[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21815]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 6, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 663
[Docket No. 931249-3349; I.D. 082294A]
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces an increase in the cumulative trip limit for
the Sebastes complex caught south of Cape Mendocino in the groundfish
fishery off California. This action is authorized by the regulations
implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). This action is designed to keep landings within the 1994 harvest
guidelines for the complex while providing for full utilization of the
complex and extending the fishery as long as possible during the year.
DATES: Effective from 0001 hours (local time) September 1, 1994,
through December 31, 1994. Comments will be accepted through September
21, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to William Stelle, Jr., Director, Northwest
Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE.,
BIN-C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or Rodney McInnis, Acting Director,
Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 West Ocean
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson at 206-526-6140,
or Rodney McInnis at 310-980-4040.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FMP and its implementing regulations (50
CFR part 663) provide for rapid changes to specific management measures
that have been designated ``routine.'' Trip landing limits (including
cumulative trip limits) and frequency limits for the Sebastes complex
are among those management measures that have been designated as
routine at 50 CFR 663.23(c)(1)(i)(B). Implementation and further
adjustment of those measures may occur after consideration at a single
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) meeting. Sebastes complex
means all rockfish managed by the FMP except Pacific ocean perch, widow
rockfish, shortbelly rockfish, and thornyheads. A cumulative trip limit
is the maximum amount that may be taken and retained, possessed or
landed per vessel in a specified period of time, without a limit on the
individual number of landings or trips. Cumulative trip limits for 1994
apply to calendar months.
The coastwide cumulative trip limit in the limited entry fishery
for the Sebastes complex was set at 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) per month,
including no more than 14,000 lb (6,350 kg) of yellowtail rockfish
caught north of Cape Lookout (45 deg.20'15'' N. lat.), or no more than
30,000 lb (13,608 kg) of yellowtail rockfish caught south of Cape
Lookout, and no more than 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) of bocaccio caught
south of Cape Mendocino (40 deg.30'00'' N. lat.) effective January 1,
1994 (59 FR 685, January 6, 1994). The 1994 Sebastes complex harvest
guideline is divided into northern and southern management areas along
the Washington, Oregon, and California coast. The northern harvest
guideline applies to the Vancouver and Columbia subareas, and the
southern harvest guideline applies to the Eureka, Monterey, and
Conception subareas. In the southern area, the total harvest guideline
for the Sebastes complex is 13,440 metric tons (mt), which is further
allocated between the limited entry (8,920 mt) and the open-access
fisheries (4,520 mt).
At the Council's August 1994 meeting in Portland, OR, a review of
the Sebastes complex landings in the southern area (Eureka-Monterey-
Conception) indicated that, through June 1994, approximately 3,805 mt
had been landed in both limited entry and open access fisheries. This
catch is 7 percent higher than during the same period in 1993. Even at
this higher rate, only 8,371 mt (62 percent) of the 1994 Sebastes
complex southern area harvest guideline and 4,856 mt (54 percent) of
the limited entry allocation would be taken during the year, whereas
3,515 mt (80 percent) of the open access allocation is expected to be
taken.
The Council also noted that the catch of yellowtail rockfish in the
Eureka-Columbia-Vancouver area through June 1994 was 4 percent above
the 1993 catch, and that the combined harvest guidelines for that area
could be reached by late November 1994. The catch for bocaccio in the
Conception-Monterey-Eureka areas through June 1994 was about 33 percent
below that in 1992-1993, and it is possible that the overall harvest
guideline for bocaccio may not be attained in 1994. However, changes to
bocaccio trip limits are not warranted, due to uncertainties in species
composition and distribution of the catch between open access and
limited entry fisheries.
In order to encourage limited entry vessels to shift their fishing
effort south, where the Sebastes harvest guideline is not otherwise
likely to be achieved, and to reduce the harvest of yellowtail rockfish
in the Eureka through Vancouver areas, the Council recommended that the
limited entry cumulative trip limit for the Sebastes complex caught
south of Cape Mendocino be increased from 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) to
100,000 lb (45,359 kg) monthly, with no changes to the existing limited
entry cumulative trip limits for yellowtail rockfish caught either
north or south of Cape Lookout, bocaccio caught south of Cape
Mendocino, or for the open access fisheries. The limited entry
cumulative trip limit for the Sebastes complex caught north of Cape
Mendocino remains at 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) per month. This action may
provide incentive for the limited entry fleet to move south of Cape
Mendocino, increasing their focus on other rockfish species while
reducing the pressure on yellowtail rockfish in the Vancouver-Columbia-
Eureka areas.
Secretarial Action
NMFS announces the following changes to the management measures for
the Sebastes complex taken by the limited entry fishery, contained in
the 1994 fishery specifications and management measures as published at
59 FR 685, January 6, 1994, and modified at 59 FR 23638, May 6, 1994.
All other provisions remain in effect.
Paragraph IV C(2)(a) is revised to read as follows:
(2)(a) No more than 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) cumulative of the
Sebastes complex north of Cape Mendocino, or 100,000 lb (45,359 kg)
cumulative of the Sebastes complex south of Cape Mendocino may be taken
and retained, possessed, or landed per vessel per month. Within the
cumulative trip limit for the Sebastes complex, no more than 14,000 lb
(6,350 kg) cumulative may be yellowtail rockfish taken and retained
north of Cape Lookout; no more than 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) cumulative
may be yellowtail rockfish taken and retained south of Cape Lookout;
and no more than 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) cumulative may be bocaccio taken
and retained south of Cape Mendocino.
Paragraph IV C(2)(e) is added to read as follows:
(2)(e) If a vessel is used to fish north of Cape Mendocino during
the month, then that vessel is subject to the trip limit for the
Sebastes complex taken and retained north of Cape Mendocino, no matter
where the fish are possessed or landed. Similarly, if a vessel is used
to take and retain the Sebastes complex south of Cape Mendocino and
possesses or lands the Sebastes complex north of Cape Mendocino, that
vessel is subject to the northern trip limit for the Sebastes complex.
Classification
This action is based on the most recent data available. The
aggregate data upon which the determination is based are available for
public inspection at the office of the Director, Northwest Region, NMFS
(see ADDRESSES) during business hours.
This action is taken under the authority of 50 CFR 663.23(c),
section III.C.1. of the Appendix to 50 CFR part 663, and is exempt from
OMB review under E.O. 12866.
Dated: August 30, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-21815 Filed 8-31-94; 9:16 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
