-mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5512273a203b31333c263d1c3b263034263a3b617b3b2227153b3a34347b323a23"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d394a1bca6bdb7b5baa0bb9abda0b6b2a0bcbde7fdbda4a193bdbcb2b2fdb4bca5">[email protected]</span></a>. Include I.D. 
number 093005A in the subject line of the message.
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 206-526-4646, Attn: Jamie Goen.
    <bullet> Mail: D. Robert Lohn, Administrator, Northwest Region, 
NMFS, Attn: Jamie Goen, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-
0070.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Goen (Northwest Region, NMFS), 
phone: 206-526-6140; fax: 206-526-6736; and e-mail: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#670d060a0e024900080209270908060649000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f399929e9a96dd949c969db39d9c9292dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    This Federal Register document is available on the Government 
Printing Office's Web site at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.
    Background information and documents are available at the NMFS 
Northwest Region Web site at: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/1sustfsh/gdfsh01.htm and at the Pacific Fishery Management Council's Web site 
at: http://www.pcouncil.org.

Background

    The Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP and its implementing regulations 
at title 50 in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 660, subpart 
G, regulate fishing for over 80 species of groundfish off the coasts of 
Washington, Oregon, and California. Groundfish specifications and 
management measures are developed by the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Pacific Council), and are implemented by NMFS. The 
specifications and management measures for 2005-2006 were codified in 
the CFR (50 CFR part 660, subpart G). They were published in the 
Federal Register as a proposed rule on September 21, 2004 (69 FR 
56550), and as a final rule on December 23, 2004 (69 FR 77012). The 
final rule was subsequently amended on March 18, 2005 (70 FR 13118); 
March 30, 2005 (70 FR 16145); April 19, 2005 (70 FR 20304); May 3, 2005 
(70 FR 22808); May 4, 2005 (70 FR 23040); May 5, 2005 (70 FR 23804); 
May 16, 2005 (70 FR 25789); May 19, 2005 (70 FR 28852); July 5, 2005 
(70 FR 38596); and August 31, 2005 (70 FR 51682).
    The following changes to current groundfish management measures 
were recommended by the Pacific Council, in consultation with Pacific 
Coast Treaty Indian Tribes and the States of Washington, Oregon, and 
California, at its September 19-23, 2005, meeting in Portland, OR. The 
changes recommended by the Pacific Council include: (1) Changes to the 
trawl Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) for limited entry trawl 
fisheries, (2) changes to the limited entry trawl trip limits for 
``other flatfish,'' petrale sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, 
minor slope rockfish, darkblotched rockfish, splitnose rockfish, and to 
the limits for Dover sole, longspine thornyhead, shortspine thornyhead 
and sablefish (DTS), (3) an increase to the bycatch limit for widow 
rockfish in the whiting fishery, (4) changes to the limited entry fixed 
gear and open access daily trip limits for sablefish, (5) changes to 
Washington's recreational groundfish fishery RCA, and (6) changes to 
Oregon's recreational groundfish fishery bag limits. Pacific Coast 
groundfish landings will be monitored throughout the year, and further 
adjustments to other trip limits or management measures will be made as 
necessary to allow achievement of, or to avoid exceeding, optimum 
yields (OYs).

