Rule2024-23249
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
Primary source
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Published
October 8, 2024
Effective
October 7, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of the 2024 Atka mackerel incidental catch allowance (ICA) for the Bering Sea subarea and Eastern Aleutian district (BS/EAI) to the Amendment 80 cooperative allocation for the BS/EAI in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the 2024 total allowable catch of Atka mackerel in the BSAI to be fully harvested.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 81394-81395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23249]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 24034-0068; RTID 0648-XE347]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Atka Mackerel 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 reallocating the projected unused amount of the 2024
Atka mackerel incidental catch allowance (ICA) for the Bering Sea
subarea and Eastern Aleutian district (BS/EAI) to the Amendment 80
cooperative allocation for the BS/EAI in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the
2024 total allowable catch of Atka mackerel in the BSAI to be fully
harvested.
DATES: Effective October 7, 2024 through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December
31, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
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 (Magnuson-
Stevens Act). Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in
accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR parts 600 and
679.
The 2024 Atka mackerel ICA for the BS/EAI is 800 metric tons (mt)
and the 2024 Atka mackerel total allowable catch allocated to the
Amendment 80 cooperative for the BS/EAI is 25,081 mt as established by
the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024).
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that 700 mt
of the Atka mackerel ICA for the BS/EAI will not be harvested.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.91(f), NMFS reallocates 700 mt
of Atka mackerel from the BS/EAI ICA to the BS/EAI Amendment 80
cooperative allocation in the BSAI. In accordance with Sec. 679.91(f),
NMFS will reissue the cooperative quota permit for the reallocated Atka
mackerel following the procedures set forth in Sec. 679.91(f)(3).
The harvest specifications for Atka mackerel included in the
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (89 FR 17287, March
11, 2024) are revised as follows: 100 mt of Atka mackerel for the BS/
EAI ICA and 25,781 mt of Atka mackerel for the Amendment 80 cooperative
allocation for the BS/EAI. Table 7 is revised and republished in its
entirety as follows:
Table 7--Final 2024 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and
Amendment 80 Allocations of the BSAI Atka Mackerel TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
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2024 Allocation by area
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Sector \1\ Season 2 3 4 Eastern Aleutian
District/Bering Central Aleutian Western Aleutian
Sea District \5\ District
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TAC............................. n/a............... 32,260 16,754 23,973
CDQ reserve..................... Total............. 3,452 1,793 2,565
A................. 1,726 896 1,283
Critical Habitat.. n/a 538 770
B................. 1,726 896 1,283
Critical Habitat.. n/a 538 770
Non-CDQ TAC..................... n/a............... 28,808 14,961 21,408
ICA............................. Total............. 100 75 20
Jig \6\......................... Total............. 140 .................. ..................
BSAI trawl limited access....... Total............. 2,787 1,489 ..................
A................. 1,393 744 ..................
Critical Habitat.. n/a 447 ..................
B................. 1,393 744 ..................
Critical Habitat.. n/a 447 ..................
Amendment 80 sector............. Total............. 25,781 13,398 21,388
A................. 12,891 6,699 10,694
Critical Habitat.. n/a 4,019 6,416
B................. 12,891 6,699 10,694
Critical Habitat.. n/a 4,019 6,416
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Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
\1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel total allowable catches (TACs), after subtracting the
community development quota (CDQ) reserves, ICAs, and jig gear allocation, to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl
limited access sectors. The allocation of the Initial total allowable catch (ITAC) for Atka mackerel to the
Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in table 33 to 50 CFR part 679 and Sec.
679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C)).
\2\ Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel
fishery.
\3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel for the CDQ reserve, BSAI trawl limited access sector, and
Amendment 80 sector are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from
January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31.
[[Page 81395]]
\5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to
be caught inside of Steller sea lion protection areas; section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(ii) equally divides the
annual harvest limits between the A and B seasons as defined at Sec. 679.23(e)(3); and section
679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(2) requires that the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of Acceptable
Biological Catch (ABC) in Area 543.
\6\ Sections 679.2 and 679.20(a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian Islands District and
the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. NMFS sets
the amount of this allocation for 2024 at 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
This will enhance the socioeconomic well-being of harvesters
dependent upon Atka mackerel in this area. The Regional Administrator
considered the following factors in reaching this decision: (1) the
current catch of Atka mackerel ICA in the BS/EAI, and (2) the harvest
capacity and stated intent on future harvesting patterns of the
Amendment 80 cooperative that participates in this BS/EAI fishery.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679, which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment would be 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 harvest of Atka mackerel
in the BS/EAI fishery. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing
time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only
became available as of September 25, 2024.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA 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.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 3, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-23249 Filed 10-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 8, 2024.
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