[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17125-17126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8766]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 980429110-8110-01; I.D. 032499B]
Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; West
Coast Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Adjustments From Cape Falcon, OR, to
Point Pitas, CA
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason adjustments; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that a commercial salmon test fishery for all
salmon except coho in the areas from Point Pillar (37 deg.29'48'' N.
lat.) to Point Pigeon (37 deg.10'54'' N. lat.) and from Point Piedras
Blancas (35 deg.40'00'' N. lat.) to Point Pitas (34 deg.19'02'' N.
lat.), CA, that was tentatively scheduled to open April 2, 1999, will
open April 14, 1999, run 3 days open and 4 days closed, and continue
through the earlier of April 28, 1999, or the attainment of chinook
quotas of 3,000 and 5,000 respectively. NMFS also announces that the
commercial and recreational fisheries for all salmon except coho, in
the areas from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, OR, will open April 1,
1999, and continue through dates to be determined in the 1999
management measures for 1999 ocean salmon fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ). This action is necessary to conform to the 1998
announcement of management measures for 1999 salmon seasons opening
earlier than May 1, 1999, and is intended to ensure conservation of
chinook salmon.
DATES: Effective April 1, 1999, until the effective date of the 1999
management measures, which will be published in the Federal Register
for the west coast salmon fisheries. Comments will be accepted through
April 22, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to William Stelle, Jr., Regional
Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE.,
Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or William Hogarth, Regional
Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, NOAA, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4132. Information relevant to this document
is available for public review during business hours at the Office of
the Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Robinson, 206-526-6140, or
Svein Fougner, 562-980-4030.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1999 April test fishery off southern
California is a continuation of the test fishery initiated in April
1997, and is intended to evaluate the contribution of Sacramento River
winter chinook and Central Valley spring chinook to the commercial
catch off Morro Bay and Santa Barbara during the month of April.
Sacramento River winter chinook are listed under the Federal and
California State endangered species acts and Central Valley spring
chinook are listed under the state act and proposed under the Federal
act.
In the 1998 management measures for 1999 ocean salmon fisheries in
the EEZ opening earlier than May 1, 1999 (63 FR 24973, May 6, 1998),
NMFS announced that an experimental fishery would open between Point
Sur and the U.S.-Mexican border for all salmon except coho, from April
2, 1999, through the earlier of April 29, 1999, or achievement of a
chinook quota. Details regarding the season, the areas, the chinook
quota, and participating vessels would be determined through an
inseason recommendation of the Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) at the November 1998 meeting.
At the November meeting, the Council decided to delay the final
recommendation until its March meeting when there would be more
information available about the status of the stocks in 1999. At the
March 1999 meeting, the Council made its inseason recommendation to
open the April test fishery in two locations: the area from Point
Pillar to Point Pigeon and from Point Piedras Blancas to Point Pitas,
CA. The Council also recommended adding an additional test area between
Point Pillar and Point Pigeon to provide comparative data from the same
year in a different area. In evaluating the effect of the test fishery
to determine whether the overall impact of the proposed options for
1999 ocean fisheries on Sacramento River winter chinook will achieve
NMFS consultation standards under the Endangered Species Act, the
Council considered the results of the 1997 April test fishery from
Point Lopez to Point Mugu and substantially increased its estimates of
the incidental take of winter chinook associated with the fishery
relative to the estimate used in evaluating the 1997 April test
fishery.
