192 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2015 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC—Continued 

[Amounts are in metric tons] 

Gear sector Percent 

2015 share of 

gear sector 

total 

2015 share of 

sector total 

2015 seasonal apportionment 

Seasons Amount 

Apr 1–Jun 10 .................... 5,415 

Jun 10–Nov 1 ................... 7,384 

AFA trawl catcher/processor ............................ 2.3 5,123 n/a Jan 20–Apr 1 .................... 3,842 

Apr 1–Jun 10 .................... 1,281 

Jun 10–Nov 1 ................... 0 

Amendment 80 ................................................. 13.4 29,846 n/a Jan 20–Apr 1 .................... 22,385 

Apr 1–Jun 10 .................... 7,462 

Jun 10–Nov 1 ................... 0 

Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ........................ n/a n/a 4,711 Jan 20–Apr 1 .................... 3,533 

Apr 1–Jun 10 .................... 1,178 

Jun 10–Dec 31 ................. 0 

Alaska Seafood Cooperative ............................ n/a n/a 25,135 Jan 20–Apr 1 .................... 18,851 

Apr 1–Jun 10 .................... 6,284 

Jun 10–Dec 31 ................. 0 

Jig ..................................................................... 1.4 3,118 n/a Jan 1–Apr 30 .................... 1,871 

Apr 30–Aug 31 ................. 624 

Aug 31–Dec 31 ................ 624 

1The gear shares and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after the subtraction of CDQ. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the AI or BS is reached, then directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea may be prohibited, even if a BSAI allowance remains. 2The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line 

and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2015 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries. 

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

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 

allow for harvests that exceed the 

appropriate allocations for pollock, Atka 

mackerel, and Pacific cod in the BSAI 

based on the best scientific information 

available. NMFS was unable to publish 

a notice providing time for public 

comment because the most recent, 

relevant data only became available as 

of December 26, 2014, and additional 

time for prior public comment would 

result in conservation concerns for the 

ESA-listed Steller sea lions. 

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. 

Under § 679.25(c)(2), interested 

persons are invited to submit written 

comments on this action to the above 

address until January 16, 2015. 

This action is required by § 679.20 

and § 679.25 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: December 30, 2014. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30819 Filed 12–30–14; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 130925836–4174–02] 

RIN 0648–XD688 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Inseason Adjustment 

to the 2015 Gulf of Alaska Pollock and 

Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch 

Amounts 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason 

adjustment; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2015 

total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for 

the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) pollock and 

Pacific cod fisheries. This action is 

necessary because NMFS has 

determined these TACs are incorrectly 

specified, and will ensure the GOA 

pollock and Pacific cod TACs are the 

appropriate amounts based on the best 

available scientific information for 

pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. 

This action is consistent with the goals 

and objectives of the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

Gulf of Alaska. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), January 1, 2015, until 

the effective date of the final 2015 and 

2016 harvest specifications for GOA 

groundfish, which will be published in 

the Federal Register. 

Comments must be received at the 

following address no later than 4:30 

p.m., A.l.t., January 16, 2015. 

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 

http://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: Address 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. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 193 

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), 

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: 

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 

(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 final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(79 FR 12890, March 6, 2014) set the 

2015 pollock TAC at 193,809 metric 

tons (mt) and the 2015 Pacific cod TAC 

at 61,519 mt in the GOA. In December 

2014, the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) 

recommended a 2015 pollock TAC of 

199,151 mt for the GOA, which is more 

than the 193,809 mt established by the 

final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

GOA. The Council also recommended a 

2015 Pacific cod TAC of 75,202 mt for 

the GOA, which is more than the 61,519 

mt established by the final 2014 and 

2015 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA. The Council’s 

recommended 2015 TACs, and the area 

and seasonal apportionments, are based 

on the Stock Assessment and Fishery 

Evaluation report (SAFE), dated 

November 2014, which NMFS has 

determined is the best available 

scientific information for these fisheries. 

Steller sea lions occur in the same 

location as the pollock and Pacific cod 

fisheries and are listed as endangered 

under the Endangered Species Act 

(ESA). Pollock and Pacific cod are a 

principal prey species for Steller sea 

lions in the GOA. The seasonal 

apportionment of pollock and Pacific 

cod harvest is necessary to ensure the 

groundfish fisheries are not likely to 

cause jeopardy of extinction or adverse 

modification of critical habitat for 

Steller sea lions. The regulations at 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv) specify how the 

pollock TAC will be apportioned. The 

regulations at § 679.20(a)(6)(ii) and 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(i) specify how the Pacific 

cod TAC will be apportioned. 

In accordance with § 679.25(a)(1)(iii), 

(a)(2)(i)(B), and (a)(2)(iv) the 

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 

(Regional Administrator), has 

determined that, based on the November 

2014 SAFE report for this fishery, the 

current GOA pollock and Pacific cod 

TACs are incorrectly specified. 

