[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 188 (Thursday, September 28, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50137-50138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24043]



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[[Page 50138]]


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 092295A]


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

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering 
Sea subarea (BS) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
(BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the second 
seasonal allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for 
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in 
this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 23, 
1995, until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 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.
    In accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(7)(ii), the second seasonal 
allowance of pollock for the inshore component in the BS was 
established by the Final 1995 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (60 
FR 8479, February 14, 1995) and augmented from the non-specific 
operational reserve (60 FR 32278, June 21, 1995) as 237,343 metric tons 
(mt). The amount actually available is 204,531 mt, subsequent to 
harvests from the first seasonal allowance.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has 
determined in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the second 
seasonal allowance of pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the inshore component in the BS soon will be reached. 
Therefore, the Regional Director has established a directed fishing 
allowance of 203,531 mt with consideration that 1,000 mt will be taken 
as incidental catch in directed fishing for other species in the BS. 
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by 
vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the 
BS.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts 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: September 22, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-24043 Filed 9-25-95; 2:29 pm]

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