96-18079. Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western Regulatory Area

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 37226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18079]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 071096D]


Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the 
Western Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for Pacific ocean perch 
in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska management area 
(GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the Pacific ocean 
perch total allowable catch (TAC) in the Western Regulatory Area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 
11, 1996, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive 
economic zone is managed by NMFS 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 
Fishery Conservation and Management 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 Pacific ocean perch TAC for the Western Regulatory Area was 
established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 
FR 4304, February 5, 1996) as 1,260 metric tons (mt). (See 
Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii).)
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has 
determined that the Pacific ocean perch TAC in the Western Regulatory 
Area soon will be reached. (See Sec. 679.20(d)(1).) Therefore, the 
Regional Director has established a directed fishing allowance of 1,100 
mt, with consideration that 160 mt will be taken as incidental catch in 
directed fishing for other species in the Western Regulatory Area. The 
Regional Director has determined that the directed fishing allowance 
has been reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing 
for the Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e).

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from OMB 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: July 11, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18079 Filed 7-11-96; 4:51 pm]
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