Rule2025-11867
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Several Groundfish Species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
Primary source
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Published
June 27, 2025
Effective
June 26, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea (BS) Greenland turbot, BS "other rockfish," BS Pacific ocean perch, and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) "other flatfish." This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI management area.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 122 (Friday, June 27, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 122 (Friday, June 27, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27483-27484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11867]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[RTID 0648-XF002; Docket No. 250312-0036]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Several
Groundfish Species 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; apportionment of reserves; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the
initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea (BS) Greenland
turbot, BS ``other rockfish,'' BS Pacific ocean perch, and Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) ``other flatfish.'' This action is
necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended
to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for
the BSAI management area.
DATES: Effective June 26, 2025, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time,
December 31, 2025. Comments must be received at the following address
no later than 4:30 p.m., Alaska local time, July 11, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
docket number NOAA-NMFS-2024-0116, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via
the Federal e- Rulemaking Portal. Visit <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and
type NOAA-NMFS-2024-0116 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment''
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region
NMFS. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
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 BSAI Management Area (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 ITAC of BS Greenland turbot was established as 1,203
metric tons (mt), the 2025 ITAC of BS ``other rockfish'' was
established as 543 mt, the 2025 ITAC of BS Pacific ocean perch was
established as 8,603 mt, and the 2025 ITAC of BSAI ``other flatfish''
was established as 3,825 mt by the final 2025 and 2026 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the BSAI (90 FR 12640, March 18,
2025). In accordance with Sec. 679.20(a)(3) the Regional
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has reviewed the most current
available data and finds that the ITACs for BS Greenland turbot, BS
``other rockfish,'' BS Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI ``other flatfish''
need to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve to promote
efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources in the BSAI and
allow fishing operations to continue.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(b)(3), NMFS apportions
from the non-specified reserve of groundfish to ITACs in the BSAI
management area as follows: 61 mt to BS Greenland turbot, 96 mt to BS
``other rockfish,'' 1,518 mt to BS Pacific ocean perch, and 1,400 mt to
BSAI ``other flatfish.'' These apportionments are authorized by Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(i) and consistent with Sec. 679.20(a)(3) and do not
result in overfishing of any target species because the revised ITACs
and total allowable catches (TACs) are equal to or less than the
specifications of the acceptable biological catch in the final 2025 and
2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (90 FR 12640,
March 18, 2025).
The harvest specifications for the 2025 ITACs and TACs included in
the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI are revised as follows: 1,415 mt for BS Greenland turbot TAC
(which reflects the revised ITAC of 1,264 mt and the Community
Development Quota reserve allocation of 151 mt), 639 mt for BS ``other
rockfish,'' 10,121 mt for BS Pacific ocean perch, and 5,225 mt for BSAI
``other flatfish.''
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 apportionment of the non-
specified reserves of groundfish to BS Greenland turbot, BS ``other
rockfish,'' BS Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI ``other flatfish.'' This
action is necessary for the efficient utilization of fishery resources
in the BSAI and to allow the fisheries harvesting these groundfish to
continue operating. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time
for public comment because the most recent, relevant data on catch of
BS Greenland turbot, BS ``other rockfish,'' BS Pacific ocean perch, and
BSAI ``other flatfish'' only became available as of June 13, 2025.
Finally, NMFS provided notice and an opportunity for public comment on
the proposed 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI that included the amount of proposed non-specified reserves from
which NMFS can apportion to any target species that contributed to that
reserve (89 FR 96186, December 4, 2024). The final 2025 and 2026
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI explained that,
during the fishing year, any amount of the non-specified reserve may be
apportioned by NMFS to a target species that contributed to the non-
specified reserves consistent with Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i) (90 FR 12640,
March 18, 2025).
[[Page 27484]]
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.
Under Sec. 679.20(b)(3)(iii), interested persons are invited to
submit written comments on this action (see ADDRESSES section) until
July 11, 2025.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 24, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-11867 Filed 6-26-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 27, 2025.
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