[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 192 (Thursday, October 5, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46422-46424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21466]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 161020985-7181-02]
RIN 0648-XF733


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Exchange of 
Flatfish 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; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is exchanging unused flathead sole and rock sole 
Community Development Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin

[[Page 46423]]

sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves in the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow 
the 2017 total allowable catch of yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands management area to be harvested.

DATES: Effective October 5, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) 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 2017 flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves 
specified in the BSAI are 1,552 metric tons (mt), 5,740 mt, and 15,778 
mt as established by the final 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 11826, February 27, 2017) and revised by 
flatfish exchange (82 FR 24253, May 26, 2017). The 2017 flathead sole, 
rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves are 5,754 mt, 10,856 mt 
and 12,128 mt as established by the final 2017 and 2018 harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 11826, February 27, 
2017) and revised by flatfish exchange (82 FR 24253, May 26, 2017).
    The Coastal Villages Region Fund has requested that NMFS exchange 
89 mt of flathead sole sole CDQ reserves and 250 mt of rock sole CDQ 
reserves for 339 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec.  
679.31(d). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS 
exchanges 89 mt of flathead sole CDQ reserves and 250 mt of rock sole 
CDQ reserves for 339 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves in the BSAI. 
This action also decreases and increases the TACs and CDQ ABC reserves 
by the corresponding amounts. Tables 11 and 13 of the final 2017 and 
2018 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 11826, 
February 27, 2017), and revised by flatfish exchange (82 FR 24253, May 
26, 2017), are further revised as follows:

 Table 11--Final 2017 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands
                                     Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                                        Pacific ocean perch                Flathead sole     Rock sole    Yellowfin sole
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Sector                               Eastern         Central         Western
                                                             Aleutian        Aleutian        Aleutian          BSAI            BSAI            BSAI
                                                             District        District        District
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TAC.....................................................           7,900           7,000           9,000          14,411          47,550         153,639
CDQ.....................................................             845             749             963           1,463           5,490          16,117
ICA.....................................................             100              60              10           4,000           5,000           4,500
BSAI trawl limited access...............................             695             619             161               0               0          18,151
Amendment 80............................................           6,259           5,572           7,866           8,949          37,060         114,871
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...........................           3,319           2,954           4,171             918           9,168          45,638
Alaska Seafood Cooperative..............................           2,940           2,617           3,695           8,031          27,893          69,233
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


 Table 13--Final 2017 and 2018 ABC Surplus, Community Development Quota (CDQ) Abc Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC Reserves in the BSAI For Flathead Sole,
                                                              Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                          2017  Flathead    2017  Rock         2017       2018  Flathead    2018  Rock         2018
                         Sector                                sole            sole       Yellowfin sole       sole            sole       Yellowfin sole
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ABC.....................................................          68,278         155,100         260,800          66,164         143,100         250,800
TAC.....................................................          14,411          47,550         153,639          14,500          47,100         154,000
ABC surplus.............................................          53,867         107,550         107,161          51,664          96,000          96,800
ABC reserve.............................................          53,867         107,550         107,161          51,664          96,000          96,800
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           5,843          11,106          11,789           5,528          10,272          10,358
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          48,024          96,444          95,372          46,136          85,728          86,442
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2017 \1\..............           4,926          23,857          37,891             n/a             n/a             n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2017 \1\.................          43,098          72,587          57,481             n/a             n/a             n/a
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\1\ The 2018 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
  eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2017.

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 flatfish exchange by the Coastal Villages Regional Fund 
in the BSAI. Since these fisheries are currently open, it is important 
to immediately inform the industry as to the revised

[[Page 46424]]

allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the 
orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery, to allow the 
industry to plan for the fishing season, and to avoid potential 
disruption to the fishing fleet as well as processors. NMFS was unable 
to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most 
recent, relevant data only became available as of September 28, 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 Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.


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

    Dated: October 2, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-21466 Filed 10-2-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P