[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56483-56484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23166]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 0910131363-0087-02]
RIN 0648-XZ08


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Crab and Halibut Prohibited Species Catch Allowances 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 amounts of the 2010 
crab and halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances assigned to 
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands trawl limited access sector to the 
Amendment 80 cooperative in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the Amendment 
80 cooperative to fully harvest their 2010 groundfish allocations.

DATES: Effective September 13, 2010, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local 
time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7269.

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 2010 halibut PSC assigned to the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands trawl limited access sector is 875 metric tons (mt) and to the 
Amendment 80 cooperative is 1,754 mt in the BSAI as established by the 
final 2010 and 2011 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI 
(75 FR 11778, March 12, 2010).
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that 358 mt 
of the halibut PSC assigned to the BSAI trawl limited access sector 
will not be needed to support BSAI trawl limited access fisheries. 
Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.91(f)(4), NMFS is reallocating 
340 mt of halibut PSC assigned to the BSAI trawl limited access sector 
to the Amendment 80 cooperative in the BSAI.
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has also determined that 
290,000 crabs of Zone 1 C. bairdi tanner crab PSC, 880,000 crabs of 
Zone 2 C. bairdi tanner crab PSC, and 48,000 crabs of Zone 1 red king 
crab PSC assigned to the BSAI trawl limited access sector will not be 
needed to support BSAI trawl limited access fisheries. Therefore, in 
accordance with Sec.  679.91(f)(5), NMFS is reallocating these crab PSC 
amounts assigned to BSAI trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 
80 cooperative in the BSAI.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.91(f)(1), NMFS will reissue 
cooperative quota permits for the reallocated crab and halibut PSC 
following the procedures set forth in Sec.  679.91(f)(4) and Sec.  
679.91(f)(5).
    The harvest specifications for crab and halibut PSC included in the 
final harvest specifications for crab and halibut PSC in the BSAI (75 
FR 11778, March 12, 2010) are revised as follows in Tables 8a, 8c, and 
8d:

 Table 8a--Final 2010 and 2011 Apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Allowances to Non-Trawl Gear, the CDQ Program, Amendment 80, and the BSAI Trawl
                                                                 Limited Access Sectors
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                                                                       Non-trawl                                        Amendment 80 sector
                                                                          PSC                  Trawl PSC    CDQ PSQ  ------------------------ BSAI trawl
                       PSC species                        Total non-   remaining     Total     remaining    reserve                             limited
                                                           trawl PSC   after CDQ   trawl PSC   after CDQ      \1\        2010        2011       access
                                                                        PSQ \1\                 PSQ \1\                                         fishery
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Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI.............................         900         832       3,675       3,349         393       2,765       2,375         517
Herring (mt) BSAI.......................................         n/a         n/a       1,974         n/a         n/a         n/a         n/a         n/a
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 \1\......................         n/a         n/a     197,000     175,921      21,079     146,920      93,432       5,797
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ \2\...........................         n/a         n/a   4,350,000   3,884,550     465,450   2,148,156   2,028,512   1,248,494
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1 \2\.....................         n/a         n/a     830,000     741,190      88,810     641,176     331,608      58,285
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2.........................         n/a         n/a   2,520,000   2,250,360     269,640   1,479,271     565,966     173,394
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\1\ Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) allocates 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and Sec.   679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocates 7.5 percent, or 67 mt,
  of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of
  each crab PSC limit.
\2\ Refer to Sec.   679.2 for definitions of zones.


          Table 8c--Final 2010 and 2011 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sector and Non-Trawl Fisheries
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                                                                                               Prohibited species and area \1\
                                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                BSAI trawl limited access fisheries                                        Red king crab     C. opilio          C. bairdi (animals)
                                                                      Halibut mortality   (animals) Zone     (animals)   -------------------------------
                                                                          (mt) BSAI              1             COBLZ          Zone 1          Zone 2
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Yellowfin sole....................................................                    47           4,000       1,176,494          27,285         160,304
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Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish \2\........................                     0               0               0               0               0
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Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish \3\...................................                     0               0               0               0               0
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Rockfish April 15-December 31.....................................                     5               0           2,000               0             848
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Pacific cod.......................................................                   275           1,700          50,000          20,000           8,000
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[[Page 56484]]

 
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species...............................                   190              97          20,000           1,000           4,242
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Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC...............................                   517           5,797       1,248,494          58,285         173,394
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                        Non-trawl fisheries                           Catcher    Catcher
                                                                    processor     vessel
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Pacific cod-Total.................................................        760         15
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January 1-June 10.................................................        314         10
June 10-August 15.................................................          0          3
August 15-December 31.............................................        446          2
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Other non-trawl-Total.............................................           58
 
May 1-December 31.................................................           58
 
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Groundfish pot and jig............................................         Exempt
 
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Sablefish hook-and-line...........................................         Exempt
 
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Total non-trawl PSC...............................................           833
 
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 \1\ Refer to Sec.   679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot,
  rock sole, yellowfin sole, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish fishery category.


        TABLE 8d--Final 2010 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowance for the BSAI Amendment 80 Cooperatives
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                                                          Prohibited species and zones\1\
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Year                    Halibut      Red king crab     C. opilio          C. bairdi (animals)
                                     mortality       (animals)       (animals)   -------------------------------
                                     (mt) BSAI        Zone 1           COBLZ          Zone 1          Zone 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010............................           2,094         118,237       1,461,309         547,715       1,320,277
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\1\ Refer to Sec.   679.2 for definitions of zones.

    This will enhance the socioeconomic well-being of harvesters of 
groundfish dependent upon these PSC amounts. The Regional Administrator 
considered the following factors in reaching this decision: (1) the 
current catch and stated future harvesting intent of BSAI trawl limited 
access sector fisheries and, (2) the harvest capacity and stated intent 
on future harvesting patterns of the Amendment 80 cooperative that 
participates in this BSAI fishery. The Regional Administrator also has 
determined that this action will create no threats of exceeding TACs 
for any species or species group.

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 crab and halibut PSC from the BSAI 
trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperative in the 
BSAI. Since the fisheries are currently 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 these fisheries, 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 September 8, 2010.
    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.  679.91 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: September 13, 2010.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-23166 Filed 9-13-10; 4:15 pm]
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