The test fishery will be conducted from Point Pillar to Point
Pigeon, for all salmon except coho, with a 3,000 chinook quota; from
Point Piedras Blancas to Point Conception (34 deg.27'00'' N. lat.), for
all salmon except coho, with a 2,500 chinook quota; and Point
Conception to Point Pitas, for all salmon except coho, with a 2,500
chinook quota. The subareas and subquotas between Point Piedras Blancas
and Point Pitas are intended to ensure that samples are collected
uniformly over the entire area. The season will open 0001 hours local
time, April 14, 1999, and operate on a schedule of 3 days open and 4
days closed, through the earlier of 2359 hours local time April 28,
1999, or attainment of chinook
[[Page 17126]]
quotas. All fish must be landed within 24 hours of closure and there is
a daily possession and landing limit of 30 fish/day. The fishery will
be open April 14-16, will be closed April 17-20, will be reopened April
21-23, will be closed April 24-27, and will be reopened April 28. The
minimum size limit is 26 inches (66.0 cm) total length; all fish must
be landed in the same area in which they were caught; all fish must be
landed daily to ensure good tissue quality needed for genetic sampling;
and all fish must be offloaded within 12 hours of reaching port and
documented with a California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) landing
receipt (no transportation tickets). The southernmost boundary of the
fishery is a line between Point Pitas and the eastern end of Anacapa
Island (34 deg.00'56'' N. lat.); all other boundaries run due west of
the referenced points to the outer limit of the EEZ. Landing limits and
days open may be adjusted inseason to meet the requirements of data
collection. If landing limits or open days are changed or the quota is
attained in any area before April 28, 1999, the closure of the area and
any other inseason action will be announced on the NMFS hot line and in
a notice to mariners.
In the 1998 annual management measures for ocean salmon fisheries
(63 FR 24973, May 6, 1998), inseason management guidance was provided
to NMFS such that the Council would consider at the March 1999 meeting
a recommendation to open commercial and recreational seasons for all
salmon except coho in areas off Oregon. Due to the timing of the March
and April Council meetings, where the major 1999 salmon seasons are
developed, such action would be necessary to implement the opening of
these seasons prior to May 1, 1999. In the 1998 management measures for
1999 ocean salmon fisheries, NMFS announced that the recreational
fishery would not open until May 1, 1999, between Cape Falcon and
Humbug Mountain, OR, for all salmon except coho, unless opened
following an inseason recommendation of the Council at the March 1999
meeting. In addition, the Council could also consider inseason
modifications to open or modify commercial fisheries off Oregon, for
all salmon except coho, prior to May 1, 1999.
At the March 1999 meeting, the Council made its inseason
recommendations to open the recreational and commercial fisheries, for
all salmon except coho, from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, OR, on
April 1, 1999. The closing dates for both fisheries will be determined
at the April 1999 meeting when the entire 1999 management measures for
the 1999 ocean salmon fisheries are finalized.
The recreational fishery for all salmon except coho, from Cape
Falcon to Humbug Mountain, OR, opens on April 1, 1999. The daily
possession limit is two fish per day, with no more than six fish
retained in 7 consecutive days. The minimum size limit is 20 inches
(50.8 cm). Allowed gear is artificial lures and plugs of any size, or
bait no less than 6 inches (15.2 cm) long (excluding hooks and
swivels). All gear must have no more than two single point, single
shank barbless hooks. Divers are prohibited and flashers may only be
used with downriggers. Oregon State regulations describe a closure at
the mouth of Tillamook Bay.
The commercial fishery for all salmon except coho, from Cape Falcon
to Humbug Mountain, OR, opens on April 1, 1999. No more than four
spreads are allowed per line. The minimum size limit is 26 inches (66.0
cm) (19.5 in (49.5 cm) head-off). Chinook not less than 26 inches (66.0
cm) (19.5 inches (49.5 cm) head-off) taken in open seasons south of
Cape Falcon may be landed north of Cape Falcon only when the season is
closed north of Cape Falcon. Oregon state regulations describe a
closure at the mouth of Tillamook Bay.
The Regional Administrator consulted with representatives of the
Council, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife, and the CDFG regarding these adjustments. The
State of California will manage test commercial fisheries in state
waters adjacent to these areas of the exclusive economic zone in
accordance with this Federal action. As provided by the inseason notice
procedures at 50 CFR 660.411, actual notice to fishermen of these
actions will be given prior to 0001 hours local time, April 1, 1999, by
telephone hotline number 206-526-6667 or 800-662-9825 and by U.S. Coast
Guard Notice to Mariners broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz.
Because of the need for immediate action, NMFS has determined that
good cause exists for this document to be issued without affording a
prior opportunity for public comment. This document does not apply to
other fisheries that may be operating in other areas.
Classification
This action is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 and 660.411 and is
exempt from review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 2, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-8766 Filed 4-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
