61264 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

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 2014 TAC of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in 

the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI 

is 473 metric tons (mt) as established by 

the final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the 

BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). 

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the 

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 

(Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the 2014 TAC of ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ in the Aleutian Islands 

subarea of the BSAI has been reached. 

Therefore, NMFS is requiring that 

‘‘other rockfish’’ caught in the Aleutian 

Islands subarea of the BSAI be treated 

as prohibited species in accordance 

with § 679.21(b). 

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 prohibiting the retention of ‘‘other 

rockfish’’ in the Aleutian Islands 

subarea of the BSAI. NMFS was unable 

to publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of October 3, 2014. 

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 § 679.21 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: October 6, 2014. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24159 Filed 10–6–14; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02] 

RIN 0648–XD542 

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. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the 

projected unused amount of the 2014 

Atka mackerel incidental catch 

allowance (ICA) for the Bering Sea 

subarea and Eastern Aleutian district 

(BS/EAI) to the Amendment 80 

cooperatives in the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands management area 

(BSAI). This action is necessary to allow 

the 2014 total allowable catch of Atka 

mackerel in the BSAI to be fully 

harvested. 

DATES: Effective October 9, 2014, 

through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time 

(A.l.t.), December 31, 2014. 

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 2014 Atka mackerel ICA for the 

BS/EAI is 1,000 metric tons (mt) and 

2014 Atka mackerel total allowable 

catch allocated to the Amendment 80 

cooperative is 16,419 mt as established 

by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). 

The Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS, has determined that 750 mt of 

the Atka mackerel ICA for the BS/EAI 

will not be harvested. Therefore, in 

accordance with § 679.91(f), NMFS 

reallocates 750 mt of Atka mackerel 

from the BS/EAI ICA to the Amendment 

80 cooperatives in the BSAI. In 

accordance with § 679.91(f), NMFS will 

reissue cooperative quota permits for 

the reallocated Atka mackerel following 

the procedures set forth in § 679.91(f)(3). 

The harvest specifications for Atka 

mackerel included in the harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) are 

revised as follows: 250 mt of Atka 

mackerel for the BS/EAI ICA and 17,169 

mt of Atka mackerel for the Amendment 

80 cooperatives in the BS/EAI. Table 4 

is correctly revised and republished in 

its entirety as follows: 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2014 AND 2015 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] 

Sector 1 Season 234

2014 Allocation by area 2015 Allocation by area 

Eastern Aleutian District/

Bering Sea 

Central 5

Aleutian 

District 

Western 

Aleutian 

District 

Eastern Aleutian District/

Bering Sea 

Central 5

Aleutian 

District 

Western 

Aleutian 

District 

TAC ........................... n/a .................... 21,652 9,670 1,000 21,769 9,722 1,000 

CDQ reserve ............. Total ................. 2,317 1,035 107 2,329 1,040 107 

A ....................... 1,158 517 54 1,165 520 54 

Critical Habitat 5 n/a 52 n/a n/a 52 n/a 

B ....................... 1,158 517 54 1,165 520 54 

Critical Habitat 5 n/a 52 n/a n/a 52 n/a 

ICA ............................ Total ................. 250 75 40 1,000 75 40 

Jig 6 ........................... Total ................. 92 0 0 92 0 0 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 61265 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2014 AND 2015 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL

CATCH ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC—Continued 

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Sector 1 Season 234

2014 Allocation by area 2015 Allocation by area 

Eastern Aleutian District/

Bering Sea 

Central 5

Aleutian 

District 

Western 

Aleutian 

District 

Eastern Aleutian District/

Bering Sea 

Central 5

Aleutian 

District 

Western 

Aleutian 

District 

BSAI trawl limited access.Total .................

A .......................

B .......................

1,824 

912 

912 

856 

428 

428 

0 

0 

0 

1,835 

917 

917 

861 

430 

430 

0 

0 

0 

Amendment 80 sectors.Total .................

A .......................

B .......................

17,169 

8,585 

8,585 

7,704 

3,852 

3,852 

853 

427 

427 

16,513 

8,256 

8,256 

7,746 

3,873 

3,873 

853 

427 

427 

Alaska Groundfish 

Cooperative 7.

Total 7 ...............

A .......................

Critical Habitat 5

B .......................

Critical Habitat 5

9,931 

4,966 

n/a 

4,966 

n/a 

4,592 

2,296 

230 

2,296 

230 

499 

250 

n/a 

250 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

Alaska Seafood Cooperative 7.Total 7 ...............

A .......................

Critical Habitat 5

B .......................

Critical Habitat 5

7,238 

3,619 

n/a 

3,619 

n/a 

3,112 

1,556 

156 

1,556 

156 

354 

177 

n/a 

177 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

1Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting 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 § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see 

§§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). 2 Regulations at §§ 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. 

3The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. 

4Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B 

season from June 10 to November 1. 5Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C) requires the TAC in area 542 shall be no more than 47% of ABC, and Atka mackerel harvests for Amendment 80 

cooperatives and CDQ groups within waters 10 nm to 20 nm of Gramp Rock and Tag Island, as described Table 12 to part 679, in Area 542 are 

limited to no more than 10 percent of the Amendment 80 cooperative Atka mackerel allocation or 10 percent of the CDQ Atka mackerel allocation. 6Section 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 subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season. 7The 2015 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known 

until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2014. NMFS will post 2015 Amendment 80 allocations when they 

become available in December 2014. 

Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. 

This will enhance the socioeconomic 

well-being of harvesters dependent 

upon Atka mackerel in this area. The 

Regional Administrator considered the 

following factors in reaching this 

decision: (1) The current catch of Atka 

mackerel ICA in the BS/EAI, (2) the 

harvest capacity and stated intent on 

future harvesting patterns of the 

Amendment 80 cooperatives that 

participate in this BS/EAI fishery. 

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 BS/EAI ICA to the Amendment 

80 cooperatives in the BSAI. Since the 

fishery is 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 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 October 1, 2014. 

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 § 679.91 

and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: October 6, 2014. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24160 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

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