Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 22 / Wednesday, February 3, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 5627 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 140918791–4999–02] 

RIN 0648–XE420 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical 

Area 610 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 pollock in Statistical Area 

610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This 

action is necessary to prevent exceeding 

the A season allowance of the 2016 total 

allowable catch of pollock for Statistical 

Area 610 in the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), January 29, 2016, through 

1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 10, 2016. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Keaton, 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 A season allowance of the 2016 

total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in 

Statistical Area 610 of the GOA is 3,827 

metric tons (mt) as established by the 

final 2015 and 2016 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(80 FR 10250, February 25, 2015) and 

inseason adjustment (81 FR 188, January 

5, 2016). 

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

the Regional Administrator has 

determined that the A season allowance 

of the 2016 TAC of pollock in Statistical 

Area 610 of the GOA will soon be 

reached. Therefore, the Regional 

Administrator is establishing a directed 

fishing allowance of 3,727 mt and is 

setting aside the remaining 100 mt as 

bycatch 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 pollock in Statistical 

Area 610 of the GOA. 

After the effective date of this closure 

the maximum retainable amounts at 

§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time 

during a trip. 

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 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 the closure of directed fishing for 

pollock in Statistical Area 610 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 January 28, 2016. 

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 § 679.20 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: January 29, 2016. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–01991 Filed 1–29–16; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 141021887–5172–02] 

RIN 0648–XE392 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone off Alaska; Reallocation of 

Pacific Cod 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; reallocation. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the 

projected unused amount of Pacific cod 

from vessels using jig gear to catcher 

vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) 

length overall using hook-and-line or 

pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands management area. This action is 

necessary to allow the A season 

apportionment of the 2016 total 

allowable catch of Pacific cod to be 

harvested. 

DATES: Effective February 1, 2016 

through 2400 hours, Alaska local time 

(A.l.t.), December 31, 2016. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Keaton, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) 

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 

2016 Pacific cod total allowable catch 

(TAC) specified for vessels using jig gear 

in the BSAI is 1,887 metric tons (mt) as 

established by the final 2015 and 2016 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) 

and inseason adjustment (81 FR 184, 

January 5, 2016). 

The 2016 Pacific cod TAC allocated to 

catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 

meters(m)) length overall (LOA) using 

hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI is 

4,476 mt as established by the final 2015 

and 2016 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, 

March 5, 2015) and inseason adjustment 

(81 FR 184, January 5, 2016). 

The Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that jig vessels will not be 

able to harvest 1,750 mt of the A season 

apportionment of the 2016 Pacific cod 

TAC allocated to those vessels under 

§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(1). Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(C), 

NMFS apportions 1,750 mt of Pacific 

cod from the A season jig gear 

apportionment to the annual amount 

specified for catcher vessels less than 60 

feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line 

or pot gear. 

The harvest specifications for Pacific 

cod included in the final 2015 and 2016 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) 


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