Consequently, pursuant to 

§ 679.25(a)(1)(iii), the Regional 

Administrator is adjusting the 2015 

GOA pollock TAC to 199,151 mt and the 

2015 GOA Pacific cod TAC to 75,202 

mt. Therefore, Table 2 of the final 2014 

and 2015 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (79 FR 12890, 

March 6, 2014) is revised consistent 

with this adjustment. 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iv), Table 4 

of the final 2014 and 2015 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the GOA 

(79 FR 12890, March 6, 2014) is revised 

for the 2015 TACs of pollock in the 

Central and Western Regulatory Area of 

the GOA. 

TABLE 4—FINAL 2015 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GOA; 

SEASONAL BIOMASS DISTRIBUTION, AREA APPORTIONMENTS; AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC 

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.01] 

Season 1 Shumagin (Area 610) Chirikof (Area 620) Kodiak (Area 630) Total 2

A (Jan 20–Mar 10) ....... 3,632 (7.99%) 30,503 (67.11%) 11,316 (24.90%) 45,452 

B (Mar 10–May 31) ...... 3,632 (7.99%) 37,820 (83.21%) 4,000 (8.80%) 45,452 

C (Aug 25–Oct 1) ......... 12,185 (26.81%) 14,628 (32.18%) 18,639 (41.01%) 45,452 

D (Oct 1–Nov 1) ........... 12,185 (26.81%) 14,628 (32.18%) 18,639 (41.01%) 45,452 

Annual Total .......... 31,364 ........................ 97,579 ........................ 52,594 ........................ 181,806 

1As established by § 679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 

to May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore components are not shown in this table. 2The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table. 

Note: Seasonal allowances may not total precisely to annual TAC total (due to rounding). 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(6)(ii) and 

§ 679.20(a)(12)(i), Table 6 of the final 

2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the GOA (79 FR 12890, 

March 6, 2014) is revised for the 2015 

seasonal apportionments and allocation 

of Pacific cod TAC in the GOA 

consistent with this adjustment. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES

194 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

TABLE 6—FINAL 2015 SEASONAL APPORTIONMENTS AND ALLOCATION OF PACIFIC COD TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH

AMOUNTS IN THE GOA; ALLOCATIONS FOR THE WESTERN GOA AND CENTRAL GOA SECTORS AND THE EASTERN

GOA INSHORE AND OFFSHORE PROCESSING COMPONENTS

[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages to the nearest 0.01. Seasonal allowances may not total precisely to annual 

allocation amount.] 

Regulatory area and sector Annual allocation 

(mt) 

A Season B Season 

Sector % of annual non-jig TAC Seasonal allowances (mt) Sector % of annual non-jig TAC Seasonal allowances (mt) 

Western GOA: 

Jig (2.5% of TAC) ........................... 677 N/A 406 N/A 271 

Hook-and-line CV ........................... 370 0.70 185 0.70 185 

Hook-and-line C/P .......................... 5,230 10.90 2,879 8.90 2,351 

Trawl CV ......................................... 10,143 27.70 7,317 10.70 2,826 

Trawl C/P ........................................ 634 0.90 238 1.50 396 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P .................. 10,037 19.80 5,230 18.20 4,807 

Total ......................................... 27,091 60.00 16,255 40.00 10,837 

Central GOA: 

Jig (2.0% of TAC) ........................... 920 N/A 552 N/A 368 

Hook-and-line <50 CV .................... 6,581 9.32 4,199 5.29 2,383 

Hook-and-line ≥50 CV .................... 3,023 5.61 2,528 1.10 495 

Hook-and-line C/P .......................... 2,301 4.11 1,851 1.00 450 

Trawl CV ......................................... 18,742 21.14 9,526 20.45 9,216 

Trawl C/P ........................................ 1,892 2.00 903 2.19 989 

All Pot CV and Pot C/P .................. 12,532 17.83 8,036 9.97 4,496 

Total ......................................... 45,990 60.00 27,594 40.00 18,396 

Eastern GOA ......................................... .............................. Inshore (90% of Annual TAC) Offshore (10% of Annual TAC) 

2,121 1,909 212 

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

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 

allow for harvests that exceed the 

appropriate allocations for Pacific cod 

based on the best scientific information 

available. NMFS was unable to publish 

a notice providing time for public 

comment because the most recent, 

relevant data only became available as 

of December 24, 2014, and additional 

time for prior public comment would 

result in conservation concerns for the 

ESA-listed Steller sea lions. 

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. 

Under § 679.25(c)(2), interested 

persons are invited to submit written 

comments on this action to the above 

address until January 16, 2015. 

This action is required by § 679.20 

and § 679.25 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866. 

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

Dated: December 29, 2014. 

James P. Burgess, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30835 Filed 12–30–14; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 140519437–4999–02] 

RIN 0648–BE24 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Establishing Transit 

Areas Through Walrus Protection 

Areas at Round Island and Cape 

Peirce, Northern Bristol Bay, Alaska; 

Amendment 107 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this final rule to 

implement Amendment 107 to the 

Fishery Management Plan for 

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands Management Area 

(BSAI FMP), as prepared and submitted 

by the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council), and 

approved by the Secretary of Commerce. 

This final rule allows vessels designated 

on Federal Fisheries Permits (FFPs) to 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES