48204 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 199 / Tuesday, October 17, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 

digit telephone numbers to hearing 

individuals for the limited purpose of 

making point-to-pint video calls, and (2) 

gives VRS providers the option to 

participate in an at-home call handling 

pilot program, subject to certain 

limitations, as well as recordkeeping 

and reporting requirements. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene H. Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22468 Filed 10–16–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 160920866–7167–02] 

RIN 0648–XF756 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish 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 sablefish by vessels using trawl gear 

and not participating in the cooperative 

fishery of the Rockfish Program in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of 

Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary 

because the 2017 total allowable catch 

of sablefish allocated to vessels using 

trawl gear and not participating in the 

cooperative fishery of the Rockfish 

Program in the Central Regulatory Area 

of the GOA has been reached. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (ALT), October 12, 2017, 

through 2400 hours, ALT, 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 sablefish by vessels using trawl gear 

and not participating in the cooperative 

fishery of the Rockfish Program in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 

439 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 

sablefish by vessels using trawl gear and 

not participating in the cooperative 

fishery of the Rockfish Program in the 

Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has 

been reached. Therefore, NMFS is 

requiring that sablefish by vessels using 

trawl gear and not participating in the 

cooperative fishery of the Rockfish 

Program 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 Regulatory Area 

of the 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 

interest as it would prevent NMFS from 

responding to the most recent fisheries 

data in a timely fashion and would 

delay prohibiting the retention of 

sablefish by vessels using trawl gear and 

not participating in the cooperative 

fishery of the Rockfish Program 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 October 6, 

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: October 12, 2017. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22454 Filed 10–12–17; 4:15 pm] 

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