[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28069-28070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13952]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 672
[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 052896E]
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Pollock in the Western
Regulatory Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment closing directed fishing
for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore
component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA).
This adjustment closes the fishery 12 hours after its scheduled opening
at noon, A.l.t., June 1, 1996, and is necessary to allow the harvest of
the total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the Western Regulatory
Area.
DATES: Fishery will be closed midnight, A.l.t., June 1, 1996, until 12
noon, A.l.t., July 1, 1996. Comments must be received at the following
address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., June 14, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802, Attn: Lori Gravel, or be delivered to the fourth floor of the
Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael L. Sloan, 907-581-2062.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive
economic zone is managed by the NMFS according to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act). Fishing by U.S.
vessels is governed by regulations implementing the FMP at 50 CFR parts
620 and 672.
As of May 11, 1996, 5,704 metric tons (mt) of pollock remain in the
second quarterly allowance of the inshore allocation of the Western
Regulatory Area of the GOA pollock TAC. In accordance with
Sec. 672.23(e), directed fishing for pollock in the Western Regulatory
Area of the GOA is scheduled from 12 noon, A.l.t., June 1 until 12
noon, A.l.t., July 1, 1996, or until the TAC is reached, whichever
occurs first.
Section 672.23(b) specifies that the time of all openings and
closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the
calendar fishing year is 12:00 noon, A.l.t. A fishery opening,
therefore, normally extends for a minimum of 24 hours. Current
information shows the catching capacity of vessels catching pollock for
processing by the inshore component is in excess of 9,600 mt per day.
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the remaining
portion of the TAC allocated to the inshore component would be exceeded
if a 24-hour fishery were allowed to occur. NMFS intends that the TAC
should not be exceeded, and will not allow a 24-hour directed fishery.
NMFS in accordance with Sec. 672.22(a)(1)(i), is adjusting the
season for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the
inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA by allowing
the scheduled opening of the directed fishery at 12:00 noon, A.l.t.,
June 1, 1996. The fishery will remain open until 12:00 midnight,
A.l.t., June 1 at which time it will be closed. This action has the
effect of opening the fishery for 12 hours. NMFS is taking this action
to allow a controlled fishery to occur, thereby preventing either the
[[Page 28070]]
underharvest or overharvest of the pollock TAC allocated to the inshore
component as authorized by Sec. 672.22(a)(2)(iii). In accordance with
672.22(a)(4), NMFS has determined that closing the season at midnight,
A.l.t., June 1 after a 12-hour opening is the least restrictive
management adjustment to achieve the second quarterly allowance of the
pollock TAC allocated to the inshore component and will allow other
fisheries to continue in noncritical areas and time periods.
Classification
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. Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow
this fishery, and the second quarterly allowance of the pollock TAC in
the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA would not be harvested in
accordance with the regulatory schedule, resulting in a seasonal loss
of more than 1.0 million dollars. Under Sec. 672.22(c)(2), interested
persons are invited to submit written comments on this action to the
above address until June 14, 1996.
This action is taken under Sec. 672.22 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 29, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-13952 Filed 5-30-96; 4:21 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
