01-17369. Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Local Area Management Plan for the Halibut Fishery in Sitka Sound; Correction

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Correcting amendment.

SUMMARY:

This document amends the final regulations published in the Federal Register on September 29, 1999, containing the geographic coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe, which is one of the boundary points of the Local Area Management Plan (LAMP) for the halibut fishery in Sitka Sound in the Gulf of Alaska.

DATES:

Effective July 11, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The final regulations that are the subject of these corrections were published on September 29, 1999. Those regulations implemented the Sitka Sound LAMP, which is intended to address user conflicts resulting from decreased availability of Pacific halibut within Sitka Sound, an area defined in the implementing regulations at § 300.63(d)(1) of the Code of Federal Regulations. In a recent review of this regulation, NMFS discovered a typographical error in the geographic coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe, one of the points describing the boundary of Sitka Sound within which the LAMP management measures apply.

Need for Correction

As published, § 300.63(d)(1)(i) correctly identifies Cape Edgecumbe as the starting point for the southwestern boundary of Sitka Sound, but incorrectly states that Cape Edgecumbe is located at 57°59′54″ N. lat., 135°51′27″ W. long., a geographic position that is one full degree (60 nautical miles) north of the true location of Cape Edgecumbe. This action amends section 300.63(d)(1)(i) and its associated Figure 1 to Subpart E by correctly describing the geographic coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe at 56°59′54″ N. lat., 135°51′27″ W. long. -

Classification

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that the need to immediately correct the published coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe will eliminate a potential source of confusion as to its location and the boundary of the Sitka Sound LAMP area and constitutes good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), as such procedures would be unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Similarly, as this action does not change the designation of Cape Edgecumbe as one of the points describing the boundary of Sitka Sound and does not substantively alter the area within which the LAMP management measures apply, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, waives the 30-day delay in effective date pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 300

• Fisheries
• Fishing
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Treaties

Accordingly, 50 CFR part 300 is corrected by making the following correcting amendment:

PART 300—INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 300 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.

2. Remove “57°59′54″” and replace it with “56°59′54″” in the following places:

(a) In § 300.63(d)(1)(i) and

(b) In Figure 1 to Subpart E-Sitka Sound Local Area Management Plan Boundaries b. Coordinates, under heading Southern Boundaries, paragraph (1).

Dated: July 3, 2001.

John Oliver,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine Fisheries Service.