[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15127-15128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8058]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 960531152-7062-03; I.D. 031297C]
RIN 0648-AI18


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Technical 
Amendment; Correction

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

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is correcting regulations that contain inadvertent 
omissions that resulted from NMFS' consolidation of six parts in title 
50 of the CFR, related to the Alaska regulations, into one CFR part in 
response to the President's Regulatory Reform Initiative. This action 
corrects regulations that authorize the release of pollock, flatfish, 
and Pacific cod reserves in the Gulf of Alaska.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When the consolidated rule was published in 
the Federal Register on June 19, 1996 (61 FR 31228), it was intended to 
contain no substantive changes to the existing regulations. 
Inadvertently, text that had existed at Sec. 672.20(d)(1)(ii) was 
omitted. This technical amendment is reinstating the omitted text into 
the regulation.
    NMFS is correcting the regulations as follows:
    (1) