[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 180 (Monday, September 16, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48643-48644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23559]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 951227306-6117-02; I.D. 090696E]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; End of Pacific Whiting Regular Season

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

ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the end of the ``regular season'' for the 
Pacific whiting (whiting) fishery off Washington, Oregon, and 
California and the reimposition of a 10,000-lb (4,536-kg) trip limit 
coastwide. This action is 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. This action is intended to keep landings close to the 1996 
commercial harvest guideline for whiting while allowing small 
quantities to be landed by fresh fish and bait fisheries and as bycatch 
in other fisheries.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours (local time) September 11, 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 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this action should be sent to Mr. William 
Stelle, Jr., Director, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, 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 this action 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: At its October 1995 meeting, the Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended that a 10,000-lb 
(4,536-kg) trip limit apply to landings of whiting after the end of the 
regular season (61 FR 279, January 4, 1996). The end of the regular 
season occurs when the ``commercial harvest guideline'' is projected to 
be reached (61 FR 28786, June 6, 1996; 61 FR 34570, July 2, 1996, as 
modified.) The commercial harvest guideline is the harvest guideline 
minus any amount allocated to the Washington coastal treaty Indian 
tribes. Therefore, the end of the regular season in 1996 occurs when 
the commercial harvest guideline of 197,000 metric tons (mt) (the 
212,000-mt harvest guideline minus the 15,000 mt tribal allocation) is 
projected to be reached.
    The commercial harvest guideline is divided between shore-based and 
at-sea sectors, according to the regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4). 
At-sea processing of whiting was prohibited on June 1,

[[Page 48644]]

1996 (61 FR 28796, June 6, 1996) when 118,200 mt (60 percent of the 
197,000-mt commercial harvest guideline) was projected to have been 
taken (112,776 mt for at-sea processing and 8,201 mt for shore-based 
processing). The remainder of the commercial harvest guideline was 
reserved for vessels delivering to shore-based processors.
    Based on the best available information on current and projected 
rates of landings, the Director, Northwest Region, NMFS, has determined 
that 189,214 mt of whiting has been caught in the non-treaty fisheries 
through August 31, 1996, and, at a rate of about 805-828 mt delivered 
shoreside per day, the 197,000-mt commercial harvest guideline would be 
reached on September 10, 1996. Therefore, the regular season ends and 
the 10,000-lb (4,536-kg) trip limit for whiting resumes on September 
11, 1996. Because at-sea processing of whiting is prohibited, this trip 
limit applies only to vessels delivering shoreside. The trip limit is 
intended to accommodate small bait and fresh fish markets and the 
bycatch of whiting in other fisheries. Tribal fisheries for whiting are 
governed by other regulations at 50 CFR 660.324.
    NMFS action: NMFS announces the following change to the 1996 
management measures for whiting published at (61 FR 279, January 4, 
1996) as modified:
    Paragraph IV.F(1)(a) is revised to read as follows:
    IV. * * *
    F. * * *
    (1) * * *
    ``(a) No more than 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of whiting may be taken and 
retained, possessed, or landed, per vessel per fishing trip. This 
includes any whiting caught shoreward of 100 fathoms (183 m) in the 
Eureka subarea (see paragraph IV.F.(1)(b) at 61 FR 279).''

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. 
This action was recommended by the Council at its October 1995 meeting, 
and was announced in the annual specifications and management measures 
for 1996 that published on January 4, 1996, at 61 FR 279. There was an 
opportunity for public comment at the August and October 1995 Council 
meetings. Supporting documents (catch projections) were available for 
public inspection prior to, and at, the August 21-23, 1996, Council 
meeting in Portland, OR. Because of the need for immediate action, and 
because the public had an opportunity to comment on the action at 
Council meetings, NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this 
notice 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)(4), and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: September 10, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-23559 Filed 9-10-96; 4:56 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F