01-5237. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Central Aleutian District and Bering Sea Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Closure, notice of opening.

SUMMARY:

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2001 A season harvest specification of Atka mackerel. NMFS is also opening fishing with trawl gear in Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District for species for which directed fisheries are open.

DATES:

Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 28, 2001, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (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 2001 A season Atka mackerel TAC in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI is 15,540 metric tons (mt) as established by the Final 2001 Harvest Specifications and Associated Management Measures for the Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska (66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2001 A season Atka mackerel total allowable catch (TAC) in the Central Aleutian District will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of 15,290 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 250 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance soon will be reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations at § 679.20(e) and (f).

On February 13, 2001, NMFS prohibited trawling within Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District because the allowable harvest of Atka mackerel in the Steller Sea lion protection areas in the Central Aleutian District had been reached (FR 66 10637, February 16, 2001). Regulations at § 679.22(a)(12)(iii)(C) authorize opening Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District to fishing with trawl gear after NMFS closes Atka mackerel to directed fishing within that district. Therefore, NMFS announces that it is opening critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District to fishing with trawl gear for species open to directed fishing.

Classification

This action responds to the best available information recently obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that the need to immediately implement this action to prevent exceeding the amount of the 2001 A season harvest specification of Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI constitutes good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 50 CFR 679.20(b)(3)(iii)(A), as such procedures would be unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Similarly, the need to implement these measures in a timely fashion to prevent exceeding the 2001 A season harvest specification of Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI constitutes good cause to find that the effective date of this action cannot 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 §§ 679.20 and 679.22 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

Dated: February 27, 2001.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.