[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57595-57596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27876]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 990304063-9063-01; I.D. 102099A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock by
Vessels Catching Pollock for Processing by the Inshore Component in the
Bering Sea Subarea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Modification of a closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock by vessels
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering
Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to fully utilize the 1999 pollock
total allowable catch (TAC) specified to the inshore component in the
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 24,
1999 until 2400 hrs A.l.t., December 31, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish
[[Page 57596]]
Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP) prepared by
the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 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.
In accordance with section 206(b)(1) of the American Fisheries Act
(AFA), 50 percent of the remainder of the pollock TAC in the BSAI,
after the subtraction of the allocation to the pollock Community
Development Quota and the subtraction of allowances for the incidental
catch of pollock by vessels harvesting other groundfish species, shall
be allocated as a directed fishing allowance to catcher vessels
harvesting pollock for processing by the inshore component. The Final
1999 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for the BSAI (64 FR 12103,
March 11, 1999), and subsequent reallocation (64 FR 56474, October 20,
1999), established the final 1999 amount of pollock allocated for
processing by the inshore component of the Bering Sea subarea as
424,187 metric tons.
NMFS prohibited directed fishing for pollock by vessels catching
pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering Sea
subarea of the BSAI effective October 6, 1999 (64 FR 55438, October 13,
1999) in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) with the expectation
that the directed fishing allowance would be caught by that date.
NMFS has determined that as of October 16, 1998, 10,600 mt remain
in the directed fishing allowance. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the
previous closure and is opening directed fishing for pollock by vessels
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering
Sea subarea.
Classification
All other closures remain in full force and effect. This action
responds to the best available information recently obtained from the
fishery. It must be implemented immediately in order to allow full
utilization of the pollock TAC. Providing prior notice and opportunity
for public comment for this action is impracticable and contrary to the
public interest. Further delay would only disrupt the FMP and AFA
objective of providing the pollock TAC for harvest. NMFS finds for good
cause that the implementation of this action cannot be delayed for 30
days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective date
is hereby waived.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 20, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27876 Filed 10-21-99; 3:31 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
