[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 29696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14925]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01, I.D. 060696E]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Trawl 
Rock Sole/Flathead Sole/``Other Flatfish'' Fishery Category

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for species in the rock 
sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category by vessels using 
trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
(BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the second 
seasonal bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut apportioned to the trawl 
rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category in the 
BSAI.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 8, 1996, 
until 12 noon, A.l.t., July 1, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew 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.
    The second seasonal bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut for the 
BSAI trawl rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category, 
which is defined at Sec. 675.21(b)(1)(iii)(B)(2), was established by 
the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, 
February 5, 1996) as 139 metric tons (mt). This fishery was previously 
closed with the expectation that the second seasonal allocation had 
been taken (61 FR 16883, April 18, 1996), it was subsequently opened on 
June 3, 1996, when NMFS determined that 50 mt of halibut mortality 
remained in the allocation (61 FR 28071, June 4, 1996).
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in accordance 
with Sec. 675.21(c)(1)(iii), that the second seasonal bycatch allowance 
of Pacific halibut apportioned to the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/
``other flatfish'' fishery in the BSAI has been caught. Therefore, NMFS 
is prohibiting directed fishing for species in the rock sole/flathead 
sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category by vessels using trawl gear in 
the BSAI.
    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 50 CFR 675.21 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: June 7, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-14925 Filed 6-7-96; 3:52 pm]
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