[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14390-14391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6548]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 031095F]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Offshore 
Component Pollock in the Aleutian Islands Subarea

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 
Aleutian Islands subarea (AI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the ``A'' season allowance of pollock for the offshore component in the 
Aleutian Islands subarea.

[[Page 14391]] EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), 
March 13, 1995, until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew N. Smoker, 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 AI was established by the 
final 1995 initial groundfish specifications (60 FR 8479, February 14, 
1995) as 31,272 metric tons (mt).
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), determined, 
in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the allowance of pollock TAC 
for the offshore component in the AI soon will be reached. Therefore, 
the Regional Director established a directed fishing allowance of 
29,272 mt after determining that 2,000 mt will be taken as incidental 
catch in directed fishing for other species in the AI. Consequently, 
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by operators of 
vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore component in 
the AI.
    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: March 13, 1995.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-6548 Filed 3-13-95; 4:33 pm]
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