[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 1997)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 2043] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-941] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 960502124-6190-02; I.D. 010997A] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Scallop Fishery; Registration Area E AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Inseason adjustment to prevent overfishing; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS has determined that the currently specified total allowable catch (TAC) amount for scallops in Registration Area E is incorrect. Therefore, NMFS is reducing the TAC and apportioning it between parts of Registration Area E that are east and west of 146 deg. W. long. NMFS also is apportioning the current C. bairdi crab bycatch limit (CBL) specified for Registration Area E between the area east and west of 146 deg. W. long. These actions are necessary to avoid localized overfishing of the scallop resource and achieve the optimum yield from the scallop fishery. They are intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for the Scallop Fishery off Alaska (FMP). DATES: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 10, 1997, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., June 30, 1997. Comments must be received at the following address no later than 1630 hrs, A.l.t., January 27, 1997. 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: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The scallop fishery off Alaska in the exclusive economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the FMP prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations implementing the FMP at 50 CFR part 679. General regulations that pertain to the U.S. fisheries appear at 50 CFR part 600. The 1996-1997 TAC for scallops and the C. bairdi CBL in Registration Area E are established by the 1996-1997 Harvest Specifications (61 FR 38099, July 23, 1996) as 50,000 lbs (22,686 kg) of shucked scallop meat and 630 C. bairdi crab. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) conducted a survey that assessed the scallop abundance and age structure of the scallop population within Registration Area E after the 1996-1997 Harvest Specifications were published. This information indicated that recruitment to the area was very low and that a harvest of the 50,000 lbs (22,686 kg) of shucked scallop meat would risk localized overfishing of the scallop stock in Registration Area E. The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (formerly Regional Director), has determined, in accordance with Secs. 679.25(a)(2)(i)(A) and 679.63(a), that recent resource survey data collected by the ADF&G warrants an adjustment of the scallop TAC and C. bairdi CBL specified for Registration Area E to prevent overfishing of scallops. NMFS, therefore, is reducing the TAC specified for Registration Area E from 50,000 lbs (22,686 kg) to 22,300 lbs (10,115 kg) of shucked scallop meat. Furthermore, consistent with resource distribution determined by the ADF&G survey, NMFS is subdividing Registration Area E into parts east and west of 146 deg. W. long. and is apportioning the reduced TAC for Registration Area E as follows: In the part of Registration Area E east of 146 deg. W. long., 17,300 lbs (7,847 kg) of shucked scallop meat is authorized for harvest; in the area of Registration Area E west of 146 deg. W. long., 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg) of shucked scallop meat is authorized for harvest. Consistent with this action, the CBL of C. bairdi crab is apportioned as follows: 500 C. bairdi crab in the area of Registration Area E east of 146 deg. W. long.; 130 C. bairdi crab in the area of Registration Area E west of 146 deg. W. long. The apportionment of TAC and CBL between waters east and west of 146 deg. W. long. is necessary to prevent localized overfishing in either of these subareas within Registration Area E. 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 scallops in Registration Area E. Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this action to the above address until January 27, 1997. Classification This action is taken under Sec. 679.63 and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: January 9, 1997. Gary Matlock, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 97-941 Filed 1-10-97; 12:29 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F