[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 37226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18080]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 071096B]


Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Northern Rockfish in the 
Western Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish in 
the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the northern rockfish total allowable 
catch (TAC) in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 11, 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 GOA exclusive 
economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management 
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (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 subpart H of 50 CFR 
part 600 and 50 CFR parts 679.
    The northern rockfish TAC for the Western Regulatory Area was 
established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 
FR 4304, February 5, 1996) as 640 metric tons (mt). See 
Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii).
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), established 
a directed fishing allowance for northern rockfish of 600 mt, with 
consideration that 40 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed 
fishing for other species in this area. See Sec. 679.20(d)(1). The 
Regional Director has determined that this directed fishing allowance 
has been reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing 
for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area.
    The maximum retainable bycatch amounts at Sec. 679.20(e), apply to 
a fishery that is closed to directed fishing.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: July 11, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18080 Filed 7-11-96; 4:51 pm]
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