[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 190 (Monday, October 2, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51452-51453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24421]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 676

[I.D. 092695B]


Limited Access Management of Federal Fisheries In and Off of 
Alaska; Amendments

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of amendments to fishery management 
plans; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 32 to the Fishery Management 
Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands Area (BSAI) and Amendment 36 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). These amendments are necessary 
to facilitate full utilization of the allocated resources managed under 
the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the Pacific 

[[Page 51453]]
halibut and sablefish fixed gear fisheries in and off of Alaska. This 
proposed action is intended to achieve full utilization by relieving 
transfer restrictions on Community Development Quota compensation quota 
shares (CDQ compensation QS), thereby allowing transfers to persons who 
could use the resulting IFQ to harvest the resource. The Council 
intends for these proposed amendments to promote management and 
conservation of IFQ species, and to further the goals and objectives 
contained in the FMPs that govern their management. Comments are 
requested from the public.

DATES: Comments on the proposed FMP amendments must be received on or 
before November 27, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed FMP amendments must be submitted to 
Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries Management Division, Alaska Region, 
NMFS, 709 W. 9th Street, Room 453, Juneau, AK 99801, or P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau, AK 99802; Attention: Lori J. Gravel.
    Copies of the proposed amendments and the Regulatory Impact Review 
(RIR) prepared for the amendments may be obtained from the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council, P.O. Box 103136, Anchorage, AK 
99510.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Lepore, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that each Regional Fishery 
Management Council submit any fishery management plan or plan amendment 
it prepares to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review and 
approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also 
requires that the Secretary, upon reviewing the plan or amendment, 
immediately publish an announcement that the plan or amendment is 
available for public review and comment.
    Amendments 32 and 36 are intended to increase the remunerative 
value of CDQ compensation QS by reducing the transfer restrictions that 
would be faced by initial recipients of those shares under the existing 
regulations. CDQ compensation QS were issued to individuals that 
received reductions in the amount of Pacific halibut and sablefish 
available for harvest with IFQ in CDQ areas. Transfer restrictions are 
reduced by (1) exempting some CDQ compensation QS from the block 
provision and (2) allowing some CDQ compensation QS to be transferred 
across vessel categories.
    The Secretary will consider the public comments received during the 
comment period in determining whether to approve the proposed 
amendments. The proposed regulations are scheduled to be published 
within 15 days of receipt of the proposed amendments from the Council.

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

    Dated: September 26, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-24421 Filed 9-27-95; 2:58 pm]
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