[Federal Register: August 29, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 168)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51928-51929]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29au03-15]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 021212307-3037-02; I.D. 081503B]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pollock in the Bering Sea Subarea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Reallocation.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating projected unused amounts of Bering Sea
subarea (BS) pollock from the incidental catch account to the directed
fisheries. This action is necessary to allow the 2003 total allowable
catch (TAC) of pollock to be harvested.
DATES: Effective August 26, 2003, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish
Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP) prepared by
the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 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 accordance with Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1) and the American
Fisheries Act (AFA) (Public Law 105-277, Division C, Title II), NMFS
specified a pollock incidental catch allowance equal to 3.5 percent of
the pollock total allowable catch after subtraction of the ten percent
Community Development Quota reserve in the final 2003 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (68 FR 9907, March 3, 2003).
As of August 6, 2003, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), has determined that approximately 21,887
metric tons (mt) of pollock remain in the incidental catch account.
Based on projected harvest rates of other groundfish species and the
expected incidental catch of pollock in those fisheries, the Regional
Administrator has determined that 6,500 mt of pollock specified in the
incidental catch account will not be necessary as incidental catch.
Therefore, NMFS is apportioning the projected unused amount, 6,500 mt,
of pollock from the incidental catch account to the directed fishing
allowances established pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A). Pursuant
to the pollock allocation requirements set forth in Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i), this transfer will increase the allocation to catcher
vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the inshore component by
3,250 mt, to catcher/processors and catcher vessels harvesting pollock
for processing by catcher processors in the offshore component by 2,600
mt and to catcher vessels harvesting pollock for processing by
motherships in the offshore component by 650 mt. Pursuant to Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), no less than 8.5 percent of the 2,600 mt
allocated to catcher processors in the offshore component, 221 mt, will
be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to
listed catcher processors. Pursuant to Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), an additional 13 mt or 0.5 percent of the
catcher/processor sector allocation of pollock will be available to
unlisted AFA catcher/processors.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(3), Table 1 revises the final
2003 BS subarea allocations for the seven inshore catcher vessel
pollock cooperatives that have been approved and permitted by NMFS and
the open access AFA vessels for the 2003 fishing year consistent with
this reallocation.
TABLE 1.--2003 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
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Sum of member
vessel's official Percentage of Annual co-op
Cooperative name and member vessels catch inshore sector allocation (mt)
histories\1\(mt) allocation
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Akutan Catcher Vessel Association 245,527 28.085% 182,845
ALDEBARAN, ARCTIC EXPLORER, ................. ................. .................
ARCTURUS, BLUE FOX, CAPE KIWANDA, ................. ................. .................
COLUMBIA,DOMINATOR, EXODUS, ................. ................. .................
FLYING CLOUD, GOLDEN DAWN, ................. ................. .................
GOLDEN PISCES, HAZEL LORRAINE, ................. ................. .................
INTREPID EXPLORER, LESLIE LEE, LISA ................. ................. .................
MELINDA, MAJESTY, MARCY J, ................. ................. .................
MARGARET LYN, NORDIC EXPLORER, ................. ................. .................
NORTHERN PATRIOT, NORTHWEST ................. ................. .................
EXPLORER, PACIFIC RAM, ................. ................. .................
[[Page 51929]]
PACIFIC VIKING, PEGASUS, PEGGY JO, ................. ................. .................
PERSEVERANCE, PREDATOR, RAVEN, ................. ................. .................
ROYAL AMERICAN, SEEKER, ................. ................. .................
SOVEREIGNTY, TRAVELER, ................. ................. .................
VIKING EXPLORER ................. ................. .................
Arctic Enterprise Association 36,807 4.210% 27,410
BRISTOL EXPLORER, OCEAN EXPLORER, ................. ................. .................
PACIFIC EXPLORER ................. ................. .................
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative 73,656 8.425% 54,852
ANITA J, COLLIER BROTHERS, ................. ................. .................
COMMODORE, EXCALIBUR II, ................. ................. .................
GOLDRUSH, HALF MOON BAY, MISS ................. ................. .................
BERDIE, NORDIC FURY, PACIFIC FURY, ................. ................. .................
POSEIDON, ROYAL ATLANTIC, ................. ................. .................
SUNSET BAY, STORM PETREL ................. ................. .................
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative 18,693 2.138% 13,921
AMBER DAWN, AMERICAN BEAUTY, ................. ................. .................
ELIZABETH F, MORNING STAR, OCEAN ................. ................. .................
LEADER, OCEANIC, PROVIDIAN, TOPAZ, ................. ................. .................
WALTER N ................. ................. .................
Unalaska Cooperative 106,737 12.209% 79,488
ALASKA ROSE, BERING ROSE, ................. ................. .................
DESTINATION, GREAT PACIFIC, ................. ................. .................
MESSIAH, MORNING STAR, MS AMY, ................. ................. .................
PROGRESS, SEA WOLF, VANGUARD, ................. ................. .................
WESTERN DAWN ................. ................. .................
UniSea Fleet Cooperative 201,566 23.056% 150,107
ALSEA, AMERICAN EAGLE, ARGOSY, ................. ................. .................
AURIGA, AURORA, DEFENDER, ................. ................. .................
GUN-MAR, NORDIC STAR, PACIFIC ................. ................. .................
MONARCH, SEADAWN, STARFISH, ................. ................. .................
STARLITE ................. ................. .................
Westward Fleet Cooperative 189,942 21.727% 141,451
A.J., ALASKAN COMMAND, ALYESKA, ................. ................. .................
ARCTIC WIND, CAITLIN ANN, ................. ................. .................
CHELSEA K, DONA MARTITA, ................. ................. .................
FIERCE ALLEGIANCE, HICKORY WIND, ................. ................. .................
OCEAN HOPE 3, PACIFIC CHALLENGER, ................. ................. .................
PACIFIC KNIGHT, PACIFIC PRINCE, ................. ................. .................
STARWARD, VIKING, WESTWARD I ................. ................. .................
Open access AFA vessels 1,309 0.150% 975
Total inshore allocation 874,238 100% 651,047
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\1\ According to regulations at Sec. 679.62 the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel's best 2 of 3 years inshore pollock
landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes landings to catcher/processors for vessels that made 500 or more mt of landings to catcher/processors
from 1995 through 1997.
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), 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 contrary to the
public interest. This requirement is contrary to the public interest as
it would delay the implementation of these measures in a timely fashion
in order to allow full utilization of the pollock TAC, and therefore
reduce the public's ability to use and enjoy the fishery resource.
The AA 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.
This action is taken under 50 CFR 679.20, and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 25, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-22181 Filed 8-26-03; 3:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S