Rule2025-05499
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 31, 2025
Effective
March 28, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut Corporation and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed fishing allowances (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide the opportunity for the harvest of the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI).
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 60 (Monday, March 31, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 60 (Monday, March 31, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14211-14212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05499]
[[Page 14211]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 250312-0036]
RTID 0648-XE802
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut
Corporation and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed
fishing allowances (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the
Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide the opportunity
for the harvest of the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock,
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
(BSAI).
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 28,
2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
(FMP) prepared and recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (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 part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2025 pollock
TAC allocated to the Aleut Corporation and CDQ DFA is 14,100 metric
tons (mt) and 1,900 mt, respectively, as established by the final 2025
and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (90 FR
12640, March 18, 2025).
As of March 18, 2025, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator) has determined that 12,100 mt of the Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA in the Aleutian
Islands subarea will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with
Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates 12,100 mt of the Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea allocations. The 1,900 mt of
pollock CDQ DFA is added to the 2025 Bering Sea CDQ DFA. The 12,100 mt
of pollock Aleut Corporation's DFA is apportioned to the American
Fisheries Act (AFA) inshore sector (50 percent), AFA catcher/processor
(CP) sector (40 percent), and the AFA mothership sector (10 percent).
The 2025 Bering Sea subarea pollock incidental catch allowance remains
at 46,000 mt. As a result, the 2025 harvest specifications for pollock
in the Aleutian Islands subarea included in the final 2025 and 2026
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (90 FR 12640, March
18, 2025) is revised as follows: 0 mt to CDQ DFA and 2,000 mt to the
Aleut Corporation's DFA. Furthermore, pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5),
table 4 is revised to make 2025 pollock allocations consistent with
this reallocation. This reallocation results in an adjustment to the
2025 CDQ pollock allocations that are specified consistent with and as
required by Sec. 679.20(a)(5).
Table 4--Final 2025 Allocations of Pollock TACs to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed
Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2025 A season \1\ 2025 B season \1\
2025 --------------------------------------------------
Area and sector Allocations SCA harvest
A season DFA limit \2\ B season DFA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\..................... 1,389,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA........................................ 139,400 62,730 39,032 76,670
ICA \1\........................................ 46,000 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA................... 1,203,600 541,620 337,008 661,980
AFA Inshore.................................... 601,800 270,810 168,504 330,990
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\..................... 481,440 216,648 134,803 264,792
Catch by CPs............................... 440,518 198,233 n/a 242,285
Catch by CVs \3\........................... 40,922 18,415 n/a 22,507
Unlisted CP Limit \4\...................... 2,407 1,083 n/a 1,324
AFA Motherships................................ 120,360 54,162 33,701 66,198
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\................. 210,630 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\................. 361,080 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC................... 46,051 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\............... 5,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA........................................ ............ .............. n/a .................
ICA............................................ 3,000 1,500 n/a 1,500
Aleut Corporation.............................. 2,000 2,000 n/a .................
Area harvest limit \7\......................... n/a n/a n/a n/a
541........................................ 13,815 n/a n/a n/a
542........................................ 6,908 n/a n/a n/a
543........................................ 2,303 n/a n/a n/a
Bogoslof District ICA \8\...................... 250 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
[[Page 14212]]
\1\Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the
CDQ DFA for the Bering Sea subarea (10 percent) and second for the ICA (46,000 mt), is allocated as a DFA as
follows: inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor sector (CP)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10
percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, 45 percent of the DFA and CDQ DFA are allocated to the A season (January
20-June 10) and 55 percent of the DFA and CDQ DFA are allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). When the
Aleutian Islands (AI) pollock ABC equals or exceeds 19,000 mt, the annual TAC is equal to 19,000 mt (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(1)). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2), the AI subarea pollock TAC, after
subtracting first for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and second for the ICA (3,000 mt), is allocated to the Aleut
Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated no more than 40
percent of the AI pollock ABC. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), the AI subarea CDQ DFA of 1,900 mt
has been reallocated to the Bering Sea subarea CDQ DFA and 12,100 mt of the Aleut Corporation's DFA has been
reallocated to the Bering Sea subarea (as the total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA) for apportionment to the inshore,
CP, and mothership sectors. Table 4 has been updated to reflect the AI subarea reallocation to the Bering Sea
subarea and the resulting seasonal and sector apportionments.
\2\ In the Bering Sea subarea, pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C), no more than 28 percent of each sector's
annual DFA may be taken from the Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA) before noon, April 1. The SCA is defined at
Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii).
\3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), 8.5 percent of the allocation to listed CPs shall be available for
harvest only by eligible catcher vessels with a CP endorsement delivering to listed CPs, unless there is a CP
sector cooperative contract for the year.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted CPs are limited to harvesting not more than
0.5 percent of the CP sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\7\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in
Area 541 of no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 of no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 of no more than 5
percent of the AI pollock ABC.
\8\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(i)(B), the Bogoslof District is closed to directed fishing for pollock. The
amounts specified are for incidental catch only and are not apportioned by season or sector (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(ii)).
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) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 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 reallocation of
unharvested Aleutian Islands pollock to the Bering Sea subarea for
harvest by the inshore, CP, and mothership sectors as well as the CDQ
sector. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public
comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as
of March 18, 2025.
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 and opportunity for public
comment.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 26, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-05499 Filed 3-28-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 31, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.