[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8888-8889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5181]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675
[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 022996B]
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Inshore
Component Pollock in the Bering Sea subarea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by vessels
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering
Sea subarea (BS) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the first
allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for vessels
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the BS.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 2, 1996,
until 12 noon, A.l.t., April 15, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive
economic zone is managed by the 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 first seasonal
allowance of pollock for the inshore component in the BS was
established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61
FR 4311, February 5, 1996) as 159,311 metric tons (mt).
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has
determined in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the first
seasonal allowance of pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for
processing by the inshore component in the BS soon will be reached.
Therefore, the Regional Director has established a directed fishing
allowance of 147,311 mt with consideration that 12,000 mt will be taken
as incidental catch in directed fishing for other species in the BS.
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the
BS. This closure is effective March 2, 1996, until
[[Page 8889]]
12 noon, A.l.t., April 15, 1996. Under Sec. 675.20(a)(2)(ii), the
second seasonal allowance will be available from 12 noon, A.l.t.,
August 15 through the end of the fishing year.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be
found in the regulations at Sec. 675.20(h).
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 29, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Mmarine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5181 Filed 3-1-96; 10:23 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
