Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 201 / Thursday, October 19, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 48667 

from April 1 through October 15; is 

prohibited seaward of a boundary line 

approximating the 40 fm (73 m) depth 

contour along the mainland coast and 

along islands and offshore seamounts 

from October 16 through December 

31and is closed entirely from January 1 

through March 31 (i.e., prohibited 

seaward of the shoreline). Coordinates 

for the boundary line approximating the 

40 fm (73 m) depth contour are 

specified at § 660.71 and the 50 fm (91 

m) depth contour are specified in 

§ 660.72. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2017–22695 Filed 10–18–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–C 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 160920866–7167–02] 

RIN 0648–XF761 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone off Alaska; Shortraker Rockfish 

in the Western 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 shortraker rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 

(GOA). This action is necessary because 

the 2017 total allowable catch of 

shortraker rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA has been 

reached. 

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), October 16, 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 shortraker rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA is 38 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 

shortraker rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA has been 

reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring 

that shortraker rockfish in the Western 

Regulatory Area of the GOA be treated 

as prohibited species in accordance 

with § 679.21(b). 

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 

shortraker rockfish in the Western 

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 10, 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 16, 2017. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–22704 Filed 10–16–17; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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