[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 17256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9618]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 041596A]


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: Modification of a closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in 
the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully utilize the 
total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 15, 1996, 
until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 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 TAC of Pacific ocean 
perch for the Western Aleutian District was established by the Final 
1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, February 5, 
1996) for the BSAI as 5,143 metric tons (mt). The Western Aleutian 
District was closed to directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch on 
March 20, 1996 (58 FR 12041, March 25, 1996). As of March 30, 1996, 
1,465 mt remain unharvested.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1996 TAC 
for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian District has not been 
reached. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is 
reopening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western 
Aleutian District.
    All other closures remain in full force and effect.

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: April 15, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9618 Filed 4-15-96; 4:16 pm]
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