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DOC/NOAA RIN: 0648-BE34 Publication ID: Spring 2015 
Title: Regulatory Amendment to West Coast Groundfish Fisheries Regarding Interim Allocations, Extension of an Adaptive Management Program Quota Pass-Through, and Addition of Sorting Requirements 
Abstract: This action revised groundfish regulations in three ways. It contained one correction to a final rule, which replaced language that was inadvertently deleted through a series of temporary rulemakings, and thereby reinstated the mechanism whereby the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) can issue interim groundfish allocations, allowing the pacific coast groundfish fishery to continue in years when annual groundfish harvest specifications are expiring and new ones do not yet exist, as is likely for January 1, 2015. Second, this action amended a final rule and extended NMFS authority to issue the full allocation of groundfish to current participants in the groundfish limited access privilege program. Specifically, the rule allows NMFS to issue that portion of the allowable catch currently allocated to an Adaptive Management Program, until other criteria for distribution of the Adaptive Management Program quota shares is developed and implemented. Third, the rule added shortraker and blackspotted/rougheye rockfish to the list of groundfish species sorted from catches in the trawl, fixed-gear and open access groundfish fisheries coast-wide. This action was taken in order to provide more accurate accounting of the shortraker and blackspotted/rougheye rockfish catch. 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Completed Actions 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 50 CFR 660   
Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  10/10/2014  79 FR 61272   
Final Action  12/17/2014  79 FR 75070   
Final Action Effective  12/17/2014 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: Federal 
Small Entities Affected: Businesses  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
William Stelle Jr.
Regional Administrator, West Coast Region
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
7600 Sand Point Way Northeast, Building 1,
Seattle, WA 98115
Phone:206 526-6150
Email: will.stelle@noaa.gov