[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 5, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 9994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5439]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334-7025-02; I.D. 022897A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska, Pollock in 
the Eastern Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed fishing for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Eastern 
Regulatory Area in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary 
to prevent exceeding the allocation of the total allowable catch (TAC) 
for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore 
component in the Eastern Regulatory Area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 2, 1997, 
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

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-
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.
    The final specification of the allocation of pollock to vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Eastern 
Regulatory Area of the GOA was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish for the GOA (62 FR 8179, February 24, 
1997) as 5,580 metric tons (mt), determined in accordance with 
Sec. 679.20 (a)(6)(ii).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20 (d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 
allocation of the TAC of pollock to vessels catching pollock for 
processing by the inshore component in the Eastern Regulatory Area will 
soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing 
a directed fishing allowance of 5,480, and is setting aside the 
remaining 100 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 inshore component in 
the Eastern Regulatory Area.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: February 28, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-5439 Filed 2-28-97; 4:43 pm]
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