[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 14 (Friday, January 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1410]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 21, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 661

[I.D. #011094A]

 

Ocean Salmon Fisheries Off the Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and 
California

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management 
plan and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice that the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 11 (amendment) to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries Off 
the Coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (FMP) for review by 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). Amendment 11 would modify the 
spawning escapement goal for Oregon coastal natural (OCN) coho salmon 
and the criteria for establishing and managing subarea allocations for 
recreational coho salmon harvest south of Cape Falcon, Oregon 
(45 deg.46'00'' N. lat.), at relatively low harvest levels.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 10, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to J. Gary Smith, Acting Director, 
Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand 
Point Way NE., BIN C15700-Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070, or Dr. Gary 
Matlock, Acting Director, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. 
Copies of the amendment are available upon request from Lawrence D. 
Six, Executive Director, Pacific Fishery Management Council, Metro 
Center, Suite 420, 2000 SW. First Avenue, Portland, OR 97201-5344.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:William L. Robinson, Northwest Region, 
NMFS, at 206-526-6140; Rodney R. McInnis, Southwest Region, NMFS, at 
310-980-4040; or Lawrence D. Six, PFMC, at 503-221-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. (Magnuson Act), requires that a 
regional fishery management council submit any amendment to a fishery 
management plan it has prepared to the Secretary for review and 
approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also 
requires that the Secretary, upon receipt of the amendment, immediately 
publish a notice stating that the amendment is available for public 
review and comment. The Secretary will consider all public comments 
received during the public comment period in deciding whether to 
approve the amendment for implementation.
    Amendment 11 to the FMP was prepared by the Council and is intended 
to address persistent low OCN coho stock abundance and annual 
escapement goals below maximum sustainable yield (MSY), to avoid 
imbalances in recreational coho harvest allocation at low allowable 
harvest levels, and to avoid the frequent use of energy rulemaking to 
implement annual management measures. The amendment proposes to modify 
the OCN coho spawning escapement goal so as to achieve an aggregate OCN 
adult spawning density of 42 naturally spawning adults per mile in 
standard index survey areas, which currently is equivalent to 200,000 
naturally spawning adults for Oregon coastal habitat, the MSY spawning 
escapement goal identified in the FMP. When OCN coho abundance is 
forecast to be less than 125 percent of the annual numerical escapement 
goal, an exploitation rate of up to 20 percent will be allowed for 
incidental impacts of the combined ocean troll, sport, and freshwater 
fisheries. At OCN spawning escapements of 28 or fewer adults per mile, 
an exploitation rate of up to 20 percent may be allowed to provide only 
minimum incidental harvest to prosecute other fisheries and which will 
cause no irreparable harm to the OCN stock.
    The amendment also proposes to modify the subarea allocations for 
the recreational fishery south of Cape Falcon when the allowable 
recreational coho allocation for the entire area is equal to or less 
than 167,000 fish. This modification is intended to maintain the 
historical catch distribution between Oregon and California when stock 
sizes are at low levels so that one geographical area is not 
disproportionately affected by the harvest reductions. Two subareas 
with independent impact quotas will be established: the subarea from 
Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain, Oregon (42 deg.40'30'' N. lat.), would 
receive 70 percent of the total recreational coho allocation, and the 
subarea south of Humbug Mountain would receive 30 percent. The two 
subareas will be managed for their respective impact quotas, and the 
recreational fisheries for coho salmon in each area may be closed upon 
attainment of the quota except for the area south of Point Arena, 
California. South of Humbug Mountain, there are two additional 
conditions: (1) an impact guideline of 3 percent of the overall south 
of Cape Falcon recreational allocation will be applied from Horse 
Mountain (40 deg.05'00'' N. lat.) to Point Arena, California 
(38 deg.57'30'' N. lat.), and (2) the recreational fishery for coho 
salmon will not be closed south of Point Arena upon attainment of the 
south of Humbug Mountain impact quota, but the projected harvest 
through the end of the year will be included in the south of Humbug 
Mountain impact quota. Quota transfers between subareas are allowed on 
a one-for-one basis, but only if chinook constraints preclude access to 
coho salmon.
    An environmental assessment and a regulatory impact review are 
incorporated in the amendment. All are available for public review as 
noted above.
    Proposed regulations to implement this amendment are scheduled to 
be published within 15 days of this notice.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 661

    Fisheries, Fishing, Indians, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

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

    Dated: January 14, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-1410 Filed 1-14-94; 3:30 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-M