[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 41 (Thursday, February 29, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7754-7755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4593]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 022396C]


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

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing 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 first 
seasonal allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) 
apportioned to vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in the BS.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 26, 1996, 
until 12 noon, A.l.t., April 15, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive 
economic zone is managed by the 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 first seasonal 
allowance of pollock 

[[Page 7755]]
for vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore component 
in the BS was established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of 
Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5, 1996) as 295,864 metric tons (mt).
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has 
determined in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the first 
seasonal 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 has established a directed fishing 
allowance of 273,864 mt with consideration that 22,000 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 offshore component in 
the BS. This closure is effective 12 noon, February 26, 1996, until 12 
noon, A.l.t., April 15, 1996. Under Sec. 675.20(a)(2)(ii), the second 
seasonal allowance will become available 12 noon, A.l.t., August 15 
through the end of the fishing year.
    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: February 23, 1996.
Donald J. Leedy,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-4593 Filed 2-26-96; 11:25 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F