96-9510. Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Atka Mackerel in the Central Aleutian District

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 76 (Thursday, April 18, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16883-16884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9510]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 041296B]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Atka 
Mackerel in the Central Aleutian District

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for Atka mackerel in the 
Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the specification for Atka mackerel in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 14, 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 28,560 metric tons (mt) as the initial total allowable 
catch of Atka mackerel for the Central Aleutian District.

[[Page 16884]]

    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has 
determined, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the Atka 
mackerel initial total allowable catch in the Central Aleutian District 
will soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director has established 
a directed fishing allowance of 28,160 mt after determining that 400 mt 
will be taken as incidental catch in directed fishing for other species 
in the Central Aleutian District. NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing 
for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District to prevent exceeding 
the directed fishing allowance.
    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: April 12, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9510 Filed 4-12-96; 4:44 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F