[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 12, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 47313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22658]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 090595A]


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

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

ACTION: Apportionment of reserve; request for comments.

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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.), September 7, 1995, 
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1995. Comments must be received 
at the address below no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t. September 22, 
1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew N. Smoker, 907-586-7228.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries 
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668. Attn: Lori Gravel.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the U.S. 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: ``Other rockfish'' in the Bering Sea subarea and 
rock sole and ``other flatfish'' in the BSAI need to be supplemented 
from the non-specific reserve in order to continue operations and 
account for prior harvest.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(b), NMFS is apportioning 
from the reserve to TACs for the following species or species groups: 
In the Bering Sea subarea - 49 metric tons (mt) to ``other rockfish''; 
in the BSAI - 9,000 mt to rock sole, and 2,931 mt to ``other 
flatfish''.
    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.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 675.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), has 
determined, under section 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure Act 
and 50 CFR 675.20(b)(2), that good cause exists for waiving the 
opportunity for prior public comment for this action. Fisheries are 
currently taking place that will be supplemented by this apportionment. 
Delaying the implementation of this action would be disruptive and 
costly to these ongoing operations. Under Sec. 675.20(b)(2), interested 
persons are invited to submit written comments on these apportionments 
to the above address until September 22, 1995. To the extent that this 
action relieves a restriction, no delayed effectiveness period is 
necessary. In any case, for the reasons stated above, there is good 
cause to waive the delayed effectiveness period so that this action may 
take effect immediately.

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

    Dated: September 7, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-22658 Filed 9-7-95; 4:18 pm]
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