[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 145 (Friday, July 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39099-39100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18983]


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[[Page 39100]]


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 072296A]


Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the 
Central Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting retention of 
rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels 
using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 
(GOA). This action is necessary to prevent overfishing of Pacific ocean 
perch (POP).

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 22, 1996, 
until 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 1996. Comments must be received 
at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., August 6, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries 
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802, Attn. Lori Gravel, or be delivered to the fourth floor of the 
Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.

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 GOA (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act). Fishing by U.S. vessels 
is governed by regulations implementing the FMP at subpart H of 50 CFR 
part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    The Magnuson Act requires that conservation and management measures 
prevent overfishing. The 1996 overfishing level for POP in the Central 
Regulatory Area of the GOA was established by the Final 1996 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4304, February 5, 1996) as 4,870 
metric tons (mt), the acceptable biological catch as 3,860 mt., and the 
total allowable catch level as 3,333 mt. As of July 13, 1996, 4,530 mt 
of POP have been caught.
    NMFS closed directed fishing for POP on July 11, 1996 (61 FR 37225, 
July 17, 1996) and prohibited retention of POP on July 15, 1996, (61 FR 
37700, July 19, 1996). Substantial trawl fishing effort will be 
directed at remaining amounts of groundfish in the GOA during 1996. 
These fisheries can have significant bycatch of POP.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in accordance 
with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i) and (a)(2)(iii), that closing the season by 
prohibiting retention of rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and 
Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl gear is necessary to prevent 
overfishing of POP, and is the least restrictive measure to achieve 
that purpose. Without this prohibition of retention, significant 
incidental catch of POP would occur by trawl vessels targeting rockfish 
and seeking to maximize retainable amounts of rockfish under the 
maximum retainable bycatch amounts Sec. 679.20(e).
    Therefore, NMFS is requiring that further catches of rockfish 
species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl 
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA be treated as prohibited 
species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(b)(2).
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good 
cause that providing prior notice and public comment or delaying the 
effective date of this action is impracticable and contrary to the 
public interest. Immediate effectiveness is necessary to prevent 
overfishing of POP in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. Under 
Sec. 679.25(c)(1)(ii), interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments on this action to the above address by August 6, 1996.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from OMB 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: July 22, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18983 Filed 7-22-96; 4:27 pm]
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