[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 58 (Monday, March 25, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12041-12042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7110]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 031996A]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Pacific 
Ocean Perch in the Western 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 Western 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 20, 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 
Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5, 1996) for the 
BSAI established 5,143 metric tons (mt) as the initial total allowable 
catch of Pacific ocean perch for the Western 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 Western Aleutian 
District will soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director has 
established a directed fishing allowance of 4,943 mt after determining 
that 200 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed fishing for 
other species in the Western Aleutian District. NMFS is prohibiting 
directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian 
District to prevent exceeding the directed fishing allowance.

[[Page 12042]]

    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 19, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-7110 Filed 3-20-96; 3:57 pm]
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