[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29676-29677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14216]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 970403076-7114-02; I.D. 052797A]
Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Temporary Closure
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a temporary closure of the unrestricted primary
season for Pacific whiting (whiting) south of 42 deg. N. lat. at noon
May 27, 1997, and reimposition of a 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) trip limit
until 0001 hours June 15, 1997, at which time the primary season south
of 42 deg. N. lat. will resume. This action is authorized by
regulations implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off
Washington, Oregon, and California. This action is intended to keep the
harvest of whiting at levels announced by the Secretary at 62 FR 27519
(May 20, 1997).
DATES: Effective from 12 noon (local time) May 27, 1997, until 2400
hours June 14, 1997. Comments will be accepted through June 17, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to William Stelle, Jr., Administrator,
Northwest Region (Regional Administrator), National Marine Fisheries
Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or William
Hogarth, Acting Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA
90802-4213.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson at 206-526-6140 or
Rodney McInnis at 562-980-4040.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a) (3) and
(4) (62 FR 27519, May 20, 1997) established separate allocations for
the catcher/processor, mothership, and shore-based sectors of the
whiting fishery, and announced starting dates for each sector's primary
season. The primary season for the shore-based sector is the period(s)
when the virtually unrestricted, large-scale target fishery is
conducted, and thus when routine trip limits are not in effect. The
regulations further divide the shore-based allocation so that no more
than 5 percent of the shore-based allocation for whiting may be taken
and retained south of 42 deg. N. lat. before the primary season begins
north of 42 deg. N. lat. The primary season for the shore-based sector
south of 42 deg. N. lat. began in late April, earlier than the northern
season which begins on June 15, 1997, because whiting migrate from
south to north during the fishing year. (The first large whiting
landing south of 42 deg. N. lat. occurred on April 27, 1997, although
the fishery could have started on March 1, 1997.) The 5-percent cap is
intended to discourage effort shifts to the south area early in the
year. The shore-based whiting allocation is 86,900 mt in 1997, and the
5-percent cap on early fishing south of 42 deg. N. lat. is 4,345 mt.
When the 5-percent cap is reached, the 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) trip limit
that was in place before the start of the southern primary season is
reimposed and remains in effect until the start of the northern primary
season on June 15, 1997.
The best available information on May 23, 1997, indicates that
4,023 mt of whiting have been taken by the shore-based fishery south of
42 deg. N. lat. through May 21, 1997, and that 4,345 mt are projected
to be taken by noon May 27, 1997. Therefore, the 10,000-lb (4,536 kg)
trip limit announced in the 1997 annual management measures is resumed
until the primary season begins north of 42 deg. N. lat.
NMFS Action
For the reasons stated above, and in accordance with the
regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4) (i)(B) and (iii)(D), NMFS amends
paragraph F. of Section
[[Page 29677]]
IV. of the 1997 annual management measures (62 FR 700, January 6,
1997), by adding paragraph (c), to read as follows:
F. Whiting.
(1) * * *
(c) Effective 12 noon May 27, 1997, to 2400 hours (12 midnight)
June 14, 1997 (local times), no more than 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of
whiting may be taken and retained, possessed or landed south of 42 deg.
N. lat. This trip limit includes any whiting caught shoreward of 100 fm
(183 m) in the Eureka subarea. Effective 0001 hours June 15, 1997, the
primary season south of 42 deg. N. lat. will resume, concurrent with
the start of the primary season north of 42 deg. N. lat.
* * * * *
Classification
This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the FMP.
The determination to take these actions is based on the most recent
data available. The aggregate data upon which the determinations are
based are available for public inspection at the office of the Regional
Administrator (see ADDRESSES) during business hours. This action is
taken under the authority of at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4) (i)(B) and
(iii)(D), and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 27, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14216 Filed 5-27-97; 4:43 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
