Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; 2026 Catch Sharing Plan; Inseason Action; Correction

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; 2026 Catch Sharing Plan; Inseason Action; Correction

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; correction.

NMFS is correcting a temporary rule for the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. The action added fishing dates in August and September in the Columbia River and Washington subareas. The dates listed under each subarea were incorrect.

Effective August 5, 2026 through September 30, 2026.

Joshua Lindsay, (213) 392-7410, or [email protected].

Need for Correction

NMFS published a temporary rule on July 27, 2026, adding fishing dates in August and September in the IPHC regulatory Area 2A Columbia River and Washington subareas (91 FR 46866). The document contained incorrect dates for those subareas. These corrections are necessary to provide the correct information about the fishing days that are open to the recreational Pacific halibut fishery in Area 2A.

Classification

NMFS issues this action pursuant to the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982. This action is taken under the regulatory authority at 50 CFR 300.63(c)(6) 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. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries determined 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 public interest because this action simply corrects an error in the July 27, 2026, temporary rule (91 FR 46866). It is important that these errors be corrected as quickly as possible. Immediate correction of the error is necessary to prevent confusion among participants in the fishery and to ensure management of the fishery is consistent with both the Council's intent for regulations developed over two public meetings and the public's expectations based on recommendations made in the Council's Catch Sharing Plan, as well as outreach materials distributed by the State of Washington. Thus, delaying this correction to engage in notice-and-comment rulemaking would be contrary to the public interest. There is good cause under 5. U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effective date. For the same reasons stated above, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries has determined good cause exists to find that the 30-day delay in effectiveness does not apply to this correcting amendment. Delaying effectiveness of these corrections would result in confusion among fishery participants and would therefore be contrary to the public interest. Without waiving the 30-day delay in effectiveness, this correction to the season dates would not be effective prior to August 8, the date that the Columbia River and Washington South Coast subareas were

intended to open under the temporary rule (91 FR 46866; July 27, 2026), or by August 16 when the temporary rule intended to open the Puget Sound and Washington North Coast subareas. The temporary rule inadvertently attributed the August 8 opening date to the Puget Sound and Washington North Coast subareas, and mistakenly listed August 16 as the opening date for the Columbia River and Washington South Coast subareas. The correct additional season dates should be implemented as originally planned to promote the optimal harvest of the subareas' annual allocations. It is therefore in the public's interest that this action not be delayed.

Corrections

In FR Doc. 2026-15093, published July 27, 2026, at 91 FR 46866, the following corrections are made: 1. On page 46867, in the first column, under the heading: Washington Puget Sound and the U.S. Convention Waters in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Puget Sound Subarea) correct the second sentence to read as follows: "Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of fishing; therefore, this action opens the Puget Sound subarea 7 days per week from August 16 through September 30, 2026, or until there is not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area is therefore closed." 2. On page 46867, in the first column, under the heading: Washington North Coast Subarea correct the second sentence to read as follows: "Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of fishing; therefore, this action opens the North Coast subarea 7 days per week from August 16 through September 30, 2026, or until there is not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area is therefore closed." 3. On page 46867, in the first column, under the heading: Washington South Coast Subarea correct the second sentence to read as follows: "Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of fishing; therefore, this action opens the South Coast subarea 7 days per week from August 8 through September 30, 2026, or until there is not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area is therefore closed." 4. On page 46867, in the first and second columns, under the heading: Columbia River Subarea correct the second sentence to read as follows: "Sufficient allocation remains for at least another full day of fishing; therefore, this action opens the Columbia River subarea 7 days per week from August 8 through September 30, 2026, or until there is not sufficient allocation for another full day of fishing and the area is therefore closed."

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.

Dated: August 5, 2026. Shannon Bettridge, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2026-16181 Filed 8-5-26; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P