Rule2025-06761
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Shortraker Rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
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
April 18, 2025
Effective
April 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is prohibiting retention of shortraker rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) except by catcher/ processors checked-in to the Central GOA Rockfish Program who are fishing with a rockfish cooperative quota permit. This action is necessary because the 2025 total allowable catch of shortraker rockfish for vessels other than these catcher/processors has been reached.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 74 (Friday, April 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 74 (Friday, April 18, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 16468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06761]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 250312-0037; RTID 0648-XE857]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Shortraker
Rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of shortraker rockfish in the
Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) except by catcher/
processors checked-in to the Central GOA Rockfish Program who are
fishing with a rockfish cooperative quota permit. This action is
necessary because the 2025 total allowable catch of shortraker rockfish
for vessels other than these catcher/processors has been reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 15,
2025, through 2400 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 Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the GOA (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 part 679.
The 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of shortraker rockfish in the
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA for vessels other than catcher/
processors checked-in to the Central GOA Rockfish Program who are
fishing with a rockfish cooperative quota permit is 113 metric tons as
established by the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for
groundfish of the GOA (90 FR 12468, March 18, 2025).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the Regional Administrator
has determined that the 2025 TAC of shortraker rockfish for vessels
other than catcher/processors checked-in to the Central GOA Rockfish
Program who are fishing with a rockfish cooperative quota permit will
soon be or has been reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring that
shortraker rockfish for vessels in the Central Regulatory Area of the
GOA be treated as prohibited species in accordance with Sec.
679.21(a)(2) for the remainder of the year, except for shortraker
rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA caught by catcher
vessels using hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear as described in Sec.
679.20(j), or catcher vessels using trawl gear participating in the
electronic monitoring program as described in Sec. 679.21(a)(2). This
action does not apply to catcher/processors checked in to the Central
GOA Rockfish Program who are fishing with a rockfish cooperative quota
permit.
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 prohibiting the retention of
shortraker rockfish for vessels other than catcher/processors checked-
in to the Rockfish Program who are fishing with a rockfish cooperative
quota permit. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most recent, relevant data on shortraker
rockfish catch only became available as of April 14, 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: April 15, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-06761 Filed 4-15-25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 18, 2025.
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