67376 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

of the letter of authorization must be 

complied with for the rest of the fishing 

year, beginning with the start of the 

participation period of the letter of 

authorization. A vessel fishing under 

charter/party regulations may not fish in 

the GOM Cod Spawning Protection Area 

specified at § 648.81(n)(1) or the GOM 

Seasonal Interim Closure Areas at 

§ 648.81(o)(1)(i) through (x) during the 

time periods specified in that paragraph, 

unless the vessel complies with the 

requirements specified at 

§ 648.81(n)(2)(iii). 

(5) Nantucket Lightship Closed Area. 

A vessel fishing under the charter/party 

regulations may not fish in the 

Nantucket Lightship Closed Area 

specified in § 648.81(c)(1) unless the 

vessel has on board a letter of 

authorization issued by the Regional 

Administrator pursuant to paragraph 

(e)(6) of this section. 

(6) Letters of authorization. To obtain 

either of the letters of authorization 

specified in paragraphs (e)(4) and (5) of 

this section, a vessel owner must 

request a letter from the Greater Atlantic 

Regional Fisheries Office of NMFS, 

either in writing or by phone (see Table 

1 to 50 CFR 600.502). As a condition of 

these letters of authorization, the vessel 

owner must agree to the following: 

(i) The letter of authorization must be 

carried on board the vessel during the 

period of participation; 

(ii) Fish species managed by the 

NEFMC or MAFMC that are harvested 

or possessed by the vessel, are not sold 

or intended for trade, barter or sale, 

regardless of where the fish are caught; 

(iii) The vessel has no gear other than 

rod and reel or handline gear on board; 

and 

(iv) For the GOM charter/party closed 

area exemption only, the vessel may not 

fish on a sector trip, under a NE 

multispecies DAS, or under the 

provisions of the NE multispecies Small 

Vessel Category or Handgear A or 

Handgear B permit categories, as 

specified at § 648.82, during the period 

of participation. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2014–26844 Filed 11–10–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 130925836–4174–02] 

RIN 0648–XD610 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by 

Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

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 cod by vessels using 

pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area 

of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action 

is necessary to prevent exceeding the 

2014 Pacific cod total allowable catch 

(TAC) apportioned to vessels using pot 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the GOA. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), November 10, 2014, 

through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 

2014. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Obren Davis, 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. 

Regulations governing sideboard 

protections for GOA groundfish 

fisheries appear at subpart B of 50 CFR 

part 680. 

The 2014 Pacific cod TAC 

apportioned to vessels using pot gear in 

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA 

is 11,352 metric tons (mt), as established 

by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(79 FR 12890, March 6, 2014) and one 

reallocation (79 FR 64334, October 29, 

2014). 

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

the Administrator, Alaska Region, 

NMFS (Regional Administrator) has 

determined that the 2014 Pacific cod 

TAC apportioned to vessels using pot 

gear in the Central Regulatory Area of 

the GOA will soon be reached. 

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 

establishing a directed fishing 

allowance of 11,832 mt and is setting 

aside the remaining 10 mt as bycatch to 

support other anticipated groundfish 

fisheries. 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 cod by 

vessels using pot gear in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the GOA. After the 

effective date 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 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 directed fishing closure of 

Pacific cod for vessels using pot gear in 

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. 

NMFS was unable to publish a notice 

providing time for public comment 

because the most recent, relevant data 

only became available as of November 6, 

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 7, 2014. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26865 Filed 11–7–14; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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