29248 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 97 / Monday, May 20, 2013 / Rules and Regulations Issued in Washington, DC, on May 14, treated as prohibited species in stomias) and Kamchatka flounder 2013. accordance with § 679.21(b). (Atheresthes evermanni) as basis species Paul Bosco, in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Classification Director, Office of Acquisition and Project management area (BSAI). This action Management. This action responds to the best allows the use of BSAI arrowtooth [FR Doc. 2013–11927 Filed 5–17–13; 8:45 am] available information recently obtained flounder and Kamchatka flounder as BILLING CODE 6450–01–P from the fishery. The Assistant basis species for the retention of species Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA closed to directed fishing and is (AA), finds good cause to waive the necessary to improve retention of requirement to provide prior notice and DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE otherwise marketable groundfish in opportunity for public comment these BSAI fisheries. This action also National Oceanic and Atmospheric pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 includes four regulatory amendments Administration U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is related to harvest management of impracticable and contrary to the public Kamchatka flounder. 50 CFR Part 679 interest. This requirement is Two amendments are necessary to impracticable and contrary to the public account for Kamchatka flounder in the [Docket No. 121018563–3418–02] interest as it would prevent NMFS from same manner as arrowtooth flounder in RIN 0648–XC687 responding to the most recent fisheries the BSAI and to aid in the data in a timely fashion and would recordkeeping, reporting, and catch Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic delay prohibiting the retention of Alaska accounting of flatfish in the BSAI. Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Plaice in the plaice in the BSAI. NMFS was unable to The third amendment is necessary to Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands publish a notice providing time for provide NMFS the flexibility to allocate Management Area public comment because the most Kamchatka flounder (and other species recent, relevant data only became in the future) to the Western Alaska AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries available as of May 10, 2013. Community Development Quota (CDQ) Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and The AA also finds good cause to Program in the annual harvest Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), waive the 30-day delay in the effective specifications. Through this action, Commerce. date of this action under 5 U.S.C. NMFS intends to promote the goals and ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens the reasons provided above for waiver of Fishery Conservation and Management SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention prior notice and opportunity for public Act, the Fishery Management Plan for of Alaska plaice in the Bering Sea and comment. Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area This action is required by § 679.20 Aleutian Islands Management Area, and (BSAI). This action is necessary because and § 679.21 and is exempt from review other applicable law. the 2013 initial total allowable catch under Executive Order 12866. DATES: Effective June 19, 2013. (ITAC) of Alaska plaice in the BSAI has Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. been reached. ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Dated: May 15, 2013. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local final Environmental Assessment/ time (A.l.t.), May 15, 2013, through 2400 Kara Meckley, Regulatory Impact Review/Final hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2013. Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/ Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: RIR/FRFA) for this action may be [FR Doc. 2013–11950 Filed 5–15–13; 4:15 pm] Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269. obtained from http:// BILLING CODE 3510–22–P www.regulations.gov or from the Alaska SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS Region Web site at http:// manages the groundfish fishery in the alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The proposed GOA exclusive economic zone DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE rule to implement this action may also according to the Fishery Management be accessed at http:// Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of National Oceanic and Atmospheric alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North Administration Pacific Fishery Management Council FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff under authority of the Magnuson- 50 CFR Part 679 Hartman, 907–586–7228 or Tom Pearson, 907–481–1780. Stevens Fishery Conservation and [Doc. No. 101108560–3462–02] Management Act. Regulations governing SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance RIN 0648–BA43 with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 Background CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic NMFS manages the groundfish The 2013 ITAC Alaska plaice in the Zone Off Alaska; Revise Maximum fisheries in the exclusive economic zone BSAI is 17,000 metric tons (mt) as Retainable Amounts of Groundfish in the BSAI under the Fishery established by the final 2013 and 2014 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Plan for Groundfish of the final harvest specifications for AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish of the GOA (78 FR 13813, Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Management Area (FMP). The North March 1, 2013). Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Pacific Fishery Management Council In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the Commerce. (Council) prepared the FMP under the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS ACTION: Final rule. authority of the Magnuson-Stevens (Regional Administrator), has Fishery Conservation and Management determined that the 2013 ITAC of SUMMARY: NMFS issues a regulation to Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. Alaska plaice in the BSAI has been increase the maximum retainable 1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring amounts (MRAs) of groundfish using fisheries and implementing the FMP that Alaska plaice caught in the BSAI be arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:57 May 17, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\20MYR1.SGM 20MYR1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES.