[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24175]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 30, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 672

[Docket No. 931199-4042; I.D. 092194B]

 

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting retention of 
rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels 
using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 
(GOA). This action is necessary to prevent overfishing of Pacific ocean 
perch (POP).

DATES: Effective 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 30, 
1994, until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1994. Comments must be 
received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., Alaska local 
time, October 15, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries 
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802, Attn: Lori Gravel, or be delivered to the fourth floor of the 
Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew N. Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive 
economic zone is managed by the Secretary of Commerce according to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA (FMP) prepared by the 
North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the 
Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act). 
Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations implementing the FMP 
at 50 CFR parts 620 and 672.
    The Magnuson Act requires that conservation and management measures 
prevent overfishing. The 1994 overfishing level for POP in the Central 
Regulatory Area of the GOA is established by the final 1994 
specifications (59 FR 7647, February 16, 1994) as 1,100 metric tons 
(mt) and the acceptable biological catch as 850 mt. The final 
specifications closed directed fishing for POP in the Central 
Regulatory Area. As of September 30, 1994, NMFS anticipates that 880 mt 
of POP will have been caught.
    NMFS prohibited retention of POP on August 24, 1994 (59 FR 44341). 
Substantial trawl fishing effort will be directed at remaining amounts 
of groundfish in the GOA during 1994. These fisheries can have 
significant bycatch of POP.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in accordance 
with Sec. 672.22(a)(1)(i) and (a)(4), that closing the season by 
prohibiting retention of rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and 
Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl gear is necessary to prevent 
overfishing of POP, and is the least restrictive measure to achieve 
that purpose. Without this prohibition of retention, significant 
incidental catch of POP would occur by operators of trawl vessels 
seeking to retain as much rockfish as possible under the standards for 
directed fishing Sec. 672.20(g).
    Therefore, NMFS is requiring that further catches of rockfish 
species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl 
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA be treated as prohibited 
species under Sec. 672.20(e) effective from 12 noon, A.l.t., September 
30, 1994, until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1994.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good 
cause that providing prior notice and public comment or delaying the 
effective date of this action is impracticable and contrary to the 
public interest. Without this inseason adjustment, POP in the Central 
Regulatory Area of the GOA will be overfished, jeopardizing the long-
term capacity of that stock. Under Sec. 672.22(c), interested persons 
are invited to submit written comments on this action to the above 
address until October 15, 1994.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 672.22 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: September 26, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-24175 Filed 9-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F