[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 188 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24670]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 091996B]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Northern
Rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Modification of a closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for northern rockfish in the
Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to fully utilize the total allowable catch (TAC) of northern
rockfish in that area.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 1, 1996,
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Pearson, 907-486-6919.
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.
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii), the annual TAC for
northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA was
established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61
FR 4304, February 5, 1996) as 640 metric tons (mt). The directed
fishery for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA
was closed to directed fishing under Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) in order to
reserve amounts anticipated to be needed for incidental catch in other
fisheries (61 FR 37226, July 17, 1996). NMFS has determined that, as of
September 7, 1996, 527 mt remain in the directed fishing allowance.
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the
1996 directed fishing allowance of northern rockfish in the Western
Regulatory Area of the GOA has not been reached. Therefore, NMFS is
terminating the previous closure and is opening directed fishing for
northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
All other closures remain in full force and effect.
Classification
This action is taken under Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 20, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24670 Filed 9-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
