[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 28, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44185-44186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21874]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 951227306-5306-01; I.D. 081296C]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Nontrawl Sablefish Regular Season

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

ACTION: End of nontrawl sablefish regular season.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the regular season for the nontrawl 
sablefish limited entry fishery will end at 12 noon local time (l.t.), 
September 6, 1996. This action is intended to provide advance notice of 
the duration of the nontrawl sablefish regular season.

DATES: The closing date of the nontrawl sablefish regular season and 
the reimposition of the daily trip limits are effective at 12 noon 
l.t., September 6, 1996, until the effective date of the 1997 annual 
specifications and management measures for the Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Fishery, which will be published in the Federal Register. Comments will 
be accepted until September 11, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments on these actions should be sent to Mr. William 
Stelle, Jr., Director, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or Ms. Hilda 
Diaz-Soltero, Director, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213. 
Information relevant to these actions has been compiled in aggregate 
form and is available for public review during business hours at the 
office of the Director, Northwest Region, NMFS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson 206-526-6140; or 
Rodney R. McInnis 310-980-4040.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These actions are authorized by the Pacific 
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, which governs the harvest of 
groundfish in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the coasts of 
Washington, Oregon, and California.
    The ``regular season'' for the limited entry nontrawl sablefish 
fishery begins at 1201 hours l.t. on September 1, 1996, and ends when 
70 percent (1,928 mt) of the 2,754-mt nontrawl allocation is projected 
to be taken. (The remainder of the allocation is to be taken in a mop-
up fishery about 3 weeks later, if sufficient amounts remain.) The 
regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(2)(ii) state that the end of the 
regular season may be announced in the Federal Register either before 
or during the regular season. NMFS is announcing the closure date in 
advance of the regular season in 1996, because, as in 1995, effort is 
expected to be so intense that there will be inadequate time to monitor 
landings and make a projection during the season. An early announcement 
enables fishers to plan more carefully and to decide whether to 
participate.
    NMFS consulted with the Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) and its Groundfish Management Team (Team) at the April 1996 
Council meeting. At that meeting, the best available estimates of 
expected catch and effort indicated that 70 percent of the nontrawl 
allocation would be taken in about 5 days. The Council recommended a 
season length of 5 days, unless new information became available before 
its July 1996 meeting. A review of 1996 and historical landings data at 
the June Team meeting confirmed the 5-day projection. Because no new 
information was presented to the Council at its July 1996 meeting, its 
April 1996 recommendation remained in effect. The Director, Northwest 
Region concurs with the Council's recommendation, which is based on 
current and past landings data, and has determined that the regular 
season, which starts at 1201 hours on September 1, 1996, will end just 
5 days later, at 12 noon l.t., September 6, 1996. Commencing at 12 noon 
l.t., September 6, 1996, the following daily trip limits for nontrawl 
sablefish will resume: 300 lb (136 kg) per day north of 36 deg. N. 
lat., and 350 lb (159 kg) per day south of 36 deg. N. lat. (Daily trip 
limits apply to calendar days. Therefore, on September 6, 1996, a daily 
trip limit may be landed between 12 noon and 12 midnight l.t. At 0001 
hours l.t. on September 7, 1996, daily trip limits will apply to the 
full 24 hours.) A vessel must begin landing its catch before 12 noon 
l.t., September 6, 1996, and complete the offloading before returning 
to sea or continuing a trip at sea, or the daily trip limit will apply 
to the fish remaining on board after 12 noon l.t. on September 6, 1996. 
One exception applies: A vessel landing sablefish in Puget Sound, WA, 
that was

[[Page 44186]]

taken under a limited entry permit with nontrawl gear during the 
regular season is not subject to the daily trip limit for that trip if 
the landing complies with Washington State regulations governing such 
sablefish landings (50 CFR 660.323(a)(2)(iv)). However, the regular 
season trip limit for sablefish smaller than 22 inches (56 cm) still 
applies.
    Further information regarding the nontrawl sablefish fishery and 
the closure before the start of the regular season are contained in the 
proposed and final rules for that action at 60 FR 11062 (March 1, 1995) 
and 60 FR 34472 (July 3, 1995), respectively, which are found in the 
Federal regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(2).

NMFS Actions

    NMFS announces the following changes to the 1996 fishery 
specifications and management measures published at 61 FR 279, January 
4, 1996, as modified:
    Paragraph IV.E.(3)(c) introductory text is revised to read as 
follows:
    IV. * * *
    E. * * *
    (3) * * *
    (c) Nontrawl trip and size limits. The daily trip limits in 
paragraphs (i) and (ii) below, which apply to sablefish of any size, 
are in effect until 12 noon, August 29, 1996, at which time all fixed 
gear used to take and retain groundfish must be removed from EEZ waters 
according to the regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(2). These same daily 
trip limits will be reimposed at 12 noon, September 6, 1996, the end of 
the regular season.

Classification

    The determination to take this action is based on the most recent 
data available. The aggregate data upon which the determination is 
based are available for public inspection at the office of the 
Director, Northwest Region, NMFS (see ADDRESSES) during business hours. 
Because of the need for immediate action, and because the public had an 
opportunity to comment on these actions at the Council meeting, NMFS 
has determined that good cause exists for this action to be published 
without affording a prior opportunity for public comment or a 30-day 
delayed effectiveness period. This action is taken under the authority 
of 50 CFR 660.323(a)(2)(ii) and (b)(1)(i)(E), and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: August 22, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-21874 Filed 8-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F