[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 212 (Thursday, October 31, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 56150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27889]
[[Page 56150]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 102596A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Yellowfin
Sole by Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for yellowfin sole by
vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the 1996 bycatch mortality allowance of Pacific halibut apportioned to
the trawl yellowfin sole fishery in the BSAI.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 26, 1996,
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive
economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management
Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
under authority of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management
Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations implementing
the FMP at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The 1996 bycatch mortality allowance of Pacific halibut for the
BSAI trawl yellowfin sole fishery, which is defined at
Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(B)(1), was established by the Final 1996 Harvest
Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5, 1996) and
increased to 870 metric tons in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(iii)
(61 FR 54580, October 21, 1996).
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (formerly Regional
Director), has determined, in accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(iv),
that the 1996 bycatch mortality allowance of Pacific halibut
apportioned to the trawl yellowfin sole fishery in the BSAI has been
caught. Therefore, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for yellowfin
sole by vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e).
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 679.21 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 25, 1996.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-27889 Filed 10-25-96; 4:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
