[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 81 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 22896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10840]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 042297C]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod
Fishery Category by Vessels Using Trawl Gear in Bycatch Limitation Zone
1
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed fishing for the Pacific cod fishery
category by vessels using trawl gear in Bycatch Limitation Zone 1 (Zone
1) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This
action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 1997 bycatch allowance of
C. bairdi Tanner crab apportioned to the trawl Pacific cod fishery
category in Zone 1.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 23, 1997,
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.
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-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations
implementing the FMP at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part
679.
The bycatch allowance of C. bairdi Tanner crab for Zone 1 of the
BSAI trawl Pacific cod fishery category, which is defined at
Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(E), was established by the Final 1997 Harvest
Specifications of Groundfish (62 FR 7168, February 18, 1997) as 177,632
animals. On March 24, 1997, NMFS published a final rule implementing
Amendment 41 to the FMP (62 FR 13839). Amendment 41 amended Table 7 of
the final specifications. The revised bycatch allowance for C. bairdi
Tanner crab for Zone 1 for the BSAI trawl Pacific cod fishery category
is 133,224 animals.
In accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(ii), the Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1997 bycatch allowance of C.
bairdi Tanner crab apportioned to the trawl Pacific cod fishery in Zone
1 has been caught. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing
for the Pacific cod fishery category by vessels using trawl gear in
Zone 1.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR 679.21 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 22, 1997.
George H. Darcy,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-10840 Filed 4-23-97; 2:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
