97-5302. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea Subarea

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 4, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9718-9719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5302]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7012-02; I.D. 022697C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka 
Mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea Subarea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 9719]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Prohibition of retention.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of Atka mackerel in the Eastern 
Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). NMFS is requiring that catches 
of Atka mackerel in this area be treated in the same manner as 
prohibited species and discarded at sea with a minimum of injury. This 
action is necessary because the Atka mackerel 1997 total allowable 
catch (TAC) in this area has been reached.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 28, 
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 CFR part 679.
    The 1997 TAC of Atka mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian District and 
the Bering Sea subarea was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18, 
1997) as 15,000 metric tons. See Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 1997 TAC 
for Atka mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea 
subarea has been reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 
requiring that further catches of Atka mackerel in the Eastern Aleutian 
District and the Bering Sea subarea be treated as prohibited species in 
accordance with Sec. 679.21(b).
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e).

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. 97-5302 Filed 2-27-97; 5:02 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F