Limited Entry Trawl RCA Changes

    A review of Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) Quota 
Species Monitoring (QSM) data shows that the catch of petrale sole is 
quickly approaching its optimum yield (OY), which is set equal to the 
acceptable biological catch (ABC) in 2005. As of September 16, 2005, 
QSM data indicate that the total non-tribal petrale sole catch is 2,552 
mt out of a combined tribal/non-tribal ABC/OY of 2,762 mt. Because 
petrale sole is already approaching its ABC/OY in September, a winter 
petrale sole fishery in November and December (Period 6) cannot be 
accommodated. Additionally, the catch of canary rockfish in the limited 
entry bottom trawl fishery has exceeded the 8.0 mt of canary rockfish 
projected for the year for this fishery in the bycatch scorecard by 1.5 
mt.
    NMFS has been monitoring the limited entry trawl fishery throughout 
the year, and sent out a public notice on July 27, 2005 (NMFS-SEA-05-
05) to notify the public that petrale sole and canary rockfish take in 
the limited entry bottom trawl fleet was higher than had been expected. 
NMFS also alerted the public that the agency might have to take action 
to slow the catch of these species to keep total catch within their ABC 
and/or harvest guidelines and requested that the harvesting and 
processing communities take voluntary action to slow their catch rates. 
While the harvesting and processing communities have slowed catch 
somewhat, voluntary action alone is not enough, in this case, to keep 
total catch of petrale sole and canary rockfish within harvest limits 
for 2005.
    In order to further reduce the take of canary rockfish and petrale 
sole in the trawl fishery, the Pacific Council recommended modifying 
the trawl RCA and reducing trip limits for DTS and flatfish species 
(see following section on Limited Entry Trawl Trip Limit Adjustments). 
For the trawl RCA, the Pacific Council recommended increasing the size 
of the area closed to fishing with trawl gear by modifying the seaward 
boundary of the trawl RCA to be at a boundary line approximating the 
250-fm (457-m) depth contour coastwide. In order to further reduce the 
take of petrale sole in the trawl fishery, the Pacific Council 
recommended modifying the shoreward boundary of the trawl RCAs to be at 
the shoreline north of 36[deg] N. lat. and be at a boundary line 
approximating the 50-fm (91-m) depth contour south of 36[deg] N. lat. 
This allows for more opportunities in areas south of 36[deg] N. lat., 
where canary rockfish and petrale sole encounters are minimal, than in 
the north.
    However, implementation of a boundary line approximating the 250-fm 
(457-m) depth contour south of 38[deg] N. lat. to the U.S./Mexico 
border is not possible through an inseason action because coordinates 
do not exist in Federal regulations for that line. In keeping with the 
Pacific Council's intent to increase the size of the trawl RCA to 
protect petrale sole and canary rockfish in general, and, in this case, 
to move the seaward boundary of the trawl RCA to protect petrale sole, 
the next closest RCA boundary line for this area with coordinates 
published in Federal regulations is a boundary line approximating the 
200-fm (366-m) depth contour. Because there is catch of petrale between 
200-fm (366-m) and 250-fm (457-m) in this area, NMFS expects that this 
change alone will not keep total catch of petrale sole within the ABC/
OY for petrale, thus NMFS is also prohibiting the retention of petrale 
sole in this area during October as explained below in the following 
section titled `` Limited Entry Trawl Trip Limit Adjustments.'' This 
combination of measures gets the management scheme as close as possible 
to what was recommended by the Pacific Council.

[[Page 58068]]

    While the open access non-groundfish fisheries have historically 
been subject to the same trawl RCA boundaries as limited entry trawl 
fisheries, the open access non-groundfish trawl fisheries only 
encounter minimal amounts of petrale sole and Dover sole. For example, 
2004 fishticket data from the California halibut fishery shows a total 
of 150 lb (68 kg) of petrale sole landed between October and December 
in the area between 40[deg]30' N. lat. and 36[deg] N. lat. In addition, 
the catch of canary rockfish in the open access non-groundfish trawl 
fisheries has already been accounted for in the bycatch scorecard 
separately from the limited entry trawl fishery, and are projected to 
take 0.1 mt for the year. Therefore, the non-groundfish trawl RCA for 
the open access non-groundfish trawl fisheries has not been adjusted to 
reflect changes in what has generally been called the ``trawl RCA.''
    Therefore, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is implementing 
the following inseason changes to be effective October through 
December:
    1. Between the U.S./Canada border and 36[deg] N. lat., move the 
shoreward boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA from a boundary line 
approximating 100-fm (183-m) to the shoreline in October, and from a 
boundary line approximating 75-fm (137-m) to the shoreline in November 
and December;
    2. Between 36[deg] N. lat. and the U.S./Mexico border, move the 
shoreward boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA from a boundary line 
approximating 100-fm (183-m) to a boundary line approximating 50-fm 
(91-m) in October, and from a boundary line approximating 75-fm (137-m) 
to a boundary line approximating 50-fm (91-m) in November and December;
    3. Between the U.S./Canada border and 40[deg]10' N. lat., move the 
seaward boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA from a boundary line 
approximating 200-fm (366-m) to a boundary line approximating 250-fm 
(457-m) in October, and from a boundary line approximating 200-fm (366-
m), as modified to accommodate petrale fishing, to a boundary line 
approximating 250-fm (457-m)(not modified to accommodate petrale 
fishing) in November and December; and
    4. Between 40[deg]10' N. lat. and 38[deg] N. lat., move the seaward 
boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA from a boundary line 
approximating 150-fm (274-m) to a boundary line approximating 250-fm 
(457-m) in October through December.
    In addition, as explained above, NMFS is implementing something 
different than what the Pacific Council recommended for the seaward 
boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA south of 38[deg] N. lat. NMFS 
is implementing the following inseason changes to be effective October 
through December, 2005:
    5. Between 38[deg] N. lat. and the U.S./Mexico border, move the 
seaward boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA from a boundary line 
approximating 150-fm (274-m) to a boundary line approximating 200-fm 
(366-m) in October through December; and
    6. Between 34[deg]27[min] N. lat. and the U.S./Mexico border, move 
the seaward boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA around islands from 
a boundary line approximating 150-fm (274-m) to a boundary line 
approximating 200-fm (366-m) in October through December.

