[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 169 (Thursday, September 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21648]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 1, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 080494A]

 

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Groundfish of the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands Area; King and Tanner Crab Fisheries of the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands

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

ACTION: Notice of approval of amendments to fishery management plans.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces approval of Amendment 30 to the Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), 
Amendment 27 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands (BSAI) Area, and Amendment 3 to the FMP for the Commercial King 
Crab and Tanner Crab Fisheries of the BSAI. These amendments 
incorporate the provisions of the North Pacific Fisheries Research Plan 
(Research Plan) into each FMP to provide a standard application of the 
Research Plan and associated observer coverage throughout applicable 
fisheries.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 15, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FMP amendments and environmental assessment 
prepared for the North Pacific Fisheries Research Plan are available 
from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, P.O. Box 103136, 
Anchorage, AK 99510; telephone 907-271-2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim S. Rivera, 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 of Commerce (Secretary) for review and approval, disapproval, 
or partial disapproval. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) submitted Amendments 30, 27, and 3 for Secretarial approval 
on May 17, 1994. A notice of availability and request for comments on 
the amendments was published May 24, 1994, at 59 FR 26780; comments 
were requested through July 18, 1994. Because there are no regulatory 
changes required by the proposed FMP amendments, no proposed rule was 
published.
    Amendments 30, 27, and 3 revise language in the FMPs for GOA 
groundfish, BSAI area groundfish, and BSAI king and Tanner crab, 
respectively, to reflect the development of the Research Plan and to 
indicate that observer requirements under those FMPs are as specified 
under the Research Plan.
    The Research Plan was prepared by the Council under section 313 of 
the Magnuson Act, as amended by section 404 of the High Seas Driftnet 
Fisheries Enforcement Act, Pub. L. 102-582, and is intended to provide 
an industry-funded observer program and to promote management, 
conservation, and scientific understanding of groundfish, halibut, and 
crab resources off Alaska. A final rule, regulatory amendment, to 
implement the Research Plan has been prepared and, when approved, will 
be published in the Federal Register. Amendments 30, 27, and 3, which 
bring the FMPs into conformance with the Research Plan, were approved 
August 15, 1994. No comments were received on these amendments during 
the comment period.

Classification

    This action does not involve rulemaking and is exempt from OMB 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: August 15, 1994.
Nancy Foster, Ph.D.,
Deputy Assistant Administrative for Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-21648 Filed 8-31-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F