[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31610]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 23, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 931100-4043; I.D. 121994C]

 

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the offshore component in the Bering 
Sea subarea (BS) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
(BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the allowance of 
the total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for the offshore component 
in the BS.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 20, 1994, 
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael L. Sloan, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive 
economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
under authority of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations implementing 
the FMP at 50 CFR parts 620 and 675.
    The allowance of pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the offshore component in the BS was established by the 
final 1994 initial groundfish specifications (59 FR 7656, February 16, 
1994) and a subsequent reserve apportionment (59 FR 21673, April 26, 
1994) as 799,662 metric tons (mt).
    The Director of the Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Director), 
determined, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the allowance of 
pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for the offshore component in 
the BS soon will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director 
established a directed fishing allowance of 799,562 mt after 
determining that 100 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed 
fishing for other species in the BS. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting 
directed fishing for pollock by operators of vessels catching pollock 
for processing by the offshore component in the BS effective from 12 
noon, A.l.t., December 20, 1994, until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 
31, 1994. Directed fishing standards for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 675.20(h).

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 675.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: December 20, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-31610 Filed 12-20-94; 2:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F