[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30926-30927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14632]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 990304062-9062-01; I.D. 060499A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in
Statistical Area 610
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in
Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to prevent exceeding the second seasonal apportionment of
pollock total allowable catch (TAC) in this area.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 7, 1999,
until 1200 hours, A.l.t., September 1, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Pearson, 907-486-6919 or
tom.pearson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H
of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The second seasonal apportionment of pollock TAC is equal to 20
percent of the annual TAC (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)(C)). The
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has
determined that any amount of unharvested first seasonal apportionment
of TAC or any amount of TAC harvested in excess of the first seasonal
apportionment shall be proportionately added to or subtracted from
subsequent seasonal apportionments throughout the remainder of the
fishing year, with the provision that no seasonal apportionment shall
exceed 30 percent
[[Page 30927]]
of the annual TAC (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)(C)). This action is consistent
with the manner in which underages and/or overages of seasonal
apportionments of pollock TAC have been managed in previous years. The
pollock TAC in Statistical Area 610 was established by the Final 1999
Harvest Specifications (64 FR 12094, March 11, 1999) as 23,120 metric
tons (mt) for the entire 1999 fishing year. In accordance with
Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)(C), the second seasonal apportionment of pollock
TAC in the Statistical Area 610 is 4,180 mt. This is 444 mt less than
the 1999 allocation of 4,624 mt because a 22 percent overage in the
previous season's catch has been deducted for this seasonal allowance.
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator
has determined that the second seasonal apportionment of pollock TAC in
Statistical Area 610 has been reached. Therefore, the Regional
Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of 3,980 mt,
and is setting aside the remaining 200 mt as bycatch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries. In accordance with
Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator finds that this
directed fishing allowance has been reached. Consequently, NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610.
Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).
Classification
This action responds to the second seasonal TAC limitations and
other restrictions on the fisheries established in the final 1999
harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA. It must be
implemented immediately to prevent overharvesting the second seasonal
apportionment of pollock TAC in Statistical Area 610 of the GOA. A
delay in the effective date is impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. Further delay would only result in overharvest. NMFS finds
for good cause that the implementation of this action should not be
delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the
effective date is hereby waived.
This action is required by 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 4, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-14632 Filed 6-4-99; 4:19 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
