[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8883-8884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4798]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 022197A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Offshore
Component Pollock in the Aleutian Islands 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 issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting directed
fishing for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the
offshore component in the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI) of the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This adjustment is
necessary to prevent the underharvest of pollock by vessels catching
pollock for processing by the offshore component in the AI of the BSAI.
DATES: 2400 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 23, 1997, until
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997. Comments must be received at the
[[Page 8884]]
following address no later than 1630, A.l.t., March 10, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802, Attn: Lori Gravel, or be delivered to the fourth floor of the
Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.
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 Groundfish 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. 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.
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii), the allowance of the
pollock total allowable catch apportioned for vessels catching pollock
for processing by the offshore component in the AI was established by
the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish of the BSAI (62 FR
7168, February 18, 1997) as 16,835 metric tons (mt).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the
allowance of the pollock total allowable catch apportioned for vessels
catching pollock for processing by the offshore component in the AI
will soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is
establishing a directed fishing allowance of 14,835 mt, and is setting
aside the remaining 2,000 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries. In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the
Regional Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will
soon be reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for
pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore
component in the AI.
Current information shows the catching capacity of vessels catching
pollock for processing by the offshore component is in excess of 10,400
mt per day. In accordance with Sec. 679.23(e) and except as provided in
Sec. 679.23(e)(2)(ii), directed fishing for pollock by vessels catching
pollock for processing by the offshore component in the AI of the BSAI
is scheduled from 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 26, 1997, through 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., April 15, 1997, and from 1200 hrs, A.l.t. September 1, 1997,
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 1, 1997, or until the TAC is
reached, whichever occurs first.
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 Regional Administrator
has determined that the remaining portion of the allocation to the
offshore component would be underharvested if a 1200 hrs closure were
allowed to occur.
NMFS, therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), is
adjusting the season for pollock by vessels catching pollock for
processing by the offshore component in the AI subarea of the BSAI by
closing directed fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t., February 23, 1997. NMFS
is taking this action to prevent the underharvest of the pollock
allocation to vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore
component in the AI 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 directed fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t,
on February 23, 1997, 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.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good
cause that providing prior notice and public comment or delaying the
effective date of this action is impracticable and contrary to the
public interest. 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 3 million dollars. Under
Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written
comments on this action to the above address until March 10, 1997.
Classification
This action is required by Sec. 679.25 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 21, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-4798 Filed 2-21-97; 4:51 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
