95-27344. Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Rockfish by Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 213 (Friday, November 3, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 55806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27344]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 103095D]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Rockfish 
by Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area

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 rockfish species of 
the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl gear in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the 1995 prohibited species bycatch 
mortality allowance of Pacific halibut specified for the trawl rockfish 
fishery in the BSAI.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 31, 1995, 
until 12 midnight, December 31, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew N. Smoker, 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 50 CFR parts 620 and 675.
    The 1995 bycatch mortality allowance of Pacific halibut for the 
BSAI trawl rockfish fishery, which is defined at 
Sec. 675.21(b)(1)(iii)(D), was established as 110 metric tons (mt) by 
the Final 1995 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (60 FR 8479, 
February 14, 1995).
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in accordance 
with Sec. 675.21(c)(1)(iii), that the 1995 apportionment of the Pacific 
halibut bycatch mortality allowance for the trawl rockfish fishery has 
been caught. Therefore, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 
rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels 
using trawl gear in the BSAI.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 675.20(h).

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 675.21 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 31, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-27344 Filed 10-31-95; 2:55 pm]
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