Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/11/20/2013-27779/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-reallocation-of-halibut-and-crab-prohibited
Timestamp: 2018-03-23 07:53:10
Document Index: 18308561

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679', '§\u2009679']

Federal Register :: Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Halibut and Crab Prohibited Species Catch Allowances in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
78 FR 69591
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-27779 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-27779
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that 140 metric tons of halibut PSC, 20,000 crabs of Zone 1 red king crab PSC, 300,000 crabs of Zone 1 C. bairdi tanner crab PSC, 900,000 crabs of Zone 2 C. bairdi tanner crab PSC, and 2,400,000 crabs of C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone (COBLZ) C. opilio tanner crab PSC from the BSAI trawl limited access sector will not be needed to support BSAI trawl limited access fisheries. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.91(f)(4) and (5), NMFS is reallocating these halibut and crab PSC amounts from the BSAI trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperatives in the BSAI.
In accordance with § 679.91(f)(1), NMFS will reissue cooperative quota permits for the reallocated halibut and crab PSC following the procedures set forth in § 679.91(f)(4) and § 679.91(f)(5).
In accordance with § 679.91(f)(4)(i), NMFS will reallocate 95 percent of the halibut PSC reallocated from the BSAI trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperatives, which is 133 metric tons.
In accordance with the formula set forth in § 679.91(f)(5), NMFS will reallocate 3,620,000 crab PSC from the BSAI trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperatives.
The 2013 harvest specifications for halibut and crab PSC allowances included in the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications for crab in the BSAI (78 FR 13813, March 1, 2013) are revised as follows in Tables 10, 12, and 14:
Table 10—Final 2013 Apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Allowances to Non-Trawl Gear, the CDQ Program, Amendment 80, and the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sectors
Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI 900 832 3,675 3,349 393 2,458 735
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 n/a n/a 97,000 86,621 10,379 63,293 6,489
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ n/a n/a 10,501,333 9,377,690 1,123,643 7,009,135 613,990
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1 n/a n/a 980,000 875,140 104,860 668,521 111,228
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2 n/a n/a 2,970,000 2,652,210 317,790 1,527,778 341,500
Yellowfin sole 167 3,338 440,175 46,228 285,500
Start Printed Page 69592
Rockfish April 15—December 31 5 0 4,828 0 1,000
Pacific cod 333 2,954 120,705 60,000 50,000
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 4 230 197 48,282 5,000 5,000
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC 735 6,489 613,990 111,228 341,500
Alaska Seafood Cooperative 1,701 43,105 4,525,272 470,617 1,054,123
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative 757 20,188 2,483,863 197,904 473,655
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 reallocation of crab PSC allowances from the BSAI trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperatives in the BSAI. Since the fisheries are currently open, it is important to immediately inform the industry as to the revised allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and efficient operation of these fisheries, 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 November 12, 2013.