[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 188 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24670]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 091996B]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Northern 
Rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for northern rockfish in the 
Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to fully utilize the total allowable catch (TAC) of northern 
rockfish in that area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 1, 1996, 
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Pearson, 907-486-6919.

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 part 679.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii), the annual TAC for 
northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA was 
established by the Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 
FR 4304, February 5, 1996) as 640 metric tons (mt). The directed 
fishery for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA 
was closed to directed fishing under Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) in order to 
reserve amounts anticipated to be needed for incidental catch in other 
fisheries (61 FR 37226, July 17, 1996). NMFS has determined that, as of 
September 7, 1996, 527 mt remain in the directed fishing allowance.
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the 
1996 directed fishing allowance of northern rockfish in the Western 
Regulatory Area of the GOA has not been reached. Therefore, NMFS is 
terminating the previous closure and is opening directed fishing for 
northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
    All other closures remain in full force and effect.

Classification

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

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

    Dated: September 20, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24670 Filed 9-25-96; 8:45 am]
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