[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17126-17127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8759]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 990304063-9063-01; I.D. 040599A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka
Mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands
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 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 first seasonal allowance of Atka mackerel total allowable catch
(TAC) specified for the Central Aleutian District. NMFS is also opening
fishing with trawl gear in Steller sea lion critical habitat in the
Central Aleutian District for species for which directed fisheries are
open.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 5, 1999,
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t, September 1, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone 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. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with
the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The Final 1999 Harvest Specifications (64 FR 12103, March 11, 1999)
established the first seasonal allowance, the period January 1, 1999
through April 15, 1999, of Atka mackerel TAC specified for the Central
Aleutian District as 10,360 metric tons (mt).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska
Region,
[[Page 17127]]
NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the first seasonal
allowance of Atka mackerel TAC specified for the Central Aleutian
District has been reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is
establishing a directed fishing allowance of 10,000 mt, and is setting
aside the remaining 360 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries. In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the
Regional Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance soon
will be reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for
Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).
On March 31, 1999, NMFS prohibited trawling within Steller sea lion
critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District because the 1999
critical habitat percentage of the first seasonal allowance of Atka
mackerel allocated to the Central Aleutian District had been reached
(64 FR 16362, April 5, 1999). Regulations at 679.22(a)(8)(iii)(C)
authorize opening Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central
Aleutian District to fishing with trawl gear after NMFS closes Atka
mackerel to directed fishing within that district. NMFS, therefore, is
opening critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District to fishing
with trawl gear for species open to directed fishing.
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
attained from the fishery. It must be implemented immediately to
prevent overharvesting the 1999 first seasonal allowance of Atka
mackerel specified for the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI. A
delay in the effective date is impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. Further delay would only result in overharvest. NMFS finds
for good cause that the implementation of this action should not be
delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the
effective date is hereby waived.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 5, 1999.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-8759 Filed 4-5-99; 2:10 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
