[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8888-8889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5181]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 022996B]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Inshore 
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 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 first 
allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the BS.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 2, 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 for the inshore component in the BS was 
established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 
FR 4311, February 5, 1996) as 159,311 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 inshore component in the BS soon will be reached. 
Therefore, the Regional Director has established a directed fishing 
allowance of 147,311 mt with consideration that 12,000 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. This closure is effective March 2, 1996, until 

[[Page 8889]]
12 noon, A.l.t., April 15, 1996. Under Sec. 675.20(a)(2)(ii), the 
second seasonal allowance will be available from 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 29, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Mmarine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5181 Filed 3-1-96; 10:23 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F