Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE <SUBAGY>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>50 CFR Part 679</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. 250312-0036; RTID 0648-XF149]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Temporary rule; reallocation. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processor vessels to amendment 80 vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective August 25, 2025, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2025. </EFFDATE> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Andrew Olson, 907-586-7228. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 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 Pacific cod TAC allocated to AFA catcher/processor vessels in the BSAI is 2,923 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (90 FR 12640, March 18, 2025). The 2025 Pacific cod TAC allocated to amendment 80 vessels in the BSAI is 17,027 mt as established by the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (90 FR 12640, March 18, 2025). The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that AFA catcher/processor vessels will not be able to harvest 750 mt of the AFA catcher/processor vessels' 2025 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)( <E T="03">7</E> ). Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(B), NMFS reallocates 750 mt of Pacific cod from AFA catcher/processor vessels to amendment 80 vessels, which has the capability to harvest this reallocated amount of Pacific cod. The harvest specifications for 2025 Pacific cod included in final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (90 FR 12640, March 18, 2025) are revised as follows: 2,173 mt to AFA catcher/processor vessels and 17,777 mt to amendment 80 vessels. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Classification</HD> 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 reallocation of Pacific cod from AFA catcher/processor vessels to amendment 80 vessels. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data on Pacific cod harvest by those sectors harvesting Pacific cod, as well as the potential capability to harvest reallocated Pacific cod this fall, only became available as of August 25, 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. <HD SOURCE="HED">Authority: </HD> 16 U.S.C. 1801 <E T="03">et seq.</E> <SIG> <DATED>Dated: August 25, 2025.</DATED> <NAME>Kelly Denit,</NAME> Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. </SIG> </SUPLINF> <FRDOC>[FR Doc. 2025-16435 Filed 8-25-25; 4:15 pm]</FRDOC> </RULE>