41568 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 

reflect the underharvest of pollock in 

those areas during the B season. In 

addition, any underharvest remaining 

beyond 20 percent of the originally 

specified seasonal apportionment in a 

particular area may be further 

apportioned to other statistical areas. 

Therefore, NMFS also is increasing the 

C season apportionment of pollock to 

Statistical Areas 610 and 630 based on 

the underharvest of pollock in 

Statistical Areas 620 of the GOA. These 

adjustments are described below. 

The C seasonal apportionment of the 

2017 pollock TAC in Statistical Area 

610 of the GOA is 19,569 metric tons 

(mt) as established by the final 2017 and 

2018 harvest specifications for 

groundfish of the GOA (82 FR 12032; 

February 27, 2017). In accordance with 

§ 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), the Administrator, 

Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional 

Administrator), hereby increases the C 

season apportionment for Statistical 

Area 610 by 3,914 mt to account for the 

underharvest of the TAC in Statistical 

Areas 610 and 620 in the B season. This 

increase is in proportion to the 

estimated pollock biomass and is not 

greater than 20 percent of the C seasonal 

apportionment of the TAC in Statistical 

Area 610. Therefore, the revised C 

seasonal apportionment of the pollock 

TAC in Statistical Area 610 is 23,483 mt 

(19,569 mt plus 3,914 mt). 

The C seasonal apportionment of the 

pollock TAC in Statistical Area 620 of 

the GOA is 12,341 mt as established by 

the final 2017 and 2018 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017). In 

accordance with § 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), 

the Regional Administrator hereby 

increases the C seasonal apportionment 

for Statistical Area 620 by 2,468 mt to 

account for the underharvest of the TAC 

in Statistical Areas 620 in the B season. 

This increase is not greater than 20 

percent of the C seasonal apportionment 

of the TAC in Statistical Area 620. 

Therefore, the revised C seasonal 

apportionment of the pollock TAC in 

Statistical Area 620 is 14,809 mt (12,341 

mt plus 2,468 mt). 

The C seasonal apportionment of 

pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 of 

the GOA is 15,886 mt as established by 

the final 2017 and 2018 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017). In 

accordance with § 679.20(a)(5)(iv)(B), 

the Regional Administrator hereby 

increases the C seasonal apportionment 

for Statistical Area 630 by 3,177 mt to 

account for the underharvest of the TAC 

in Statistical Areas 620 and 630 in the 

B season. This increase is in proportion 

to the estimated pollock biomass and is 

not greater than 20 percent of the C 

seasonal apportionment of the TAC in 

Statistical Area 630. Therefore, the 

revised C seasonal apportionment of 

pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 is 

19,063 mt (15,886 mt plus 3,177 mt). 

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 

provide opportunity to harvest 

increased pollock seasonal 

apportionments. NMFS was unable to 

publish a notice providing time for 

public comment because the most 

recent, relevant data only became 

available as of August 25, 2017. 

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: August 29, 2017. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–18575 Filed 8–29–17; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 160920866–7167–02] 

RIN 0648–XF671 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch 

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 retention 

of the incidental catch allowance for 

Pacific ocean perch in the Central 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary because 

the 2017 total allowable catch of Pacific 

ocean perch apportioned to the 

incidental catch allowance in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has 

been reached. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), August 29, 2017, 

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

2017. 

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. 

The 2017 total allowable catch (TAC) 

of Pacific ocean perch apportioned to 

the incidental catch allowance in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 

2,000 metric tons (mt) as established by 

the final 2017 and 2018 harvest 

specifications for groundfish of the GOA 

(82 FR 12032, February 27, 2017). 

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

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 

(Regional Administrator), has 

determined that the 2017 TAC of Pacific 

ocean perch apportioned to the 

incidental catch allowance in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has 

been reached. Therefore, NMFS is 

requiring that catches of the incidental 

catch allowance for Pacific ocean perch 

in the Central Regulatory Area of the 

GOA be treated as prohibited species in 

accordance with § 679.21(b). This 

closure does not apply to fishing by 

vessels participating in the cooperative 

fishery of the Rockfish Program for the 

Central GOA. 

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 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 41569 

interest as it would prevent NMFS from 

responding to the most recent fisheries 

data in a timely fashion and would 

delay prohibiting retention of the 

incidental catch allowance for Pacific 

ocean perch 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 August 22, 2017. 

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: August 29, 2017. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–18607 Filed 8–29–17; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES