[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 4, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 9718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5301]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 961107312-7012-02; I.D. 022697D]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific
Ocean Perch in the Eastern Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in
the Eastern Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the 1997 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this
area.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 27,
1997, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.
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-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.
The TAC of Pacific ocean perch for the Eastern Aleutian District
was established by the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish
for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18, 1997) as 3,240 metric tons (mt).
See Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the TAC for
Pacific ocean perch specified for the Eastern Aleutian District will
soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing
a directed fishing allowance of 3,040 mt, and is setting aside the
remaining 200 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 Pacific
ocean perch in the Eastern Aleutian District.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).
Classification
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 27, 1997.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-5301 Filed 2-27-97; 5:02 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
