2020-05446. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Sablefish Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program
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Start Preamble
AGENCY:
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION:
Temporary rule; opening.
SUMMARY:
NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 14, 2020, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 15, 2020. This period is the same as the 2020 commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season is specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures.
DATES:
Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, 2020, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 15, 2020.
Start Further InfoFOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.
End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental InformationSUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut and sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in 50 CFR 679.2 has been managed under the IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a regulatory regime designed to promote the conservation and management of these fisheries and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. Persons holding quota share receive an annual allocation of IFQ. Persons receiving an annual allocation of IFQ are authorized to harvest IFQ species within specified limitations. Further information on the implementation of the IFQ Program, and the rationale supporting it, are contained in the preamble to the final rule implementing the IFQ Program published in the Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 FR 59375) and subsequent amendments.
This announcement is consistent with § 679.23(g)(1), which requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under the IFQ Program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the halibut season, adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The directed fishing season for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ Program will open 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, 2020, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 15, 2020. This period runs concurrently with the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced by the IPHC. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season will be specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
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 opening of the sablefish Start Printed Page 15077fishery thereby increasing bycatch and regulatory discards between the sablefish fishery and the halibut fishery, and preventing the accomplishment of the management objective for simultaneous opening of these two fisheries. NMFS was unable to publish a notification providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of March 11, 2020.
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 § 679.23 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Start SignatureDated: March 12, 2020.
Karyl K. Brewster-Geisz,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-05446 Filed 3-12-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
Document Information
- Effective Date:
- 3/14/2020
- Published:
- 03/17/2020
- Department:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Entry Type:
- Rule
- Action:
- Temporary rule; opening.
- Document Number:
- 2020-05446
- Dates:
- Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, 2020, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 15, 2020.
- Pages:
- 15076-15077 (2 pages)
- Docket Numbers:
- Docket No. 200227-0066 and 200221-0062, RTID 0648-XY076
- PDF File:
- 2020-05446.pdf
- Supporting Documents:
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: Reallocation of Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Reallocation
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: St. Matthew Blue King Crab Rebuilding Plan in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska: Exchange of Flatfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska: Pacific Ocean Perch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: Exchange of Flatfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: Exchange of Flatfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: Pacific Cod by Pot Catcher/Processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska: Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Feet (18.3 Meters) Length Overall Using Hook-and-Line or Pot Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska: Blackspotted and Rougheye Rockfish in the Central Aleutian Islands and Western Aleutian Islands Districts of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- » Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska: Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
- CFR: (1)
- 50 CFR 679