[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 54 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 13352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7028]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 031497C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka 
Mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and 
Aleutian Islands

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the 
Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the 1997 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 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.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii), the TAC of Atka mackerel 
for the Central Aleutian District was established by the Final 1997 
Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 
18, 1997) as 19,500 metric tons (mt).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the TAC for 
Atka mackerel specified for the Central Aleutian District will soon be 
reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing a 
directed fishing allowance of 18,500 mt and is setting aside the 
remaining 1,000 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 Atka 
mackerel in the Central Aleutian District.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations 
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

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

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

    Dated: March 14, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7028 Filed 3-17-97; 2:51 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F