[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 26840-26841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12387]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 301

[Docket No. 950106003-5070-02; I.D. 051595G]


Pacific Halibut Fisheries

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

ACTION: Inseason action; vessel clearance procedures.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, on behalf of 
the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes this 
inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations approved by the U.S. 
Government to govern the Pacific halibut fishery. This action is 
intended to enhance the conservation of the Pacific halibut stock in 
order to help sustain it at an adequate level in the northern Pacific 
Ocean and Bering Sea.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 15, 1995, through December 31, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Pennoyer, 907-586-7221; 
William W. Stelle, Jr., 206-526-6140; or Donald McCaughran, 206-634-
1838.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IPHC, under the Convention between the 
United States of America and Canada for the preservation of the Halibut 
Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (signed at Ottawa, 
Ontario, on March 2, 1953), as amended by a Protocol Amending the 
Convention (signed at Washington, DC, on March 29 1979), has issued 
this inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations governing the Pacific 
halibut fishery. The regulations have been approved by NMFS (60 FR 
14651, March 20, 1995). On behalf of the IPHC, this inseason action is 
published in the Federal Register to provide additional notice of its 
effectiveness, and to inform persons subject to the inseason action of 
the restrictions and requirements established therein.

Inseason Action

1995 Bering Sea Halibut Vessel Clearance Procedures

    All halibut vessels fishing in Area 4A must obtain a vessel 
clearance from a designated fish processor either in Akutan or Dutch 
Harbor both prior to fishing, and prior to unloading.
    All halibut vessels fishing in Area 4B must obtain a vessel 
clearance from Atka Pride Seafoods in Nazan Bay on Atka Island, both 
prior to fishing and prior to unloading and/or departure from Area 4B. 
The vessel operator must obtain the clearance required prior to 
fishing, in person. The clearance required after fishing may be 
obtained in person, or via VHF radio (call on VHF channel 6) as long as 
the person granting the clearance can visually confirm the identity of 
the vessel. Vessels that fish only in Area 4B and land their entire 
annual halibut catch at a port within Area 4B are exempt from the 
vessel clearance requirements.
    All halibut vessels fishing in Area 4C and 4D must obtain a vessel 
clearance prior to fishing from a designated fish processor in either 
Akutan or Dutch Harbor. The vessel clearance required prior to 
unloading must be obtained at St. George or St. Paul, either in person, 
or via VHF radio as long as the person granting the clearance can 
visually confirm the identity of the vessel. Clearance at St. George 
can be obtained from the harbor master (call on VHF channel 16). 
Clearance at St. Paul can be obtained from either Trident Seafoods 
(call on VHF channel 73) or from Unisea (call on VHF channel 74). 
Vessels that only fish in Area 4C and land their total annual halibut 
catch at a port within Area 4C are exempt from the vessel clearance 
requirements. Vessels that fish only in Area 4D and 4E, and land their 
total annual halibut catch at a port within Areas 4D, 4E, or the Bering 
Sea closed area, are also exempt from the vessel clearance 
requirements. [[Page 26841]] 
    Vessel clearances can only be obtained between 0600 hours and 1800 
hours, local time. No halibut may be on board the vessel at the time of 
obtaining the clearance required prior to fishing in Area 4.
    The clearance form for all vessel clearances obtained in person 
must be signed by the vessel operator. The clearance form for all 
vessel clearances obtained by VHF radio must be signed by the issuing 
officer.

    Dated: May 15, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-12387 Filed 5-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F