[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 21, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32278-32279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-15093]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675
[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 051595J]
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area;
Apportionment of Reserve
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Apportionment of reserve.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is apportioning reserve to certain target species in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is
necessary to allow for ongoing harvest and account for previous harvest
of the total allowable catch (TAC).
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 20, 1995,
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nick Hindman, 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 Fishery Conservation and Management
Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations implementing
the FMP at 50 CFR parts 620 and 675.
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the initial
TACs specified for the following species need to be supplemented from
the nonspecific reserve to continue fishing operations and account for
prior harvest: Pollock, Greenland turbot, and Pacific ocean perch (POP)
in the Bering Sea subarea (BS); pollock, Greenland turbot, POP, and
sharpchin/northern rockfish in the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI); Atka
mackerel in the combined Eastern Aleutian District and BS subarea; Atka
mackerel in the Central and Western Aleutian Island Districts; and
Pacific cod, arrowtooth flounder, and the ``other species'' category in
the BSAI.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(b), NMFS is apportioning
to TACs from the reserve for the following species: (1) For the BS -
93,750 metric tons (mt) to pollock, 700 mt to Greenland turbot, and 277
mt to POP; (2) for the AI - 4,245 mt to pollock, 350 mt to Greenland
turbot, 1,575 mt to POP, and 765 mt to sharpchin/northern rockfish; (3)
for the combined Eastern Aleutian District and BS - 2,025 mt to Atka
mackerel; (4) for the Central Aleutian District - 7,500 mt to Atka
mackerel; (5) for the Western Aleutian District - 2,475 mt to Atka
mackerel; and (6) for the BSAI - 37,500 mt to Pacific cod, 1,534 mt to
arrowtooth flounder, and 3,000 mt to the ``other species'' category.
These apportionments are consistent with Sec. 675.20(a)(2)(i) and
do not result in overfishing of a target species or the ``other
species'' category, because the revised TACs are equal to or less than
specifications of acceptable biological catch.
Pursuant to Sec. 675.20(a)(3)(i), the apportionments of pollock are
allocated between the inshore and offshore components: (1) For the BS -
32,812 mt [[Page 32279]] to vessels catching pollock for processing by
the inshore component and 60,938 mt to vessels catching pollock for
processing by the offshore component; (2) for the AI - 1,486 mt to
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component and
2,759 to vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore
component.
Pursuant to 50 CFR 675.20(a)(3)(iv), the apportionment of the BSAI
Pacific cod TAC is allocated 750 mt to vessels using jig gear, 16,500
mt to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, and 20,250 mt to vessels
using trawl gear.
In accordance with the BSAI final 1995 specifications for
groundfish (FR 60 8479, February 14, 1995), the allocation to hook-and-
line/pot gear will result in seasonal apportionments as follows: For
the period January 1 through April 30 - 80,300 mt, for the period May 1
through August 31 - 20,900 mt, and for the period September 1 through
December 31 - 8,800 mt.
This apportionment was proposed in the Federal Register (60 FR
27488, May 24, 1995) requesting public comment. The public comment
period ended on June 7, 1995, and no comments were received.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 675.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.
Dated: June 14, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-15093 Filed 6-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
