62054 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 200 / Thursday, October 16, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 130925836–4174–02] 

RIN 0648–XD545 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch, 

Northern Rockfish, and Dusky 

Rockfish 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 

closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed 

fishing for Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and dusky rockfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of 

Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary 

to fully use the total allowable catch of 

Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, 

and dusky rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), October 15, 2014, through 

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014. 

Comments must be received at the 

following address no later than 4:30 

p.m., A.l.t., October 27, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document, identified by FDMS 

Docket Number NOAA–NMFS–2013– 

0147, 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-2013- 

0147], 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, etc.), 

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: 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. 

NMFS closed directed fishing for 

Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, 

and dusky rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA under 

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on July 1, 2014 (79 FR 

37960, July 3, 2014). 

As of September 30, 2014, NMFS has 

determined that approximately 2,300 

metric tons (mt) of Pacific ocean perch, 

1,250 mt of northern rockfish, and 295 

mt of dusky rockfish TAC remain 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 utilize the TAC 

of Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and dusky rockfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area of the GOA, 

NMFS is terminating the previous 

closure and is reopening directed 

fishing for Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and dusky rockfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area of the GOA, 

effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., October 15, 

2014. 

The Administrator, Alaska Region 

(Regional Administrator) considered the 

following factors in reaching this 

decision: (1) The current catch of Pacific 

ocean perch, northern rockfish, and 

dusky rockfish 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 

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 ocean perch, northern rockfish, 

and dusky rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. 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 and processors. NMFS was unable 

to publish a document providing time 

for public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of October 8, 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. 

Without this inseason adjustment, 

NMFS could not allow these rockfish 

fisheries 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 

October 27, 2014. 

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: October 10, 2014. 

James P. Burgess, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–24622 Filed 10–10–14; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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