67102 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 218 / Wednesday, November 12, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02] 

RIN 0648–XD612 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch 

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; closure. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed 

fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the 

Eastern Aleutian district (EAI) of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

management area (BSAI) by vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access fishery. This action is necessary 

to prevent exceeding the 2014 total 

allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean 

perch in the EAI allocated to vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access fishery. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local 

time (A.l.t.), November 6, 2014, through 

2400 hrs, 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 exclusive economic zone 

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 TAC of Pacific ocean perch, 

in the EAI, allocated to vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access fishery was established as a 

directed fishing allowance of 806 metric 

tons by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

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

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), 

the Regional Administrator finds that 

this directed fishing allowance has been 

reached. Consequently, NMFS is 

prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific 

ocean perch in the EAI by vessels 

participating in the BSAI trawl limited 

access fishery. 

After the effective dates of this 

closure, the maximum retainable 

amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at 

any time during a trip. 

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 a 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 the Pacific ocean 

perch directed fishery in the EAI for 

vessels participating in the BSAI trawl 

limited access fishery. NMFS was 

unable to publish a notice providing 

time for public comment because the 

most recent, relevant data only became 

available as of November 4, 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 is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: November 6, 2014. 

James P. Burgess, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26743 Filed 11–6–14; 4:15 pm] 

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