[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 5, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56902-56903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28402]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 951227306-5306-01; I.D. 102996A]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Trip Limit Reductions

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 further restrictions to the Pacific Coast 
groundfish fishery for yellowtail rockfish. This action is authorized 
by regulations implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off 
Washington, Oregon, and California. This restriction is intended to 
keep landings as close as possible to the 1996 harvest guideline for 
yellowtail rockfish.

DATES: Effective from 0001 hours (local time) November 1, 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 through 
November 20, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to William Stelle, Jr., Administrator, 
Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point 
Way NE., BIN-C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or Hilda Diaz-Soltero, 
Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 
West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following changes to routine management 
measures for yellowtail rockfish were recommended by the Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council), in consultation with the States 
of Washington, Oregon, and

[[Page 56903]]

California, at its October 22-25, 1996, meeting in San Francisco, CA.
    Yellowtail rockfish is one component of the Sebastes complex and is 
managed with different harvest guidelines and trip limits north and 
south of Cape Lookout, OR (45 deg.20'15'' N. lat.). South of Cape 
Mendocino, CA (40 deg.30' N. lat.) there is no specific harvest 
guideline or trip limit for yellowtail rockfish, other than the overall 
limit for the Sebastes complex. The northern harvest guideline for 
yellowtail rockfish (which includes the U.S. portion of the Vancouver 
area plus the Columbia area north of Cape Lookout) is 3,590 mt, and the 
southern harvest guideline (for the Columbia area south of Cape Lookout 
plus the Eureka area) is 2,580 mt.
    In January 1996, the limited entry trip limit for the Sebastes 
complex was 70,000 lb (31,752 kg) cumulative per 2-month period north 
of Cape Lookout, and could include no more than 32,000 lb (14,515 kg) 
yellowtail rockfish and 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) canary rockfish (61 FR 
279, January 4, 1996). On September 1, 1996 the 2-month cumulative trip 
limit for yellowtail rockfish was reduced to 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) (61 
FR 47089, September 6, 1996). At the same time, the resumption of 1-
month cumulative trip limits in November and December 1996 was 
announced for greater management flexibility. The change to 1-month 
cumulative trip limits also removed the provision that enabled 60 
percent of the 2-month cumulative trip limit to be landed in one of the 
two months.
    The best available information at the October 1996 Council meeting 
indicated that 2,808 mt of yellowtail rockfish had been taken north of 
Cape Lookout through September 30, 1996. If no action is taken, the 
3,590-mt harvest guideline for this area would be reached by late 
October-early November 1996, and the harvest guideline would be 
exceeded by 5 percent by the end of the year. The Council recommended 
an immediate reduction in the cumulative trip limit for yellowtail 
rockfish north of Cape Lookout, from 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) cumulative 
per 2-month period to 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) cumulative per 1-month period 
starting November 1, 1996. The 1-month cumulative trip limits in 
November and December 1996 also apply to the Sebastes complex and 
canary rockfish north of Cape Lookout and are the same as announced on 
September 6, 1996, at 61 FR 47089: 35,000 lb (15,876 kg) for the 
Sebastes complex, and 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) for canary rockfish. The 1-
month cumulative trip limits for the Sebastes complex between Cape 
Lookout and Cape Mendocino, CA (40 deg.30' N. lat.) also are the same 
as announced on September 6, 1996, at 61 FR 47089 for November and 
December 1996: 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) for the Sebastes complex, 35,000 
lb (15,876 kg) for yellowtail rockfish, and 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) for 
canary rockfish.

NMFS Action

    NMFS concurs with the Council's recommendation, which is intended 
to keep landings of yellowtail rockfish as close as possible to its 
1996 harvest guideline. The trip limit changes apply to both the 
limited entry and open access fisheries, including exempt trawl gear 
used to harvest pink shrimp and prawns. In addition, as stated in the 
annual management measures at 61 FR 279 (January 4, 1996), ``A vessel 
operating in the open access fishery must not exceed any trip limit, 
frequency limit, and/or size limit for the open access fishery; or for 
the same gear and/or subarea in the limited entry fishery * * *''
    The annual management measures published at 61 FR 279, January 4, 
1996, as amended, are modified as follows:
    1. Paragraph IV.C.(2)(a)(i)(B) of the annual management measures 
for yellowtail rockfish and the Sebastes complex north of Cape Lookout 
is revised to read as follows:
    IV. * * *
    C. * * *
    (2) * * *
    (a) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (B) November-December 1996. The cumulative trip limit for the 
Sebastes complex taken and retained north of Cape Lookout is 35,000 lb 
(15,876 kg) per vessel per 1-month period. Within this cumulative trip 
limit for the Sebastes complex, no more than 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) may be 
yellowtail rockfish taken and retained north of Cape Lookout, and no 
more than 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) may be canary rockfish.
    2. Paragraph IV.C.(3)(b) of the annual management measures for 
yellowtail rockfish and the Sebastes complex is revised to read as 
follows:
    IV. * * *
    C. * * *
    (3) * *
    (b) Open access fishery. If smaller than the limits at paragraph 
IV.I. of the annual management measures, the following cumulative 
monthly trip limits apply (within the limits at paragraph IV.I.) during 
November-December 1996: For the Sebastes complex, 35,000 lb (15,876 kg) 
north of Cape Lookout, 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) between Cape Lookout and 
Cape Mendocino, and 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) south of Cape Mendocino; for 
yellowtail rockfish, 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) north of Cape Lookout, and 
35,000 lb (15,876 kg) between Cape Lookout and Cape Mendocino; for 
bocaccio, 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) south of Cape Mendocino; and, for 
canary rockfish, 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) coastwide.

Classification

    These actions are authorized by the regulations implementing the 
FMP. The determination to take these actions is based on the most 
recent data available. The aggregate data upon which the determinations 
are based are available for public inspection at the office of the 
Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS (see ADDRESSES) during business 
hours. Because of the need for immediate action to slow the rate of 
harvest of yellowtail rockfish, and because the public had an 
opportunity to comment on the action at the October 1996 Council 
meeting, NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this document 
to be published without affording a prior opportunity for public 
comment or a 30-day delayed effectiveness period. These actions are 
taken under the authority of 50 CFR 660.323(b)(1)(i) and are exempt 
from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: October 31, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-28402 Filed 10-31-96; 2:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F