[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 11345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6629]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675
[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 031496A]
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Inshore
Component Pollock in the Aleutian Islands Subarea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Modification of a closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock by vessels
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the
Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully utilize the
total allowable catch (TAC) amount specified for pollock in this area.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 1996,
until 12 noon, A.l.t., March 16, 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 50 CFR parts 620 and 675.
The directed fishery for pollock by vessels catching pollock for
processing by the inshore component in the Aleutian Islands subarea was
closed on March 10, 1996 (March 13, 1996, 61 FR 10287), in order to
provide amounts anticipated to be needed for incidental catch in other
fisheries. NMFS has determined that as of March 2, 1996, 3,200 metric
tons (mt) of pollock remain unharvested.
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1996 TAC
amount for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the
inshore component in the Aleutian Islands subarea has not been reached.
Therefore, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is opening the
directed fishery for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing
by the inshore component in the Aleutian Islands subarea for a 24-hour
period from 12 noon, A.l.t., March 15, 1996, until 12 noon, A.l.t.,
March 16, 1996. NMFS is taking this action to allow a controlled
fishery to occur, thereby preventing the underharvest of the pollock
TAC allocated to the inshore component as authorized by
675.20(e)(2)(iii).
All other closures remain in full force and effect.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 675.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 14, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-6629 Filed 3-14-96; 4:52 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
