[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 26840-26841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12387]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 301
[Docket No. 950106003-5070-02; I.D. 051595G]
Pacific Halibut Fisheries
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason action; vessel clearance procedures.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, on behalf of
the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes this
inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations approved by the U.S.
Government to govern the Pacific halibut fishery. This action is
intended to enhance the conservation of the Pacific halibut stock in
order to help sustain it at an adequate level in the northern Pacific
Ocean and Bering Sea.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 15, 1995, through December 31, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Pennoyer, 907-586-7221;
William W. Stelle, Jr., 206-526-6140; or Donald McCaughran, 206-634-
1838.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IPHC, under the Convention between the
United States of America and Canada for the preservation of the Halibut
Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (signed at Ottawa,
Ontario, on March 2, 1953), as amended by a Protocol Amending the
Convention (signed at Washington, DC, on March 29 1979), has issued
this inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations governing the Pacific
halibut fishery. The regulations have been approved by NMFS (60 FR
14651, March 20, 1995). On behalf of the IPHC, this inseason action is
published in the Federal Register to provide additional notice of its
effectiveness, and to inform persons subject to the inseason action of
the restrictions and requirements established therein.
Inseason Action
1995 Bering Sea Halibut Vessel Clearance Procedures
All halibut vessels fishing in Area 4A must obtain a vessel
clearance from a designated fish processor either in Akutan or Dutch
Harbor both prior to fishing, and prior to unloading.
All halibut vessels fishing in Area 4B must obtain a vessel
clearance from Atka Pride Seafoods in Nazan Bay on Atka Island, both
prior to fishing and prior to unloading and/or departure from Area 4B.
The vessel operator must obtain the clearance required prior to
fishing, in person. The clearance required after fishing may be
obtained in person, or via VHF radio (call on VHF channel 6) as long as
the person granting the clearance can visually confirm the identity of
the vessel. Vessels that fish only in Area 4B and land their entire
annual halibut catch at a port within Area 4B are exempt from the
vessel clearance requirements.
All halibut vessels fishing in Area 4C and 4D must obtain a vessel
clearance prior to fishing from a designated fish processor in either
Akutan or Dutch Harbor. The vessel clearance required prior to
unloading must be obtained at St. George or St. Paul, either in person,
or via VHF radio as long as the person granting the clearance can
visually confirm the identity of the vessel. Clearance at St. George
can be obtained from the harbor master (call on VHF channel 16).
Clearance at St. Paul can be obtained from either Trident Seafoods
(call on VHF channel 73) or from Unisea (call on VHF channel 74).
Vessels that only fish in Area 4C and land their total annual halibut
catch at a port within Area 4C are exempt from the vessel clearance
requirements. Vessels that fish only in Area 4D and 4E, and land their
total annual halibut catch at a port within Areas 4D, 4E, or the Bering
Sea closed area, are also exempt from the vessel clearance
requirements. [[Page 26841]]
Vessel clearances can only be obtained between 0600 hours and 1800
hours, local time. No halibut may be on board the vessel at the time of
obtaining the clearance required prior to fishing in Area 4.
The clearance form for all vessel clearances obtained in person
must be signed by the vessel operator. The clearance form for all
vessel clearances obtained by VHF radio must be signed by the issuing
officer.
Dated: May 15, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-12387 Filed 5-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
