[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 192 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53317-53318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26628]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 980429110-8110-01; I.D. 091198B]
Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; West
Coast Salmon Fisheries; Ocean Recreational Salmon Fisheries; Closure
and Reopening; Queets River, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closures and reopenings; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the closure of the ocean recreational salmon
fishery from Queets River to Leadbetter Point, Washington, effective at
midnight, August 16, 1998, and the reopening of the ocean recreational
salmon fisheries from Queets River, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon,
for one day on September 3, 1998. The area from 0 to 3 miles (4.8 km)
off shore that was previously closed to fishing in the subarea from
Queets River to Leadbetter Point, Washington, opened for this one-day
fishery. These actions were necessary to conform to the 1998 management
measures and are intended to ensure conservation of coho and chinook
salmon as well as to maximize the harvest of coho and chinook salmon
without exceeding the ocean share allocated to the recreational fishery
in these subareas.
DATES: Closure effective 2400 hours local time (l.t.), August 16, 1998.
Partial reopening and recision of closed area (Queets River to
Leadbetter Point, Washington) effective 0001 hours l.t. until 2400
hours l.t., September 3, 1998. Comments will be accepted through
October 19, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to William Stelle, Jr., Regional
Administrator, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service,
NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Building 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070.
Information relevant to this document is available for public review
during business hours at the office of the Regional Administrator,
Northwest Region, NMFS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson, 206-526-6140.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the ocean salmon
fisheries at 50 CFR 660.409(a)(1) state that, when a quota for the
commercial or the recreational fishery, or both, for any salmon species
in any portion of the fishery management area is projected by the
Regional Administrator to be reached on or by a certain date, NMFS
will, by an inseason action issued under 50 CFR 660.411, close the
commercial or recreational fishery, or both, for all salmon species in
the portion of the fishery management area to which the quota applies
as of the date the quota is projected to be reached.
In the 1998 management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (63 FR
24973, May 6, 1998), NMFS announced that the recreational fishery in
the area from Queets River to Leadbetter Point opened for all salmon on
August 3, 1998, through the earlier of September 24, 1998, or 7,400
coho salmon subarea quota, with an inseason management guideline of
2,350 chinook salmon, and Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon opened for
all salmon on August 3, 1998, through the earlier of September 24,
1998, or 7,000 coho salmon subarea quota, with an inseason management
guideline of 1,050 chinook salmon.
On August 14, 1998, the best available information indicated that
the catch and effort data and projections supported closure from Queets
River to Leadbetter Point, Washington at midnight, August 16, 1998, in
order to prevent the catch in the subarea from exceeding its quota. The
estimated catch for the recreational fishery in this subarea through
August 13, 1998, was 5,843 fish compared to the 7,400 coho salmon
quota. The projected catch for August 14-16, 1998, was 1,000-1,200
fish. The projected catch was close enough to the quota that all
parties agreed not to add another day of fishing to capture the 100-500
coho salmon remaining in the quota because the weekend fishing effort
on August 16, 1998, could have been higher than expected and could have
exceeded the 7,400 fish quota. As of August 17, 1998, the estimated
catch for the recreational fishery in this subarea through August 16,
1998, was 6,675 fish, with 725 coho salmon remaining in the quota.
As of August 11, 1998, the estimated catch through the August 9,
1998, weekend fishing effort on August 16, 1998, closure for Leadbetter
Point, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon, was 6,109 fish compared to
the 7,000 coho salmon quota, with 962 coho remaining (63 FR 46701,
September 2, 1998).
On August 17, 1998, the two subarea fisheries from Queets River,
Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon, were reevaluated. The best
available information indicated that the catch and effort data and
projections supported reopening of these two ocean recreational
fisheries for one day on Thursday, September 3, 1998, in order to
maximize harvest within the quotas. The decision was based on the
following: The slightly higher estimates of coho salmon left in each
subarea's quota than had been projected when the areas were closed, the
proposed additional fishing date not being on the weekend, the fact
that the buoy 10 fishery would be closed at that time, and the fact
that coho salmon catch rates typically decrease and chinook salmon
catch rates increase later in the season. There are more chinook salmon
available in the season catch guidelines compared to what is remaining
in the coho salmon quota. Based on the above information, NMFS has
concluded that the chances of exceeding each subarea's quota is low.
The area from 0 to 3 miles (4.8 km) off shore that was previously
closed to fishing in the subarea from Queets River to Leadbetter Point,
Washington, will be opened for this one-day fishery. This will also
tend to increase the chinook salmon catch rate, because chinook salmon
are typically found closer to shore than coho salmon.
Reopenings of the fishery are authorized by 50 CFR 660.409(a)(2),
and recision of an area of closure is authorized by 50 CFR
660.409(b)(1)(v). The Regional Administrator consulted with
representatives of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife. The States of Washington and Oregon manage the
recreational fisheries in state waters adjacent to this area of the
exclusive economic zone in accordance with this Federal action. As
provided by the inseason action procedures of 50 CFR 660.411, actual
notice to fishermen of these actions was given prior to 2400 hours
l.t., August 16, 1998, for the closure, and prior to 0001 hours l.t.,
September 3, 1998, for the reopenings by telephone hotline number 206-
526-6667 and 800-662-9825 and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners
broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz. Because of the need for
immediate action to manage the fishery to achieve but not exceed the
quota, NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this action to be
issued
[[Page 53318]]
without affording a prior opportunity for public comment. This action
does not apply to other fisheries that may be operating in other areas.
Classification
This action is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 and 660.411 and is
exempt from review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 29, 1998.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-26628 Filed 10-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
