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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-04-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0648-BH71</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>201804</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0648</CODE>
            <NAME>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>NOAA</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>0600</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Commerce</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>DOC</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Pacific Halibut Catch Limits for Area 2A Fisheries in 2018</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[NMFS is implementing this interim final rule to set 2018 Pacific halibut catch limits within the International Pacific Halibut Commission's regulatory Area 2A off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. In accordance with Article III of the Protocol Amending the Convention Between the United States of America and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (Convention), the IPHC can recommend, among other things, catch limits for each fishing season. The Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, may then accept or reject, on behalf of the United States, the International Pacific Halibut Commission's recommendations. Although the United States and Canada voiced consensus at the International Pacific Halibut Commission's January 2018 annual meeting that some reduction in catch limits relative to 2017 in all areas was appropriate, United States and Canadian Commissioners could not reach consensus on specific catch limit recommendations for 2018. As a result, absent any action by the United States, 2017 catch limits for the U.S. halibut fishery, which do not reflect management needs for the current status of the stock, will remain in place. Thus, through this rule, the Secretary of Commerce is exercising his authority under Article 1 of the Convention and section 773c of the Halibut Act to establish catch limit regulations for Area 2A. This rule will implement Area 2A catch limits according to the 2018 Catch Sharing Plan.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Substantive, Nonsignificant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>First Time Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <EO_13771_DESIGNATION>Not subject to, not significant</EO_13771_DESIGNATION>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>50 CFR 300</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
            <LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
                <DLINE_TYPE>Statutory</DLINE_TYPE>
                <DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>Final</DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>
                <DLINE_DATE>03/23/2018</DLINE_DATE>
                <DLINE_DESC>Catch limits must be in place for the start of the tribal fisheries</DLINE_DESC>
            </LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
        </LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_OVERALL_DESC>Catch limits must be in place for the start of the tribal fisheries</LEGAL_DLINE_OVERALL_DESC>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>05/00/2018</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Businesses</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PRINT_PAPER>Yes</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>Yes</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <RELATED_RIN_LIST>
            <RELATED_RIN>
                <RIN>0648-BH45</RIN>
                <RIN_RELATION>Related to</RIN_RELATION>
            </RELATED_RIN>
        </RELATED_RIN_LIST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Barry</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Thom</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Regional Administrator, West Coast Region</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0648</CODE>
                    <NAME>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>NOAA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>503 231-6266</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>barry.thom@noaa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Portland</CITY>
                    <STATE>OR</STATE>
                    <ZIP>97232</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
