[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 107 (Monday, June 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-13702]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 6, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 301

[Docket No. 931235-4107; I.D. 052694A]

 

Pacific Halibut Fisheries

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

ACTION: Notice of inseason action.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, on behalf of 
the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes notice 
of this inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations approved by the 
United States Government to govern the Pacific halibut fishery. This 
action is intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut 
stocks in order to help sustain them at an adequate level in the 
northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 17, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Pennoyer, telephone 907-586-
7221; Gary Smith, telephone 206-526-6140; or Donald McCaughran, 
telephone 206-634-1838.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IPHC, under the Convention between the 
United States of America and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut 
Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (signed at Ottawa, 
Ontario, on March 2, 1953), as amended by a Protocol Amending the 
Convention (signed at Washington, DC, on March 29, 1979), has issued 
this inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations governing the Pacific 
halibut fishery. The regulations have been approved by the Secretary of 
State of the United States of America (58 FR 17791, April 6, 1993). On 
behalf of the IPHC, this inseason action is published in the Federal 
Register to provide additional notice of its effectiveness, and to 
inform persons subject to the inseason action of the restrictions and 
requirements established therein.

Inseason Action

1994 Halibut Landing Report No. 2

    First Oregon Sport Season to Close May 20.
    The preliminary catch estimate for the 1994 sport halibut fishery 
between Cape Falcon (latitude 45 deg.46'00''N) and the California 
border (latitude 42 deg.00'00''N) indicates the 53,641 pound (24.3 mt) 
catch limit will be reached on May 20. Therefore, the sport halibut 
fishery in this area will close at 11:59 p.m. on May 20.
    Sport fishing for Pacific halibut will re-open May 21 through 
August 5, 7 days a week, only in the area inside the 30-fathom curve 
nearest to the coastline as plotted on National Ocean Service charts 
numbered 18520, 18580, and 18600 from Cape Falcon to the California 
border, or until 2,716 pounds (1.2 mt) are estimated to have been taken 
and the season is closed by the Commission, whichever occurs first. The 
daily bag limit remains two halibut per person, one with a minimum 
overall size limit of 32 inches (81 cm) and the second with a minimum 
overall size limit of 50 inches (127 cm).

    Dated: May 31, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Mangement, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-13702 Filed 6-3-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F