[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 9370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5560]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 030496E]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Pacific 
Ocean Perch in the Eastern Aleutian District

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 Pacific ocean perch 
in the Eastern Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the specification of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 5, 1996, 
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew N. Smoker, 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 Final 1996 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5, 1996) for the 
BSAI established 2,571 metric tons (mt) as the initial total allowable 
catch for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern Aleutian District.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has 
determined, in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the Pacific 
ocean perch initial total allowable catch in the Eastern Aleutian 
District subarea soon will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director 
has established a directed fishing allowance of 2,471 mt after 
determining that 100 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed 
fishing for other species in the Eastern Aleutian District. NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern 
Aleutian District to prevent exceeding the directed fishing allowance.
    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: March 4, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5560 Filed 3-5-96; 3:44 pm]
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