Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program; Emergency Rule

NMFS is exempting, through this emergency rule, individual fishing quota (IFQ) issued for the Western Aleutian Islands golden king crab fishery from the West regional designation and individual processing quota (IPQ) issued for this fishery from the West regional designation. Under the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program, golden king crab harvested with IFQ with a West regional designation must be delivered to a processor with West designated IPQ in the West region of the Aleutian Islands. An emergency exists, because Federal regulations require that a portion of crab taken in this fishery be delivered and processed in the West region, but due to a recent unforeseen event, no processing facility is open in the West region. This emergency rule is necessary to relieve a restriction and allow fishermen to deliver crab harvested with West designated IFQ to processors outside the West region and allow processors with West designated IPQ to process that crab outside the West region. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs, and other applicable law.