[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 17256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9618]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675
[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 041596A]
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Pacific
Ocean Perch in the Western 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 Western 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.), April 15, 1996,
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.
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 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 TAC of Pacific ocean
perch for the Western Aleutian District was established by the Final
1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5,
1996) for the BSAI as 5,143 metric tons (mt). The Western Aleutian
District was closed to directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch on
March 20, 1996 (58 FR 12041, March 25, 1996). As of March 30, 1996,
1,465 mt remain unharvested.
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1996 TAC
for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian District has not been
reached. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is
reopening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western
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: April 15, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9618 Filed 4-15-96; 4:16 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
