[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21815]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 6, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 663

[Docket No. 931249-3349; I.D. 082294A]

 

Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery

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

ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces an increase in the cumulative trip limit for 
the Sebastes complex caught south of Cape Mendocino in the groundfish 
fishery off California. This action is authorized by the regulations 
implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP). This action is designed to keep landings within the 1994 harvest 
guidelines for the complex while providing for full utilization of the 
complex and extending the fishery as long as possible during the year.

DATES: Effective from 0001 hours (local time) September 1, 1994, 
through December 31, 1994. Comments will be accepted through September 
21, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to William Stelle, Jr., Director, Northwest 
Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., 
BIN-C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or Rodney McInnis, Acting Director, 
Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson at 206-526-6140, 
or Rodney McInnis at 310-980-4040.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FMP and its implementing regulations (50 
CFR part 663) provide for rapid changes to specific management measures 
that have been designated ``routine.'' Trip landing limits (including 
cumulative trip limits) and frequency limits for the Sebastes complex 
are among those management measures that have been designated as 
routine at 50 CFR 663.23(c)(1)(i)(B). Implementation and further 
adjustment of those measures may occur after consideration at a single 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) meeting. Sebastes complex 
means all rockfish managed by the FMP except Pacific ocean perch, widow 
rockfish, shortbelly rockfish, and thornyheads. A cumulative trip limit 
is the maximum amount that may be taken and retained, possessed or 
landed per vessel in a specified period of time, without a limit on the 
individual number of landings or trips. Cumulative trip limits for 1994 
apply to calendar months.
    The coastwide cumulative trip limit in the limited entry fishery 
for the Sebastes complex was set at 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) per month, 
including no more than 14,000 lb (6,350 kg) of yellowtail rockfish 
caught north of Cape Lookout (45 deg.20'15'' N. lat.), or no more than 
30,000 lb (13,608 kg) of yellowtail rockfish caught south of Cape 
Lookout, and no more than 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) of bocaccio caught 
south of Cape Mendocino (40 deg.30'00'' N. lat.) effective January 1, 
1994 (59 FR 685, January 6, 1994). The 1994 Sebastes complex harvest 
guideline is divided into northern and southern management areas along 
the Washington, Oregon, and California coast. The northern harvest 
guideline applies to the Vancouver and Columbia subareas, and the 
southern harvest guideline applies to the Eureka, Monterey, and 
Conception subareas. In the southern area, the total harvest guideline 
for the Sebastes complex is 13,440 metric tons (mt), which is further 
allocated between the limited entry (8,920 mt) and the open-access 
fisheries (4,520 mt).
    At the Council's August 1994 meeting in Portland, OR, a review of 
the Sebastes complex landings in the southern area (Eureka-Monterey-
Conception) indicated that, through June 1994, approximately 3,805 mt 
had been landed in both limited entry and open access fisheries. This 
catch is 7 percent higher than during the same period in 1993. Even at 
this higher rate, only 8,371 mt (62 percent) of the 1994 Sebastes 
complex southern area harvest guideline and 4,856 mt (54 percent) of 
the limited entry allocation would be taken during the year, whereas 
3,515 mt (80 percent) of the open access allocation is expected to be 
taken.
    The Council also noted that the catch of yellowtail rockfish in the 
Eureka-Columbia-Vancouver area through June 1994 was 4 percent above 
the 1993 catch, and that the combined harvest guidelines for that area 
could be reached by late November 1994. The catch for bocaccio in the 
Conception-Monterey-Eureka areas through June 1994 was about 33 percent 
below that in 1992-1993, and it is possible that the overall harvest 
guideline for bocaccio may not be attained in 1994. However, changes to 
bocaccio trip limits are not warranted, due to uncertainties in species 
composition and distribution of the catch between open access and 
limited entry fisheries.
    In order to encourage limited entry vessels to shift their fishing 
effort south, where the Sebastes harvest guideline is not otherwise 
likely to be achieved, and to reduce the harvest of yellowtail rockfish 
in the Eureka through Vancouver areas, the Council recommended that the 
limited entry cumulative trip limit for the Sebastes complex caught 
south of Cape Mendocino be increased from 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) to 
100,000 lb (45,359 kg) monthly, with no changes to the existing limited 
entry cumulative trip limits for yellowtail rockfish caught either 
north or south of Cape Lookout, bocaccio caught south of Cape 
Mendocino, or for the open access fisheries. The limited entry 
cumulative trip limit for the Sebastes complex caught north of Cape 
Mendocino remains at 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) per month. This action may 
provide incentive for the limited entry fleet to move south of Cape 
Mendocino, increasing their focus on other rockfish species while 
reducing the pressure on yellowtail rockfish in the Vancouver-Columbia-
Eureka areas.

Secretarial Action

    NMFS announces the following changes to the management measures for 
the Sebastes complex taken by the limited entry fishery, contained in 
the 1994 fishery specifications and management measures as published at 
59 FR 685, January 6, 1994, and modified at 59 FR 23638, May 6, 1994. 
All other provisions remain in effect.
    Paragraph IV C(2)(a) is revised to read as follows:
    (2)(a) No more than 80,000 lb (36,287 kg) cumulative of the 
Sebastes complex north of Cape Mendocino, or 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) 
cumulative of the Sebastes complex south of Cape Mendocino may be taken 
and retained, possessed, or landed per vessel per month. Within the 
cumulative trip limit for the Sebastes complex, no more than 14,000 lb 
(6,350 kg) cumulative may be yellowtail rockfish taken and retained 
north of Cape Lookout; no more than 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) cumulative 
may be yellowtail rockfish taken and retained south of Cape Lookout; 
and no more than 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) cumulative may be bocaccio taken 
and retained south of Cape Mendocino.
    Paragraph IV C(2)(e) is added to read as follows:
    (2)(e) If a vessel is used to fish north of Cape Mendocino during 
the month, then that vessel is subject to the trip limit for the 
Sebastes complex taken and retained north of Cape Mendocino, no matter 
where the fish are possessed or landed. Similarly, if a vessel is used 
to take and retain the Sebastes complex south of Cape Mendocino and 
possesses or lands the Sebastes complex north of Cape Mendocino, that 
vessel is subject to the northern trip limit for the Sebastes complex.

Classification

    This action is based on the most recent data available. The 
aggregate data upon which the determination is based are available for 
public inspection at the office of the Director, Northwest Region, NMFS 
(see ADDRESSES) during business hours.
    This action is taken under the authority of 50 CFR 663.23(c), 
section III.C.1. of the Appendix to 50 CFR part 663, and is exempt from 
OMB review under E.O. 12866.

    Dated: August 30, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-21815 Filed 8-31-94; 9:16 am]
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