[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8731-8732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4333]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 981021264-9016-02; I.D. 021799A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock by
Vessels Catching Pollock for Processing by the Mothership Component in
the Bering Sea Subarea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the directed fishing season for pollock by vessels
catching pollock for processing by the mothership component in the
Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management
area (BSAI). NMFS adjusts the time of closure to prevent the
underharvest of the interim A season pollock total allowable catch
(TAC) specified to the mothership component for harvest within the
Bering Sea subarea.
DATES: Effective 2400 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 17,
1999, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., August 1, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to Susan J. Salveson, Assistant
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, P.O. Box
21668, Juneau AK 99802-1668.
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
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.
[[Page 8732]]
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C)(3), the revised interim
1999 TAC amounts for pollock in the Bering Sea subarea (64 FR 3437,
January 22, 1999), and section 206(b)(3) of the American Fisheries Act,
the interim A season TAC of pollock specified as a directed fishing
allowance for the mothership component for harvest within the Bering
Sea subarea is 33,569 metric tons (mt).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional
Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance soon will be
reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock
by vessels catching pollock for processing by the mothership component
in the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.
Current information shows the catching capacity of vessels catching
pollock for processing by the mothership component is in excess of
1,900 mt per day.
Section 679.23(b) specifies that the time of all openings and
closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the
calendar fishing year is 1200 hrs, A.l.t. The Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS, has determined that the remaining portion of the
allocation to the mothership component would be underharvested if a
1200 hrs closure were allowed to occur.
NMFS, in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), is adjusting the
season for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the
mothership component in the Bering Sea subarea by closing directed
fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t., February 17, 1999. NMFS is taking this
action to prevent the underharvest of the pollock allocation to vessels
catching pollock for processing by the mothership component in the
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI as authorized by
Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(i)(C). In accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(iii),
NMFS has determined that closing the season at 2400 hrs on February 17,
1999, is the least restrictive management adjustment to harvest the
pollock allocated to vessels catching pollock for processing by the
offshore component in the AI of the BSAI and will allow other fisheries
to continue in noncritical areas and time periods.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).
Classification
This action responds to the interim TAC limitations and other
restrictions on the fisheries established in the interim 1999 harvest
specifications for groundfish for the BSAI. Without this inseason
adjustment, the pollock allocation for vessels catching pollock for
processing by the offshore component in the AI of the BSAI would be
underharvested, resulting in an economic loss of more than $220,000.
Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit
written comments on this action to the above address until March 10,
1999.
This action is required by Sec. 679.22 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 17, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-4333 Filed 2-17-99; 4:54 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
