[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 45 (Friday, March 7, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10479-10480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5697]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7012-02; I.D. 022897D]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Species in 
the Rock Sole/Flathead Sole/``Other Flatfish'' Fishery Category by 
Vessels Using Trawl Gear in Bycatch Limitation Zone 1

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 species in the rock sole/
flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category by vessels using 
trawl gear in Bycatch Limitation Zone 1 (Zone 1) of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to 
prevent exceeding the 1997 bycatch allowance of C. bairdi Tanner crab 
apportioned to the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' 
fishery category in Zone 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 4, 1997, 
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 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 the Groundfish Fishery 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.
    The bycatch allowance of red king crab for the BSAI trawl rock 
sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category, which is 
defined at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(B)(2), was established by the Final 
1997 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (62 FR 7168, February 18, 
1997) as 394,736 animals.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(ii), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1997 bycatch allowance of C. 
bairdi Tanner crab apportioned to the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/
``other flatfish'' fishery in

[[Page 10480]]

Zone 1 has been caught. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing for species in the rock sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' 
fishery category by vessels using trawl gear in Zone 1.
    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 679.21 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: March 3, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-5697 Filed 3-4-97; 3:06 pm]
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