[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8883-8884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4798]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 022197A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Offshore 
Component Pollock in the Aleutian Islands Subarea

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

ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting directed 
fishing for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI) of the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This adjustment is 
necessary to prevent the underharvest of pollock by vessels catching 
pollock for processing by the offshore component in the AI of the BSAI.

DATES: 2400 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 23, 1997, until 
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997. Comments must be received at the

[[Page 8884]]

following address no later than 1630, A.l.t., March 10, 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: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive 
economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management 
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (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 subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii), the allowance of the 
pollock total allowable catch apportioned for vessels catching pollock 
for processing by the offshore component in the AI was established by 
the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish of the BSAI (62 FR 
7168, February 18, 1997) as 16,835 metric tons (mt).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 
allowance of the pollock total allowable catch apportioned for vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the offshore component in the AI 
will soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 
establishing a directed fishing allowance of 14,835 mt, and is setting 
aside the remaining 2,000 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated 
groundfish fisheries. In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the 
Regional Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will 
soon be reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 
pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore 
component in the AI.
    Current information shows the catching capacity of vessels catching 
pollock for processing by the offshore component is in excess of 10,400 
mt per day. In accordance with Sec. 679.23(e) and except as provided in 
Sec. 679.23(e)(2)(ii), directed fishing for pollock by vessels catching 
pollock for processing by the offshore component in the AI of the BSAI 
is scheduled from 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 26, 1997, through 1200 hrs, 
A.l.t., April 15, 1997, and from 1200 hrs, A.l.t. September 1, 1997, 
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 1, 1997, or until the TAC is 
reached, whichever occurs first.
    Section 679.23(b) specifies that the time of all openings and 
closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the 
calendar fishing year is 1200 hrs, A.l.t. The Regional Administrator 
has determined that the remaining portion of the allocation to the 
offshore component would be underharvested if a 1200 hrs closure were 
allowed to occur.
    NMFS, therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), is 
adjusting the season for pollock by vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the offshore component in the AI subarea of the BSAI by 
closing directed fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t., February 23, 1997. NMFS 
is taking this action to prevent the underharvest of the pollock 
allocation to vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore 
component in the AI of the BSAI as authorized by 
Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(i)(C). In accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(iii), 
NMFS has determined that closing directed fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t, 
on February 23, 1997, is the least restrictive management adjustment to 
harvest the pollock allocated to vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the offshore component in the AI of the BSAI and will 
allow other fisheries to continue in noncritical areas and time 
periods.
    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. Without this inseason adjustment, the pollock 
allocation for vessels catching pollock for processing by the offshore 
component in the AI of the BSAI would be underharvested, resulting in 
an economic loss of more than 3 million dollars. Under 
Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments on this action to the above address until March 10, 1997.

Classification

    This action is required by Sec. 679.25 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: February 21, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-4798 Filed 2-21-97; 4:51 pm]
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