[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54617-54618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26469]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 101995B]


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

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

ACTION: Closure.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the offshore 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 allowance of 
the total allowable catch (TAC) for vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the offshore component in the BS.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael L. Sloan, 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 allowance of pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the offshore component in the BS was established by the 
Final 1995 Specifications of Groundfish (60 FR 8479, February 14, 1995) 
and a subsequent reserve apportionment (60 FR 32278, June 21, 1995) as 
751,563 metric tons (mt).
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), determined, 
in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the allowance of pollock TAC 
for vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore component 
in the BS soon will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director 
established a directed fishing allowance of 751,063 mt after 
determining that 500 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed 
fishing for 

[[Page 54618]]
other species in the BS. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
offshore 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: October 19, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-26469 Filed 10-20-95; 2:25 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F