[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 8, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40303-40304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19499]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 662

[Docket No. 950801198-5198-01; I.D. 072795B]
RIN 0648-XX26


Northern Anchovy Fishery; Quotas for the 1995-96 Fishing Year

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

ACTION: Final quotas.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the estimated spawning biomass and final 
harvest quotas for the northern anchovy fishery in the exclusive 
economic zone south of Point Reyes, CA, for the 1995-96 fishing season. 
These quotas may only be adjusted if inaccurate data were used or if 
errors were made in the calculations. Comments on these two points are 
invited. The intended effect of this action is to establish allowable 
harvest levels of Pacific anchovy.

DATES: Effective on August 1, 1995. Comments will be accepted until 
September 5, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments on the final quotas to Ms. Hilda Diaz-
Soltero, Regional Director, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. Administrative Report LJ-
95-11 is available from this same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James J. Morgan, Southwest Region, 
NMFS, (310) 980-4036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In consultation with the California 
Department of Fish and Game and the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science 
Center, the Director of the Southwest Region, NMFS, (Regional Director) 
has estimated that the 1995-96 spawning biomass of the central 
subpopulation of northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax, is 388,000 mt. The 
biomass estimate is derived from a stock assessment model using 
spawning biomass estimated by five indices of abundance. Documentation 
of the spawning biomass is contained in Administrative Report LJ-95-11, 
published by the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS (see 
ADDRESSES). This report and the determination of harvest quotas were 
provided to the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council).
    According to the formula in the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Northern Anchovy Fishery (FMP), the U.S. optimum yield (OY) is 61,600 
mt (70 percent of the biomass above 300,000), which is allocated to 
reduction fisheries, plus 4,900 mt for non-reduction fisheries. There 
is no agreement with Mexico on the management of northern anchovy; a 
portion of the biomass (30 percent) above 300,000 mt is designated as 
the amount to account for this unregulated harvest. Any portion of the 
U.S. OY not used by U.S. fishermen is identified as total allowable 
level of foreign fishing (TALFF) and available to foreign fishing.
    Estimates for the amount of anchovy that will be used by the U.S. 
fishing industry is based, usually, on the largest amount of reduction 
and non-reduction processing in the previous 3 years; however, the 
spawning biomass has been below 300,000 mt for the last 3 years and no 
reduction fishing has been permitted by the FMP. At a meeting of the 
Council's Coastal Pelagics Planning Team and Advisory Subpanel held in 
Long Beach, CA, on June 21, 1995, NMFS requested estimates of domestic 
processing needs from the fishing industry so that a basis could be 
established for setting annual quotas. Comments also were received at 
the June 26-29 meeting of the Council. From the information available, 
NMFS estimates that approximately 13,000 mt will be used by the U.S. 
reduction fishery in the 1995-96 season. Future estimates of domestic 
processing will be based on performance during the 1995-96 season.
    The TALFF depends on that portion of the U.S. OY that will not be 
used by U.S. fishermen, minus the amount of harvest by Mexican vessels 
that is in excess of the average Mexican harvest (calculated according 
to the formula in the FMP), like the estimates of U.S. harvest. The 
estimates of Mexican excess harvest is based, generally, on the largest 
harvest in the last 3 years; however, the biomass has been so low 

[[Page 40304]]
during this time that there has been no significant fishery off Mexico. 
Historically, the Mexican fishery has been based on availability and 
not on abundance. When the biomass was of a similar level in 1987, 
Mexico harvested 124,475 mt. The biomass dropped approximately 45 
percent the next year and another 26 percent the following year, yet 
Mexico harvested approximately 80,000 mt in each of those 2 years. 
Recent harvests are not a reliable predictor of Mexican harvest under 
conditions of sudden increased abundance. The issue of uncertainty 
about the performance of the domestic industry and the intent of 
Mexican harvesters was discussed by the Council, which recommended that 
the portion allocated to TALFF be held in reserve. This action would 
have protected the domestic industry and helped assure that OY will not 
be exceeded; however, the FMP does not allow for a deviation from the 
designated formula.
    The Regional Director has made the following determinations for the 
1995-96 fishing season by applying the formulas in the FMP and in 50 
CFR Part 662.20.
    1. The total U.S. OY for northern anchovy is 66,500 mt, plus an 
unspecified amount for use as live bait.
    2. The total U.S. harvest quota for reduction purposes is 13,000 
mt.
    a. Of the total reduction harvest quota, 1,300 mt is reserved for 
the reduction fishery in Subarea A (north of Pt. Buchon). The FMP 
requires that 10 percent of the U.S. reduction quota or 9,072 mt, 
whichever is less, be reserved for the northern fishery. This is not a 
special quota, but only a reduction in the amount allocated to the 
southern fishery south of Pt. Buchon (Subarea B). After the northern 
fishery has harvested 1,300 mt, any unused portion of the Subarea B 
allocation may also be harvested north of Pt. Buchon.
    b. The reduction quota for subarea B (south of Pt. Buchon) is 
11,700 mt.
    3. The U.S. harvest quota for non-reduction fishing (i.e., fishing 
for anchovy for use as dead bait or human consumption) is 4,900 mt (as 
set by Sec. 662.20).
    4. There is no U.S. harvest limit for the live bait fishery.
    5. The domestic annual processing capacity (DAP) is 13,000 mt.
    6. The amount allocated to joint venture processing (JVP) is zero, 
because there is no history of, nor are there applications for, joint 
ventures.
    7. Domestic annual harvest capacity (DAH) is 13,000 mt. DAH is the 
sum of DAP and JVP.
    8. The TALFF is 48,600 mt.
    The fishery will be monitored during the year and evaluated with 
respect to the OY and the estimated needs of the fishing industry. 
Adjustments may be made to comply with the requirements of the FMP and 
its implementing regulations.
    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 662 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: August 2, 1995.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-19499 Filed 8-3-95; 3:49 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F