[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44173-44175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17466]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 071106673-8011-02]
RIN 0648-XJ32


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Atka Mackerel 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.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of the 2008 
incidental catch allowance (ICA) of Atka mackerel to the B season 
allowance of Atka mackerel for the Amendment 80 cooperative in the 
Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary 
to allow the 2008 total allowable catch of Atka mackerel to be fully 
harvested.

DATES:  Effective July 29, 2008, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time 
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jennifer Hogan, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
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 2008 ICA of Atka mackerel is 1,400 metric tons (mt) and the B 
season allowance of Atka mackerel for the Amendment 80 cooperative is 
3,692 mt in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of 
the BSAI as established by the 2008 and 2009 final harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (73 FR 10160, February 26, 
2008).
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that 1,300 
mt of the ICA will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with 
Sec.  679.20(a)(8)(v)(B), NMFS apportions 1,300 mt of Atka mackerel 
from the ICA to the B season allowance of Atka mackerel for the 
Amendment 80 cooperative in the Eastern Aleutian District and the 
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI. In accordance with Sec.  679.91(f), 
NMFS will reissue cooperative quota permits for the reallocated Atka 
mackerel following the procedures set forth in Sec.  679.91(f)(3).
    The harvest specifications for Atka mackerel included in the 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (73 FR 10160, 
February 26, 2008) are revised as follows: 100 mt to the ICA and 4,992 
mt to B season allowance of Atka mackerel for the Amendment 80 
cooperative in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea 
of the BSAI. Table 4 is correctly revised and republished in its 
entirety as follows:

[[Page 44174]]



            TABLE 4--2008 AND 2009 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC
                                                                                  [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                                              2008 allocation by area                                              2009 allocation by area
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           Sector\1\                  Season\2,3\          Eastern Aleutian       Central Aleutian       Western Aleutian       Eastern Aleutian       Central Aleutian       Western Aleutian
                                                         District/Bering Sea          District               District         District/Bering Sea          District               District
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TAC                              n/a                    19,500                 24,300                 16,900                 15,300                 19,000                 13,200
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CDQ reserve                      Total                  2,087                  2,600                  1,808                  1,637                  2,033                  1,412
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    1,560                  1,085                  n/a                    1,220                  847
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ICA                              Total                  100                    10                     10                     1,400                  10                     10
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Jig\5\                           Total                  80                     0                      0                      61                     0                      0
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BSAI trawl limited access        Total                  319                    434                    0                      488                    678                    0
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                                 A                      159                    217                    0                      244                    339                    0
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    130                    0                      n/a                    203                    0
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                                 B                      159                    217                    0                      244                    339                    0
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    130                    0                      n/a                    203                    0
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Amendment 80 sectors             Total                  15,615                 21,256                 15,082                 12,202                 16,957                 11,778
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                                 A                      7,807                  10,628                 7,541                  6,101                  8,479                  5,889
                                 HLA\4\                 4,684                  6,377                  4,525                  3,660                  5,087                  3,533
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                                 B                      7,807                  10,628                 7,541                  6,101                  8,479                  5,889
                                 HLA\4\                 4,684                  6,377                  4,525                  3,660                  5,087                  3,533
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Amendment 80 limited access      Total                  8,232                  12,809                 9,298                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
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                                 A                      4,116                  6,405                  4,649                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    3,843                  2,789                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
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                                 B                      4,116                  6,405                  4,649                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    3,843                  2,789                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
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Amendment 80 cooperatives        Total                  8,804                  8,447                  5,784                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
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                                 A                      3,812                  4,224                  2,892                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    2,534                  1,735                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
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                                 B                      4,992                  4,224                  2,892                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
                                 HLA\4\                 n/a                    2,534                  1,735                  n/a                    n/a                    n/a
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\1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtraction of the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs, to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors.
  The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec.   679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7
  percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec.  Sec.   679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
\2\ Regulations at Sec.  Sec.   679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. The A season is January 1 (January 20 for trawl
  gear) to April 15 and the B season is September 1 to November 1.
\3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\4\ Harvest Limit Area (HLA) limit refers to the amount of each seasonal allowance that is available for fishing inside the HLA (see Sec.   679.2). In 2008 and 2009, 60 percent of each
  seasonal allowance is available for fishing inside the HLA in the Western and Central Aleutian Districts.
\5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtraction of the CDQ reserve and ICA.
  The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.

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 reallocation of Atka mackerel from the ICA to the 
Amendment 80 cooperative in the Eastern Aleutian District and the 
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI. Since the fishery is currently

[[Page 44175]]

open, it is important to immediately inform the industry as to the 
revised allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for 
the orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery, to allow 
the industry to plan for the fishing season, and to avoid potential 
disruption to the fishing fleet as well as processors. NMFS was unable 
to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most 
recent, relevant data only became available as of July 23, 2008.
    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 Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: July 25, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-17466 Filed 7-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S