Limited Entry Trip Limit Adjustments

    (Note: The analysis and projections in the discussion below were 
based on recommendations given at the Pacific Council meeting when 
the seaward boundary of the limited entry trawl RCA south of 38[deg] 
N. lat. was assumed to be at 250-fm.)

    The limited entry trawl trip limits for DTS, ``other flatfish,'' 
petrale sole, English sole, arrowtooth flounder, minor slope rockfish, 
darkblotched rockfish and splitnose rockfish are adjusted based on 
observer data, logbook data, current fish ticket landings data from 
PacFIN and on analysis using the trawl model.
    As mentioned previously under the ``Limited Entry Trawl RCA 
Changes,'' fishticket landings data from PacFIN through mid-September 
in 2005 were reviewed at the Pacific Council meeting. Compared to trawl 
model projections for 2005, landings for petrale sole and Dover sole 
were higher than what had been projected in the trawl model. Higher 
landings of petrale sole and Dover sole are of particular concern, 
because access to flatfish stocks is substantially more liberal than in 
recent years, and these species were initially modeled to achieve their 
respective OYs. While flatfish trip limits were initially reduced 
through the May 4, 2005 inseason action (70 FR 23040), further 
reductions are necessary to slow the catch of flatfish species through 
the end of the year.
    Trip limits for petrale sole will be substantially reduced in 
November and December (Period 6), with the intent to discourage 
targeting but allow incidental catch in the DTS fishery to minimize 
discard. This reduction combined with the limited entry trawl RCA 
changes recommended at the Pacific Council meeting, is projected to 
keep petrale sole catch within its ABC/OY for the year (2,748 mt 
predicted to be caught out of an ABC/OY of 2,762 mt).
    Trip limits for DTS are also adjusted to slow the catch of Dover 
sole while still allowing some targeting. While trip limits for 
sablefish and thornyheads were increased for some trawl gear types in 
some areas through the July 5, 2005 inseason changes (70 FR 38596), 
trip limits for DTS in all areas are generally being reduced in 
November and December. Because there is no area open to trawl fishing 
shoreward of the trawl RCA north of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., all gear 
types will have the same trip limits seaward of the trawl RCA in 
November and December. Therefore, Dover sole trip limits in November 
and December (period 6) are being increased from previously scheduled 
limits for fishers using selective flatfish trawl gear and decreased 
from previously scheduled limits for fishers using small or large 
footrope trawl gear, so the trip limits for all gear types will be the 
same.
    In addition, the Dover sole trip limit north of 40[deg]10[min] N. 
lat. will be increased slightly for the September and October 
cumulative limit period (period 5). Because the trawl RCA in this area 
will extend between the shoreline and a boundary line approximating the 
250-fm (457-m) depth contour beginning in October (the middle of a 
cumulative limit period), the Dover sole trip limit is increased to 
make the trip limits for all trawl gear, including selective flatfish 
trawl gear, match. Previously, fishers who used selective flatfish 
trawl gear to catch Dover sole shoreward of the RCA had a higher trip 
limit (35,000 lb (15.9 mt) as opposed to 30,000 lb (13.6 mt) seaward of 
the trawl RCA). This differential trip limit was intended to encourage 
fishers to use selective flatfish trawl gear which has been shown to 
have lower incidental catch of overfished groundfish species. Thus, by 
increasing the Dover sole trip limit for all trawl gears to match the 
highest trip limit allowed during Period 5, fishers who have previously 
used selective flatfish trawl gear shoreward of the RCA will not be 
restricted to that lower limit when fishing seaward of the trawl RCA 
for the remainder of Period 5.
    Trip limits for the ``other flatfish'' complex, English sole and 
arrowtooth flounder will also be reduced in Period 6 to reduce the take 
of Dover sole, a co-occurring flatfish species.
    All of these changes, the reduction in DTS trip limits during 
Period 6, the increase in the Dover sole trip limit north of 
40[deg]10[min] N. lat. during Period 5, and the reduction in flatfish 
trip limits,

