[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 116 (Friday, June 17, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-14724] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: June 17, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 676 [I.D. 060994B] 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 and request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 31 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI) and Amendment 35 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for Secretarial review and is requesting comments from the public. These amendments would implement the Modified Block proposal, an action intended to discourage excessive consolidation in the Pacific halibut and sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. DATES: Comments on the FMP amendments should be submitted by August 12, 1994. ADDRESSES: Comments on the FMP amendments should be submitted to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 709 W. 9th, Room 453, Juneau, AK 99801 or P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attention: Lori J. Gravel. Copies of the amendments and the environmental assessment/regulatory impact review/initial regulatory flexibility analysis prepared for the amendments are available from the Council, P.O. Box 103136, Anchorage, AK 99510. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Lepore, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that each Regional Fishery Management Council submit any fishery management plan or plan amendment it prepares to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review and approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires that the Secretary, upon reviewing the plan or amendment, must immediately publish a notice 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 the plan or amendment. Amendments 31 and 35 to the respective FMPs would implement the Modified Block proposal to the Pacific halibut and sablefish IFQ program. These amendments would authorize the issuance of quota share (QS) blocks for QS that would have resulted in less than 20,000 lb (9 mt) of IFQ based on the 1994 total allowable catch for fixed gear in the halibut and sablefish fisheries, allow the combination of QS blocks that are less than 1,000 lb (0.5 mt) of IFQ for halibut and less than 3,000 lb (1.4 mt) for sablefish, and restrict the amount of blocks that may be held in any one IFQ regulatory area. These amendments are intended to prevent excessive consolidation of the Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries off Alaska, and are consistent with the management objectives of the Magnuson Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. Dated: June 13, 1994. David S. Crestin, Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 94-14724 Filed 6-13-94; 4:36 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F