6460 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 25 / Monday, February 8, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

2016 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, 

March 5, 2015). 

In accordance with § 679.64(a)(2) and 

(3), the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the sideboard limit of 

red king crab in Zone 1 specified for the 

AFA catcher processors in the BSAI will 

be caught. Therefore, NMFS is 

prohibiting directed fishing with trawl 

gear in Zone 1, other than pelagic trawl 

gear for walleye pollock, by AFA trawl 

catcher processors in the BSAI. 

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 

with trawl gear, other than pelagic trawl 

gear for walleye pollock, by AFA trawl 

catcher processors in Zone 1 of the 

BSAI. NMFS was unable to publish a 

notification providing time for public 

comment because the most recent, 

relevant data only became available as 

of February 1, 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 § 679.21 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: February 3, 2016. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02391 Filed 2–3–16; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 140918791–4999–02] 

RIN 0648–XE426 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Catcher/Processors Using Trawl Gear 

in the Western Regulatory Area of the 

Gulf of Alaska 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; modification of 

a closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed 

fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/

processors using trawl gear in the 

Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of 

Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary 

to fully use the A season allowance of 

the 2016 total allowable catch 

apportioned to catcher/processors using 

trawl gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), February 4, 2016, 

through 1200 hours, A.l.t., June 10, 

2016. Comments must be received at the 

following address no later than 4:30 

p.m., A.l.t., February 23, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document, identified by NOAA– 

NMFS–2014–0118, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014- 

0118, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

• Mail: Submit written comments to 

Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional 

Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries 

Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: 

Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. 

Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ 

A’’ in the required fields if you wish to 

remain anonymous). Attachments to 

electronic comments will be accepted in 

Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF 

file formats only. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 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. 

Regulations governing sideboard 

protections for GOA groundfish 

fisheries appear at subpart B of 50 CFR 

part 680. 

NMFS closed directed fishing for 

Pacific cod by catcher/processors using 

trawl gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the GOA under 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on January 1, 2016 

pursuant to the final 2015 and 2016 

harvest specifications for groundfish of 

the Gulf of Alaska (80 FR 10250, 

February 25, 2015) and inseason 

adjustment (81 FR 188, January 5, 2016). 

NMFS has determined that as of 

February 1, 2016, approximately 200 

metric tons of Pacific cod remain in the 

A season allowance of the 2016 Pacific 

cod apportionment for catcher/

processors using trawl gear in the 

Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

Therefore, in accordance with 

§ 679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and 

(a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully use the 2016 

total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific 

cod in the Western Regulatory Area of 

the GOA, NMFS is terminating the 

previous closure and is opening 

directed fishing for Pacific cod by 

catcher/processors using trawl gear in 

the Western Regulatory Area of the 

GOA. The Administrator, Alaska 

Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) 

considered the following factors in 

reaching this decision: (1) The current 

catch of Pacific cod by catcher/

processors using trawl gear in the 

Western Regulatory Area of the GOA 

and, (2) the harvest capacity and stated 

intent on future harvesting patterns of 

vessels in participating in this fishery. 

Classification 

This action responds to the best 

available information recently obtained 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 25 / Monday, February 8, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 6461 

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 opening of directed fishing for 

Pacific cod by catcher/processors using 

trawl gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the GOA. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notification providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of February 1, 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. 

Without this inseason adjustment, 

NMFS could not allow the fishery for 

Pacific cod by catcher/processors using 

trawl gear in the Western Regulatory 

Area of the GOA to be harvested in an 

expedient manner and in accordance 

with the regulatory schedule. Under 

§ 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments on 

this action to the above address until 

February 23, 2016. 

This action is required by § 679.25 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: February 3, 2016. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–02394 Filed 2–3–16; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES