[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17849-17850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9971]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 675
[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 041796A]
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: Closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for Pacific ocean perch
in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in this area.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 18, 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 initial total
allowable catch 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). As of March 30, 1996, 1,465 mt remains. The directed fishery
for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian District was closed
under Sec. 675.20(a)(8) on March 20, 1996 (58 FR 12041, March 25, 1996)
and reopened on April 15, 1996 (Action filed by the Office of the
Federal Register on April 15, 1996, and scheduled for publication in
the Federal Register on April 19, 1996.).
[[Page 17850]]
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has
determined, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the Pacific
ocean perch initial total allowable catch in the Western Aleutian
District subarea soon will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director
has established a directed fishing allowance of 5,093 mt after
determining that 50 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed
fishing for other species in the Western Aleutian District.
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean
perch in the Western Aleutian District.
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 17, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9971 Filed 4-18-96; 3:09 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