[[Page 58069]]

are projected to keep catch of DTS species within their OYs for the 
year (Dover sole: projected limited entry trawl take is 7,431 mt out of 
an OY of 7,476 mt; longspine thornyhead: 696 mt out of an OY of 2,646 
mt; shortspine thornyhead: 723 mt out of an OY of 999 mt; and 
sablefish: 2,429 mt out of an OY of 7,761 mt).
    Trip limits for minor slope rockfish/darkblotched rockfish and 
splitnose rockfish between 40[deg]10[min] N. lat. and 38[deg] N. lat. 
will also be reduced in Period 6 to reduce the take of Dover sole and 
petrale sole, species which co-occur with these slope rockfish. In 
addition, with the seaward boundary of the trawl RCA moving out to a 
boundary line approximating the 250-fm (457-m) depth contour, the 
likelihood of catching these species decreases.
    As previously discussed in the section on ``Limited Entry Trawl RCA 
Changes,'' the Pacific Council recommended that NMFS implement a 
seaward limited entry trawl RCA boundary line approximating the 250-fm 
(457-m) depth contour coastwide in order to nearly eliminate the catch 
of petrale sole. However, NMFS is not able to implement this line south 
of 38[deg] N. lat. to the U.S./Mexico border because there are no 
coordinates for this line in Federal regulations. Therefore, in order 
to implement the intent of the Pacific Council recommendation as much 
as possible, NMFS is implementing a boundary line approximating the 
200-fm (366-m) depth contour and a prohibition on the retention of 
petrale sole in this area. Because there is catch of petrale between 
200-fm (366-m) and 250-fm (457-m), including some targeting on petrale 
sole, moving the RCA boundary line from 150-fm (274-m) to 200-fm (366-
m) for October through December will likely not keep total catch of 
petrale sole within its ABC/OY for the year. A reduction of the petrale 
sole trip limit during the middle of a cumulative trip limit period (in 
this case, September through October) is not possible for enforcement 
reasons. Therefore, in addition to the line change, NMFS is also 
implementing a prohibition on the retention of petrale sole between 
38[deg] N. lat. and the U.S./Mexico border during the month of October 
in order to prevent targeting on petrale sole. During November and 
December, the Pacific Council recommendation of decreasing the trip 
limit for petrale sole to 2,000 lb (0.9 mt) per 2 months is sufficient 
to allow retention of incidentally caught petrale sole while not 
encouraging targeting.
    Therefore, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is implementing 
the following inseason adjustments:
    1. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with large and small footrope 
trawl gear, increase Dover sole trip limits from 30,000 lb (13.6 mt) 
per 2 months to 35,000 lb (15.9 mt) per 2 months in Period 5 (September 
through October);
    2. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with large and small footrope 
trawl gear, decrease Dover sole trip limits from 22,000 lb (10.0 mt) 
per 2 months to 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) per 2 months, decrease shortspine 
thornyhead trip limits from 3,700 lb (1.7 mt) per 2 months to 3,500 lb 
(1.6 mt) per 2 months, decrease longspine thornyhead trip limits from 
15,000 lb (6.8 mt) per 2 months to 7,000 lb (3.2 mt) per 2 months, and 
decrease sablefish trip limits from 13,000 lb (5.9 mt) per 2 months to 
11,000 lb (5.0 mt) per 2 months in Period 6 (November through 
December);
    3. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with selective flatfish trawl 
gear, increase Dover sole trip limits from 8,000 lb (3.6 mt) per 2 
months to 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) per 2 months, increase shortspine 
