[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 30287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14467]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 052897A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Shortraker
and Rougheye Rockfish in the Aleutian Islands Subarea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting retention of
Pacific cod in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels using trawl gear.
This action is necessary to prevent overfishing of the shortraker/
rougheye rockfish species group.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), May 29, 1997,
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997. Comments must be received at
the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., June 18, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief,
Fisheries Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,
Juneau, AK 99802-1668 [Attn. Lori Gravel], or be delivered to the
fourth floor of the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 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-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Fishing by U.S.
vessels is governed by regulations implementing the FMP at subpart H of
50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that conservation and management
measures prevent overfishing. The 1997 overfishing level for the
shortraker/rougheye rockfish species group in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI is established by the Final 1997 Harvest
Specifications for Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18,
1997) as 1,250 metric tons (mt). The acceptable biological catch level
for this group is 938 mt. As of May 10, 1997, 1,206 mt of shortraker/
rougheye rockfish have been caught.
NMFS closed directed fishing for shortraker/rougheye rockfish in
the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish and prohibited
retention of shortraker/rougheye rockfish on April 2, 1997 (62 FR
16736, April 8, 1997). Substantial trawl fishing effort will be
directed at remaining amounts of Pacific cod in the Aleutian Islands
subarea during 1997. These fisheries can have significant bycatch of
shortraker/rougheye rockfish.
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in
accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i) and (a)(2)(iii), that closing the
season by prohibiting retention of Pacific cod by vessels using trawl
gear is necessary to prevent overfishing of the shortraker/rougheye
rockfish species group, and is the least restrictive measure to achieve
that purpose. Without this prohibition of retention, significant
incidental catch of shortraker/rougheye rockfish would occur by trawl
vessels targeting Pacific cod.
Therefore, NMFS is requiring that further catches of Pacific cod by
vessels using trawl gear in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI be
treated as prohibited species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(b)(2).
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good
cause that providing prior notice and public comment or delaying the
effective date of this action is impracticable and contrary to the
public interest. Immediate effectiveness is necessary to prevent
overfishing of shortraker/rougheye rockfish in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI. Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are
invited to submit written comments on this action to the above address
until June 18, 1997.
Classification
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: May 28, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14467 Filed 5-29-97; 4:26 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
