Rule2025-05740
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of Alaska; Final 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish; 2025 Rockfish Program Cooperative Allocations
Primary source
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Published
April 3, 2025
Effective
April 1, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is providing notification of the Central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Rockfish Program cooperative allocations that are based on final total allowable catch (TAC) limits in the final rule published on March 18, 2025, implementing the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch (PSC) limits for the groundfish fishery of the GOA. These allocations are necessary to provide the Rockfish Program cooperative amounts for 2025, thus allowing commercial fishermen to maximize their economic opportunities in this fishery, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA (FMP).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 63 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 63 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14584-14586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05740]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 250312-0037; RTID 0648-XE818]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Final 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish; 2025
Rockfish Program Cooperative Allocations
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is providing notification of the Central Gulf of Alaska
(GOA) Rockfish Program cooperative allocations that are based on final
total allowable catch (TAC) limits in the final rule published on March
18, 2025, implementing the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications
and prohibited species catch (PSC) limits for the groundfish fishery of
the GOA. These allocations are necessary to provide the Rockfish
Program cooperative amounts for 2025, thus allowing commercial
fishermen to maximize their economic opportunities in this fishery,
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the GOA (FMP).
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 1, 2025,
through 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abby Jahn, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the FMP prepared and
recommended 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 part
600 and 50 CFR parts 679 and 680.
As described in the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for
groundfish of the GOA, allocations among vessels belonging to catcher
vessel (CV) cooperatives or catcher/processor (CP) cooperatives are not
included in the final harvest specifications (90 FR 12468, March 18,
2025). Rockfish Program applications for CV cooperatives and CP
cooperatives are not due to NMFS until March 1 of each calendar year;
therefore, NMFS cannot calculate 2025 and 2026 allocations in
conjunction with the final harvest specifications (Sec. 679.81(f)).
NMFS has received the 2025 Rockfish Program applications and has
calculated the 2025 allocations for CV cooperatives and CP cooperatives
as required by and consistent with Sec. 679.81(b), (c), (d), and (e).
NMFS is listing the 2025 allocations in table 1.
[[Page 14585]]
Table 1--2025 Rockfish Program Cooperative Allocations
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Entry level Group code Species group Metric tons
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Rockfish Program Entry Level.................. 401 Pacific Ocean Perch............. 5
Northern Rockfish............... 5
Dusky Rockfish.................. 50
Catcher/Processor Cooperatives:
Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Best Use 412 Pacific Ocean Perch............. 9,683.29
Cooperative.
Thornyhead Rockfish............. 156.35
Halibut PSC..................... 74.1
Sablefish....................... 342.014
Northern Rockfish............... 1,352.58
Rougheye/Blackspotted Rockfish.. 211.343
Shortraker Rockfish............. 75.6
Dusky Rockfish.................. 2,081.69
Catcher Vessel Cooperatives:
Silver Bay Seafoods Rockfish Cooperative.. 407 Pacific Cod..................... 145.774
Pacific Ocean Perch............. 3,978.24
Thornyhead Rockfish............. 11.507
Halibut PSC..................... 29.182
Sablefish....................... 164.359
Northern Rockfish............... 474.254
Dusky Rockfish.................. 754.885
North Pacific Rockfish Cooperative........ 408 Pacific Cod..................... 94.536
Pacific Ocean Perch............. 2,527.06
Thornyhead Rockfish............. 7.462
Halibut PSC..................... 18.925
Sablefish....................... 106.588
Northern Rockfish............... 291.378
Dusky Rockfish.................. 565.949
OBSI Rockfish Cooperative................. 409 Pacific Cod..................... 129.026
Pacific Ocean Perch............. 3,119.94
Thornyhead Rockfish............. 10.185
Halibut PSC..................... 25.829
Sablefish....................... 145.476
Northern Rockfish............... 467.725
Dusky Rockfish.................. 834.738
Star of Kodiak Rockfish Cooperative....... 411 Pacific Cod..................... 216.602
Pacific Ocean Perch............. 5,395.46
Thornyhead Rockfish............. 17.099
Halibut PSC..................... 43.361
Sablefish....................... 244.218
Northern Rockfish............... 789.062
Dusky Rockfish.................. 1,280.74
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Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. Through previous actions, the FMP and regulations are
designed to authorize NMFS to take this action pursuant to section
305(d). See 50 CFR part 679. This action is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, 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 unnecessary and contrary to the
public interest. This notification provides information on the 2025
Rockfish Program cooperative allocations, and does not change operating
practices in the fisheries. This notification is consistent with the
harvest specifications recommended by the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council in December 2024 and implemented by NMFS in the
final rule for the 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications (90 FR 12468,
March 18, 2025). Those harvest specifications specify the final TAC
limits from which NMFS calculates the Rockfish Program cooperative
allocations based on existing regulations, which were implemented
through prior notice and comment rulemaking (Sec. 679.81(b), (c), (d),
and (e)). The public was provided with notice and opportunity to
comment on the TAC limits during the public comment period for the
proposed harvest specifications (89 FR 94680, November 29, 2024) and
has had notice of the final harvest specifications implementing the
final TAC limits (90 FR 12468, March 18, 2025). Because the public
already had a meaningful opportunity to comment on the TAC limits from
which these allocations are derived, further opportunity for public
comment is unnecessary and would not be meaningful.
[[Page 14586]]
This notification announces the Rockfish Program cooperative
allocations based on applications received after the publication of the
2025 and 2026 harvest specifications. If this notification is delayed
to allow for notice and comment it could also result in confusion for
participants in the Rockfish Program given that the final rule
implementing the 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications is effective and
the Rockfish Program fishery opens April 1, 2025. Therefore, the
Assistant Administrator finds good cause to waive the requirement to
provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment.
For the reasons above, the Assistant Administrator also finds good
cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effective
date and make this rule effective immediately upon publication.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 31, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-05740 Filed 4-1-25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 3, 2025.
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