thornyhead trip limits from 2,000 lb (0.9 mt) per 2 months to 3,500 lb 
(1.6 mt) per 2 months, increase longspine thornyhead trip limits from 
2,000 lb (0.9 mt) per 2 months to 7,000 lb (3.2 mt) per 2 months, and 
increase sablefish trip limits from 10,000 lb (4.5 mt) per 2 months to 
11,000 lb (5.0 mt) per 2 months in Period 6;
    4. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with large and small footrope 
trawl gear, decrease ``other flatfish,'' English sole and petrale sole 
trip limits from ``80,000 lb (36.3 mt) per 2 months, no more than 
60,000 lb (27.2 mt) per 2 months of which may be petrale sole'' to 
``30,000 lb (13.6 mt) per 2 months, no more than 2,000 lb (0.9 mt) per 
2 months of which may be petrale sole'' in Period 6;
    5. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with selective flatfish trawl 
gear, decrease ``other flatfish,'' English sole and petrale sole trip 
limits from ``75,000 lb (34.0 mt) per 2 months, no more than 15,000 lb 
(6.8 mt) per 2 months of which may be petrale sole'' to ``30,000 lb 
(13.6 mt) per 2 months, no more than 2,000 lb (0.9 mt) per 2 months of 
which may be petrale sole'' in Period 6;
    6. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with large and small footrope 
trawl gear, decrease arrowtooth flounder trip limits from 80,000 lb 
(36.3 mt) per 2 months to 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) per 2 months in Period 6;
    7. North of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., with selective flatfish trawl 
gear, decrease arrowtooth flounder trip limits from 70,000 lb (31.8 mt) 
per 2 months to 50,000 lb (22.7 mt) per 2 months in Period 6;
    8. South of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., decrease Dover sole trawl trip 
limits from 35,000 lb (15.9 mt) per 2 months to 30,000 lb (13.6 mt) per 
2 months, decrease shortspine thornyhead trip limits from 4,600 lb (2.1 
mt) per 2 months to 3,500 lb (1.6 mt) per 2 months, decrease longspine 
thornyhead trip limits from 19,000 lb (8.6 mt) per 2 months to 11,000 
lb (5.0 mt) per 2 months, and decrease sablefish trip limits from 
16,000 lb (7.3 mt) per 2 months to 9,000 lb (4.1 mt) per 2 months in 
Period 6 (November through December);
    9. Between 40[deg]10[min] N. lat. and 38[deg] N. lat., decrease 
``other flatfish,'' and English sole trawl trip limits from 110,000 lb 
(49.9 mt) per 2 months to 30,000 lb (13.6 mt) per 2 months in Period 6;
    10. South of 38[deg] N. lat., decrease ``other flatfish,'' and 
English sole trawl trip limits from 110,000 lb (49.9 mt) per 2 months 
to 40,000 lb (18.1 mt) per 2 months in Period 6;
    11. South of 40[deg]10[min] N. lat., decrease petrale sole trawl 
trip limits from 100,000 lb (45.4 mt) per 2 months to 2,000 lb (0.9 mt) 
per 2 months in Period 6;
    12. Between 40[deg]10[min] N. lat. and 38[deg] N. lat., decrease 
arrowtooth flounder trawl trip limits from 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) per 2 
months to 10,000 lb (4.5 mt) per 2 months in Period 6;
    13. South of 38[deg] N. lat., decrease arrowtooth flounder trawl 
trip limits from 20,000 lb (9.1 mt) per 2 months to 5,000 lb (2.3 mt) 
per 2 months in Period 6; and
    14. Between 40[deg]10[min] N. lat. and 38[deg] N. lat., decrease 
both the minor slope rockfish/darkblotched rockfish and the splitnose 
rockfish trawl trip limits from 8,000 lb (3.6 mt) per 2 months to 6,000 
lb (2.7 mt) per 2 months in Period 6.
    In addition, NMFS is implementing the following inseason 
adjustment:
    (15) Between 38[deg] N. lat. to the U.S./Mexico border, decrease 
petrale sole trawl trip limits from 42,000 lb per 2 months during 
September and October to closed (i.e., retention is prohibited) during 
the month of October.

