59038 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 201 / Thursday, October 18, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

interest as it would prevent NMFS from 

responding to the most recent fisheries 

data in a timely fashion and would 

delay the sideboard directed fishing 

closure of Pacific cod apportioned to 

non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific 

cod for processing by the inshore 

component 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 October 10, 2007. 

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 § 680.22 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: October 12, 2007. 

Emily H. Menashes 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–5132 Filed 10–12–07; 3:34 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 070213032–7032–01] 

RIN 0648–XD41 

Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive 

Zone Off Alaska; Trawl Gear in the Gulf 

of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for groundfish by vessels using 

trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), 

except for directed fishing for pollock 

by vessels using pelagic trawl gear in 

those portions of the GOA open to 

directed fishing for pollock. This 

closure also does not apply to fishing by 

vessels participating in the cooperative 

fishery in the Rockfish Pilot Program for 

the Central GOA. This action is 

necessary to prevent exceeding the 2007 

Pacific halibut prohibited species catch 

(PSC) limit specified for trawl gear in 

the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), October 15, 2007, through 

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennifer Hogan, 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. 

The 2007 Pacific halibut PSC limit for 

vessels using trawl was established as 

2,000 metric tons by the 2007 and 2008 

harvest specifications for groundfish of 

the GOA (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007, 

as corrected by 72 FR 13217, March 21, 

2007). The fishery was closed on 

October 8, 2007 (72 FR 57888, October 

11, 2007) and was reopened on October 

10, 2007. 

The Administrator, Alaska Region, 

has determined, in accordance with 

§ 679.21(d)(7)(i), that the 2007 Pacific 

halibut PSC limit allocated to vessels 

using trawl gear in the GOA will soon 

be reached. Therefore, NMFS is 

prohibiting directed fishing for 

groundfish by vessels using trawl gear 

in the GOA, except for directed fishing 

for pollock by vessels using pelagic 

trawl gear in those portions of the GOA 

that remain open to directed fishing for 

pollock. This closure also does not 

apply to fishing by vessels participating 

in the cooperative fishery in the 

Rockfish Pilot Program for the Central 

GOA. 

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 a 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 closing directed fishing for 

groundfish by vessels using trawl gear 

in 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 October 12, 2007. 

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 § 679.21 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: October 15, 2007. 

Alan D. Risenhoover 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–5146 Filed 10–15–07; 2:42 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 


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