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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 248 / Thursday, December 30, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
Dated: December 27, 2021.
Karen Abrams, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
FR Doc. 202128351 Filed 122921; 8:45 am BILLING CODE 351022C

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679
Docket No. 2102100018
RTID 0648XB679

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Inseason Adjustment to the 2022 Gulf of Alaska Pollock and Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch Amounts National Marine Fisheries Service NMFS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA, Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; request for comments.
AGENCY:

NMFS is adjusting the 2022
total allowable catch TAC amounts for the Gulf of Alaska GOA pollock and Pacific cod fishery. This action is necessary because NMFS has determined these TACs are incorrectly specified, and will ensure the GOA
pollock and Pacific cod TACs are the appropriate amount based on the best available scientific information for pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA.
This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska local time A.l.t., January 1, 2022, until the effective date of the final 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications for GOA
groundfish, unless otherwise modified or superseded through publication of a notification in the Federal Register.
Comments must be received at the following address no later than 4:30
p.m., A.l.t., January 14, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by NOAANMFS20200140
by any of the following methods:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES

SUMMARY:

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA
NMFS20200140. Click the Comment icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn:
Records. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 998021668.
Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments if they are sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the comment period ends. All comments received are a part of the public record, and NMFS will post the comments for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information e.g., name, address, 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:
Krista Milani, 9075812062.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska FMP prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 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.
The final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA
86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021 set the 2022 pollock TAC at 99,784 metric tons mt in the GOA. In December 2021, the Council recommended a 2022 pollock TAC of 141,117 mt for the GOA, which is greater than the 99,784 mt established by the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA. The Councils recommended 2022
TAC, and the area and seasonal apportionments, is based on the Stock
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation report SAFE, dated November 2021.
The final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA
86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021 set the 2022 Pacific cod TAC at 27,961 mt in the GOA. In December 2021, the Council recommended a 2022 Pacific cod TAC of 24,111 mt for the GOA, which is less than the 27,961 mt established by the final 2021 and 2022
harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA. The Councils recommended 2022 TAC, and the area and seasonal apportionments, is based on the SAFE, dated November 2021.
Steller sea lions occur in the same location as the pollock and Pacific cod fisheries and are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Pollock and Pacific cod are principal prey species for Steller sea lions in the GOA. The seasonal apportionment of pollock and Pacific cod harvests are necessary to ensure the groundfish fisheries are not likely to cause jeopardy of extinction or adverse modification of critical habitat for Steller sea lions. The regulations at 679.20a5iv specify how the pollock TAC will be apportioned and the regulations at 679.20a6ii and a12i specify how the Pacific cod TAC will be apportioned.
In accordance with 679.25a1iii, a2iB, and a2iv the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
Regional Administrator, has determined that, based on the best available scientific information for this fishery, the current GOA pollock and Pacific cod TACs are incorrectly specified. Consequently, pursuant to 679.25a1iii, the Regional Administrator is adjusting the 2022
GOA pollock TAC to 141,117 mt and the 2022 Pacific cod TAC to 24,111 mt.
Therefore, Tables 4 and 6 of the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA 86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021 are revised consistent with this adjustment.
Pursuant to 679.20a5iv, Table 4
of the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA
86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021 is revised for the 2022 TACs of pollock in the Central and Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

TABLE 4FINAL 2022 DISTRIBUTION OF POLLOCK IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL REGULATORY AREAS OF THE GULF OF
ALASKA; AREA APPORTIONMENTS;1 AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF ANNUAL TAC
Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton Shumigan area 610

Season 2
A January 20May 31

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1,132

Chirikof area 620
52,304

E:FRFM30DER1.SGM

30DER1

Kodiak area 630
8,080

Total 3
61,516