[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17849-17850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9971]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 041796A]


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 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 18, 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 initial total 
allowable catch 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). As of March 30, 1996, 1,465 mt remains. The directed fishery 
for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian District was closed 
under Sec. 675.20(a)(8) on March 20, 1996 (58 FR 12041, March 25, 1996) 
and reopened on April 15, 1996 (Action filed by the Office of the 
Federal Register on April 15, 1996, and scheduled for publication in 
the Federal Register on April 19, 1996.).

[[Page 17850]]

    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 subarea soon will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director 
has established a directed fishing allowance of 5,093 mt after 
determining that 50 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed 
fishing for other species in the Western Aleutian District. 
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean 
perch in the Western Aleutian District.
    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: April 17, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9971 Filed 4-18-96; 3:09 pm]
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