Bycatch Limits for Widow Rockfish in the Pacific Whiting Fishery

    Widow rockfish, an overfished groundfish species, co-occurs with 
Pacific whiting and is, therefore, commonly caught in Pacific whiting 
fisheries. Beginning in 2005, NMFS implemented a bycatch limit for 
certain overfished species that co-occur with whiting fisheries, 
particularly canary and widow rockfish which are constraining to the 
whiting fishery in 2005 and 2006. Implementing bycatch limits allowed 
NMFS to set a higher OY

[[Page 58070]]

for Pacific whiting in 2005 and 2006 than would otherwise have been 
possible. Because catch in the Pacific whiting fishery can be tracked 
by NMFS with near real-time data, NMFS has the ability to manage the 
Pacific whiting fishery to stay within bycatch limits.
    Based on PacFIN QSM data for the shore-based sector as of the 
September 12, 2005, and on real-time observer data for the at-sea 
sector, the non-tribal Pacific whiting sector had taken 149.6 mt of the 
200 mt widow rockfish bycatch limit. In order to deter a derby fishery 
that would harvest as much whiting as possible before the widow 
rockfish bycatch limit is reached, the Pacific Council considered 
whether some of the widow rockfish not yet set aside or projected to be 
taken by other sectors in the bycatch scorecard (a management tool used 
by the Pacific Council's Groundfish Management Team (GMT)) could be 
moved into the whiting fishery's projected take for 2005, and hence 
bycatch limits as stated in regulation at 50 CFR 660.373(b)(4). Of the 
26.8 mt of widow rockfish estimated to be available, the Pacific 
Council moved 12 mt of that into the widow rockfish bycatch limit for 
the Pacific whiting fishery.
    Therefore, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is implementing 
an increase in the 2005 bycatch limit for Pacific whiting, as stated at 
50 CFR 660.373(b)(4), from 200 mt of widow rockfish to 212 mt.
    While NMFS has recently been concerned about the bycatch of Chinook 
salmon in the Pacific whiting fisheries, this action is not expected to 
increase salmon bycatch. A temporary rule, effective August 26, 2005, 
through February 27, 2006 (August 31, 2005, 70 FR 51682), created a 
closed area, called the Ocean Salmon Conservation Zone, which is closed 
to fishing for Pacific whiting shoreward of a boundary line 
approximating the 100-fm (183-m) depth contour to protect Chinook 
salmon. Limited Entry Fixed Gear and Open Access ``daily Trip Limit 
(DTL) Fishery for Sablefish North of 36[deg] N. Lat.
    Based on PacFIN QSM data through September 12, 2005, the sablefish 
DTL sectors, both limited entry fixed gear and open access, have 
attained less than half of their allocation for the year. As a result, 
the Pacific Council's GMT analyzed an increase to the DTL fishery's 
daily, weekly, and bimonthly limits for the fishery north of 36[deg] N. 
lat. As part of their analysis, the GMT considered likely increases in 
effort and limit attainment from vessels engaged in the DTL fishery. 
This inseason adjustment is not expected to result in increased levels 
of bycatch beyond what is already accounted for in the bycatch 
scorecard, since those estimates were based on the assumption that each 
sector would achieve its allocation.
    Therefore, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is implementing 
an increase in the limited entry fixed gear and open access daily trip 
limit fishery for sablefish north of 36[deg] N. lat. to the U.S./Canada 
border from 300 lb (136 kg)/day, or 1 landing per week of up to 900 lb 
(408 kg), not to exceed 3,600 lb/ (1,633 kg) 2 months to 500 lb (227 
kg)/day, or 1 landing per week of up to 1,500 lb (680 kg), not to 
exceed 9,000 lb (4,082)/2 months for October through December.

Washington's Recreational Groundfish RCA

    The States of Washington and Oregon manage canary and yelloweye 
rockfish under a joint harvest guideline for their recreational 
fisheries. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) 
committed to take management action to close portions of its 
recreational fisheries seaward of a boundary line approximating the 30-
fm (55-m) depth contour as an inseason adjustment, if the harvest 
guideline for canary and/or yelloweye rockfish were projected to be 
reached.
    At the end of July, 2005, after receiving the recreational catch 
data through June, WDFW's revised catch projections for the year 
indicated that 1.8 mt of canary rockfish would be harvested (as 
compared to a state harvest target of 1.7 mt, and a shared harvest 
guideline of 8.5 mt). At that time, the revised catch projection for 
yelloweye rockfish was still below the state harvest target. In 
response, effective August 5, 2005, WDFW adopted an emergency 
regulation to close its recreational bottomfish and halibut fisheries 
seaward of a boundary line approximating the 30-fm (55-m) depth contour 
from the U.S./Canada border to Leadbetter Pt., WA (46[deg]38.17' N. 
lat.) (Washington Marine Catch Areas 2, 3, and 4). The action did not 
apply to the area between Leadbetter Pt. and the Columbia River as the 
canary and yelloweye rockfish catches in this area are extremely low.
    At the end of August, after receiving the recreational catch data 
through July, WDFW's revised catch projections for the year indicated 
that 1.8 mt of canary rockfish was still expected to be harvested. 
However, the revised catch projection for yelloweye rockfish is 4.2 mt 
(out of a 3.5 mt state harvest target, and a shared harvest guideline 
of 6.7 mt). However, it is expected that, with the fishery closed 
seaward of a boundary line approximating the 30-fm (55-m) depth 
contour, the additional yelloweye rockfish harvest will be near-zero 
through the end of the year.
    Washington recreational fisheries for bottomfish typically decline 
in September and halibut fisheries close at the end of September. 
Therefore, further restricting the Washington recreational fishery 
after September will have little to no effect.
    Therefore, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is implementing 
a boundary line approximating the 30-fm (55-m) depth contour between 
the U.S./Canada border and 46[deg]38.17' N. lat. (Leadbetter Point, WA) 
for the same reasons that Washington took its regulatory action and in 
order for Federal regulations to conform to the state regulations for 
Washington recreational groundfish fisheries.

