[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 115 (Thursday, June 13, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 29975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15058]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 301

[Docket No. 960111003-6068-03; I.D. 060796A]


Pacific Halibut Fisheries; 1996 Halibut Landing Report No. 3

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

ACTION: Inseason action.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, on behalf of 
the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), publishes these 
inseason actions pursuant to IPHC regulations approved by the U.S. 
Government to govern the Pacific halibut fishery. This action is 
intended to enhance the conservation of the Pacific halibut stock.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Southern Oregon Sport Halibut Season: 11:59 p.m., 
Pacific Daylight Time, June 1, 1996, until June 2, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Pennoyer, 907-586-7221; William 
W. Stelle, Jr., 206-526-6140; or Donald McCaughran, 206-634-1838.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IPHC, under the Convention between the 
United States of America and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut 
Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea (signed at Ottawa, 
Ontario, on March 2, 1953), as amended by a Protocol Amending the 
Convention (signed at Washington, DC, on March 29, 1979), has issued 
this inseason action pursuant to IPHC regulations governing the Pacific 
halibut fishery. The regulations have been approved by NMFS (60 FR 
14651, March 20, 1995, and amended at 61 FR 11337, March 20, 1996). On 
behalf of the IPHC, this inseason action is published in the Federal 
Register to provide additional notice of its effectiveness, and to 
inform persons subject to the inseason action of the restrictions and 
requirements established therein.

Inseason Action

1996 Halibut Landing Report No. 3

Southern Oregon Sport Halibut Season to Close June 1
    The preliminary catch estimate for the 1996 sport halibut fishery 
between the Florence North Jetty (Siuslaw River, 44 deg.01 deg.08'' N. 
lat.) and the California border (42 deg.00 deg.00 N. lat.) indicates 
the 5,999 lb (2.72 metric tons (mt)) catch limit will be reached on 
June 1. Therefore, the sport halibut fishery in this area will close at 
11:59 p.m. on June 1.
    Sport fishing for Pacific halibut will reopen on June 2 and remain 
open through August 1, 7 days a week, only in the area inside the 30-
fathom curve nearest to the coastline as plotted on National Ocean 
Service charts numbered 18520, 18580, and 18600 from the Florence North 
Jetty (Siuslaw River) to the California border, or until 1,500 lb (.68 
mt) are estimated to have been taken (except that any poundage 
remaining unharvested after the earlier season will be added to this 
season) and the season is closed by the IPHC, whichever occurs first. 
The daily bag limit remains two halibut per person, one with a minimum 
overall size limit of 32 inches (81.28 centimeters (cm)) and the second 
with a minimum overall size limit of 50 inches (127.0 cm).

    Dated: June 7, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-15058 Filed 6-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F