[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 21, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32278-32279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-15093]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 051595J]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; 
Apportionment of Reserve

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

ACTION: Apportionment of reserve.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is apportioning reserve to certain target species in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is 
necessary to allow for ongoing harvest and account for previous harvest 
of the total allowable catch (TAC).

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 20, 1995, 
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nick Hindman, 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 Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the initial 
TACs specified for the following species need to be supplemented from 
the nonspecific reserve to continue fishing operations and account for 
prior harvest: Pollock, Greenland turbot, and Pacific ocean perch (POP) 
in the Bering Sea subarea (BS); pollock, Greenland turbot, POP, and 
sharpchin/northern rockfish in the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI); Atka 
mackerel in the combined Eastern Aleutian District and BS subarea; Atka 
mackerel in the Central and Western Aleutian Island Districts; and 
Pacific cod, arrowtooth flounder, and the ``other species'' category in 
the BSAI.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(b), NMFS is apportioning 
to TACs from the reserve for the following species: (1) For the BS - 
93,750 metric tons (mt) to pollock, 700 mt to Greenland turbot, and 277 
mt to POP; (2) for the AI - 4,245 mt to pollock, 350 mt to Greenland 
turbot, 1,575 mt to POP, and 765 mt to sharpchin/northern rockfish; (3) 
for the combined Eastern Aleutian District and BS - 2,025 mt to Atka 
mackerel; (4) for the Central Aleutian District - 7,500 mt to Atka 
mackerel; (5) for the Western Aleutian District - 2,475 mt to Atka 
mackerel; and (6) for the BSAI - 37,500 mt to Pacific cod, 1,534 mt to 
arrowtooth flounder, and 3,000 mt to the ``other species'' category.
    These apportionments are consistent with Sec. 675.20(a)(2)(i) and 
do not result in overfishing of a target species or the ``other 
species'' category, because the revised TACs are equal to or less than 
specifications of acceptable biological catch.
    Pursuant to Sec. 675.20(a)(3)(i), the apportionments of pollock are 
allocated between the inshore and offshore components: (1) For the BS - 
32,812 mt [[Page 32279]] to vessels catching pollock for processing by 
the inshore component and 60,938 mt to vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the offshore component; (2) for the AI - 1,486 mt to 
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component and 
2,759 to vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore 
component.
    Pursuant to 50 CFR 675.20(a)(3)(iv), the apportionment of the BSAI 
Pacific cod TAC is allocated 750 mt to vessels using jig gear, 16,500 
mt to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, and 20,250 mt to vessels 
using trawl gear.
    In accordance with the BSAI final 1995 specifications for 
groundfish (FR 60 8479, February 14, 1995), the allocation to hook-and-
line/pot gear will result in seasonal apportionments as follows: For 
the period January 1 through April 30 - 80,300 mt, for the period May 1 
through August 31 - 20,900 mt, and for the period September 1 through 
December 31 - 8,800 mt.
    This apportionment was proposed in the Federal Register (60 FR 
27488, May 24, 1995) requesting public comment. The public comment 
period ended on June 7, 1995, and no comments were received.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 675.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: June 14, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-15093 Filed 6-20-95; 8:45 am]
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