Oregon's Recreational Groundfish Fishery Bag Limits

    Due to poor recreational ocean salmon catches off Oregon in 2005, 
there was a notable effort shift from targeted salmon trips to targeted 
groundfish trips. In addition, Oregon anglers are experiencing 
increased catch rates of groundfish species, particularly black 
rockfish, blue rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish. In an effort to slow 
catch of groundfish species and ensure that the recreational fishery 
can continue through the end of the year, the Oregon Department of Fish 
and Wildlife (ODFW) took action, effective July 16, 2005, to reduce the 
marine fish daily bag limit from eight fish to five fish. In addition, 
ODFW revised their catch projection in the bycatch scorecard for 
yelloweye rockfish in the recreational fishery to 4.0 mt. The shared 
ODFW/WDFW yelloweye rockfish recreational harvest guideline was also 
revised in the bycatch scorecard from 6.7 mt to 8.5 mt (4.0 mt in 
Oregon, 4.2 mt in Washington, and 0.3 mt buffer).
    ODFW also prohibited retention of cabezon in their recreational 
ocean boat fishery beginning August 11, 2005. Landings data indicated 
that the state imposed ocean boat harvest cap of 15.8 mt had been 
reached.
    Therefore, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is implementing 
a decrease in the recreational marine fish daily bag limit off of 
Oregon from eight fish to five fish and a prohibition on the retention 
of cabezon by the ocean boat sector for the same reasons that Oregon 
took its regulatory action and in order for Federal regulations to 
conform to the state regulations for Oregon recreational groundfish 
fisheries.

[[Page 58071]]

Classification

    These actions are authorized by the Pacific Coast groundfish FMP 
and implementing regulations and are based on the most recent data 
available. The aggregate data upon which these actions are based are 
available for public inspection at the Office of the Administrator, 
Northwest Region, NMFS, (see ADDRESSES) during business hours.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment, as notice and comment 
would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest. The data 
upon which these recommendations were based were provided to the 
Pacific Council and the Pacific Council made its recommendations at its 
September 19-23, 2005, meeting in Portland, OR. There was not 
sufficient time after that meeting to draft this document and undergo 
proposed and final rulemaking before most of these actions need to be 
in effect, October 1, 2005, as explained below. For the actions in this 
notice, prior notice and opportunity for comment would be impracticable 
and contrary to the public interest because affording the time 
necessary for prior notice and opportunity for public comment would 
impede the Agency's function of managing fisheries using the best 
available science to approach without exceeding the OYs for federally 
managed species. The adjustments to management measures in this 
document include changes to the commercial and recreational groundfish 
fisheries. Changes to the limited entry trawl RCA must be implemented 
in a timely manner by October 1, 2005, so that total catch of 
groundfish, specifically petrale sole and canary rockfish, stays within 
the catch levels projected for 2005 based on modeling and the most 
current catch projections available. Changes to the limited entry trawl 
trip limit for Dover sole must be implemented in a timely manner by 
October 1, 2005, so that the trip limits for all trawl gear types are 
the same and participants are not unnecessarily restricted to a lower 
harvest level because of differential trip limits. Changes to the 
limited entry trawl trip limit for petrale sole must be implemented in 
a timely manner by October 1, 2005, so that total catch stays below the 
petrale sole ABC/OY. Other changes to the limited entry trawl trip 
limits must be implemented in a timely manner by November 1, 2005, the 
next 2 month cumulative limit period, so that total catch of 
groundfish, specifically petrale sole and Dover sole, stays within the 
catch levels projected for 2005 based on modeling and the most current 
catch projections available. Changes to the widow rockfish bycatch 
limit in the whiting fishery must be implemented by October 1, 2005, in 
order to provide an opportunity for participants in this fishery to 
harvest the available whiting quota without being closed early due to 
attainment of an unnecessarily low widow rockfish bycatch limit. 
Changes to the limited entry fixed gear and open access DTL sablefish 
fishery must be implemented by October 1, 2005, in order to provide an 
opportunity for participants in these fisheries to harvest the 
available quota. Changes to Washington's recreational fishery RCA and 
Oregon's recreational fishery bag limits must be implemented as soon as 
possible in order to conform Federal and state recreational 
regulations, to protect overfished groundfish species, and to keep the 
harvest of other groundfish species within the harvest levels projected 
for 2005. Delaying any of these changes would result in management 
measures that fail to use the best available science and, in some 
cases, could lead to early closures of the fishery if harvest of 
groundfish exceeds levels projected for 2005. This would be contrary to 
the public interest because it would impair achievement of one of the 
Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP objectives of providing for year-round 
harvest opportunities or extending fishing opportunities as long as 
practicable during the fishing year. Delaying implementation could also 
lead to exceeding the ABC and/or OY for some species. Thus, the delay 
would also be contrary to the public's interest in protecting 
overfished species and other groundfish species from overfishing.
    For these reasons, good cause also exists to waive the 30-day delay 
in effectiveness requirement under 5 U.S.C. 553 (d)(3) for all actions 
taken in this notice.
    These actions are taken under the authority of 50 CFR 660.370(c) 
and are exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660

