[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 91 (Thursday, May 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11549]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 12, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Parts 671, 672, 675, and 676

[I.D. 050494B]

 

Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; 
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; King and Tanner Crab 
of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; Limited Access Management of 
Federal Fisheries In and Off of Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of amendments to fishery management 
plans; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted Amendment 23 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the 
Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI), 
Amendment 28 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), and 
Amendment 4 to the FMP for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab 
Fisheries in the BSAI for review by the Secretary of Commerce 
(Secretary). The amendments would establish a moratorium on the entry 
of new vessels into these fisheries. Comments are requested from the 
public. Copies of the amendments may be obtained from the Council (see 
ADDRESSES).

DATES: Comments on the FMP amendments must be submitted by July 8, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the FMP amendments must be submitted to Ronald 
J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802 (Attn: Lori Gravel).
    Copies of the amendments and the environmental assessment/
regulatory impact review/initial regulatory flexibility analysis 
prepared for the amendments are available from the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council, P.O. Box 103136, Anchorage, AK 99510; 
telephone: 907-271-2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David C. Ham, Fishery Management 
Biologist, Alaska Region, NMFS at 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that each Regional Fishery 
Management Council submit any FMP or FMP amendment it prepares to the 
Secretary for review and approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. 
The Magnuson Act also requires that the Secretary, upon reviewing the 
plan or amendment, immediately publish a notice in the Federal Register 
that the plan or amendment is available for public review and comment. 
The Secretary will consider the public comments received during the 
comment period in determining whether to approve these amendments.
    The three FMPs and a companion regulatory amendment for the halibut 
fishery would establish a 3-year moratorium on the entry of new vessels 
into the groundfish fishery of the GOA and BSAI, the king and Tanner 
crab fishery of the BSAI, and halibut fishery in and off of Alaska. The 
purpose of the moratorium is to curtail increases in harvesting 
capacity and provide industry stability, while the Council assesses 
long-term management alternatives for its comprehensive management 
plan.
    The moratorium would be implemented through the issuance of Federal 
vessel permits for groundfish in the GOA and BSAI, Federal vessel 
permits for crab in the BSAI, and International Pacific Halibut 
Commission (IPHC) vessel permits for halibut in the Convention waters 
in and off of Alaska. Vessel permits for these fisheries would be 
issued only to vessels that had a historical landing in a moratorium 
fishery from January 1, 1980, to February 9, 1992.
    The companion regulatory amendment would effect changes to rules 
governing the harvest of Pacific halibut by U.S. fishermen in and off 
of Alaska. The Council does not have an FMP for halibut. The domestic 
fishery for halibut in and off Alaska is managed by the IPHC, as 
provided by the Convention between the United States and Canada for the 
Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and 
the Bering Sea (Convention), and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. The 
Convention and the Halibut Act authorize the respective Regional 
Fishery Management Councils established by the Magnuson Act to develop 
regulations that are in addition to, but not in conflict with, 
regulations adopted by the IPHC affecting the U.S. halibut fishery. 
Under this authority, the Council may develop, for approval by the 
Secretary, limited access policies for the Pacific halibut fishery in 
Convention waters in and off of Alaska. ``Convention waters'' means the 
maritime areas off the west coast of the United States and Canada as 
described in Article I of the Convention (see 16 U.S.C. 773(d)). The 
Council acted under this authority in recommending its proposed 
moratorium for the halibut fishery. Regulations governing the 
harvesting of Pacific halibut are set forth at 50 CFR parts 301 and 
676.
    Regulations proposed by the Council to implement these amendments 
are scheduled to be published within 15 days of this document.

    Dated: May 9, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-11549 Filed 5-9-94; 2:26 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P