[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 5, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 8498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4996]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675
[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 022396F]
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Pacific
Ocean Perch in the Eastern Aleutian District
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 Pacific ocean perch in
the Eastern Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully utilize the
total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 29, 1996,
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew N. Smoker, 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.
In accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(7)(ii), the Final 1996 Harvest
Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5, 1996) for the
BSAI established 2,571 metric tons (mt) as the initial total allowable
catch of Pacific ocean perch for the Eastern Aleutian District. At the
same time, the directed fishery for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern
Aleutian District was closed to directed fishing under
Sec. 675.20(a)(8) in order to reserve amounts anticipated to be needed
for incidental catch in other fisheries. NMFS has determined that as of
February 10, 1996, 2,485 mt remain unharvested.
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1996 TAC
for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern Aleutian District has not been
reached. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is
reopening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern
Aleutian District.
All other closures remain in full force and effect.
Classification
This action is taken under Sec. 675.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 27, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-4996 Filed 2-28-96; 3:58 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