    Administrative practice and procedure, American Samoa, Fisheries, 
Fishing, Guam, Hawaiian Natives, Indians, Northern Mariana Islands, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: September 30, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

0
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is amended as 
follows:

PART 660--FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES AND IN THE WESTERN 
PACIFIC

0
1. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as follows:

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


0
2. In Sec.  660.373, paragraph (b)(4) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  660.373  Pacific whiting (whiting) fishery management.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (4) 2005-2006 bycatch limits in the whiting fishery. The bycatch 
limits for the whiting fishery may be used inseason to close a sector 
or sectors of the whiting fishery to achieve the rebuilding of an 
overfished or depleted stock, under routine management measure 
authority at Sec.  660.370(c)(1)(ii). These limits are routine 
management measures under Sec.  660.370(c) and, as such, may be 
adjusted inseason or may have new species added to the list of those 
with bycatch limits. For 2005, the whiting fishery bycatch limits for 
the sectors identified Sec.  660.323(a) are 4.7 mt of canary rockfish 
and 212 mt of widow rockfish. For 2006, the whiting fishery bycatch 
limits are 7.3 mt of canary rockfish and 243.2 mt of widow rockfish.
* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  660.384, paragraphs (c)(1)(i)(B) and (c)(2)(iii) are 
revised to read as follows:


Sec.  660.384  Recreational fishery management measures.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (B) Recreational Rockfish Conservation Area. Fishing for groundfish 
with recreational gear is prohibited within the recreational RCA. It is 
unlawful to take and retain, possess, or land groundfish taken with 
recreational gear within the recreational RCA. A vessel fishing in the 
recreational RCA may not be in possession of any groundfish. For 
example, if a vessel participates in the recreational salmon fishery 
within the RCA, the vessel cannot be in possession of groundfish while 
in the RCA. The vessel may, however, on the same trip fish for and 
retain groundfish shoreward of the RCA on the return trip to port.) Off 
Washington, recreational fishing for all groundfish is prohibited 
seaward of a recreational RCA boundary line approximating the 30-fm 
(55-m) depth contour from the U.S./Canada border south to Leadbetter 
Pt., WA (46[deg]38.17'

[[Page 58072]]

N. lat.). Coordinates for the boundary line approximating the 30-fm 
(55-m) depth contour are listed in Sec.  660.391.
* * * * *
    (2) * * *
    (iii) Bag limits, size limits. The bag limits for each person 
engaged in recreational fishing in the EEZ seaward of Oregon are two 
lingcod per day, which may be no smaller than 24 in (61 cm) total 
length; and five marine fish per day, which excludes Pacific halibut, 
salmonids, tuna, perch species, sturgeon, sanddabs, lingcod, striped 
bass, hybrid bass, offshore pelagic species and baitfish (herring, 
smelt, anchovies and sardines), but which includes rockfish, greenling, 
cabezon and other groundfish species. Retention of cabezon is 
prohibited by Oregon's recreational ocean boat fishery, but is 
permitted in the shore-based fishery. The minimum size limit for 
cabezon retained in the recreational fishery is 16 in (41 cm) and for 
greenling is 10 in (26 cm). Taking and retaining canary rockfish and 
yelloweye rockfish is prohibited. In the Pacific halibut fisheries, 
retention of groundfish is governed in part by the Pacific halibut 
regulations. South of the Washington/Oregon border to Cape Falcon, OR, 
when Pacific halibut are onboard the vessel, landing groundfish, except 
sablefish, is prohibited. South of Cape Falcon, OR, to Humbug Mountain, 
OR, when Pacific halibut are onboard the vessel, retention of 
groundfish, except sablefish, is prohibited during the Central Coast 
sport halibut ``all-depth'' season days. ``All-depth'' season days are 
established in the annual management measures for Pacific halibut 
fisheries, which are published in the Federal Register and are 
announced on the NMFS halibut hotline, 1-800-662-9825.
* * * * *

0
4. In part 660, subpart G, Tables 3 (both North and South), Tables 4 
(both North and South) and Tables 5 (both North and South) are revised 
to read as follows:

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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[FR Doc. 05-19986 Filed 9-30-05; 2:36 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-C


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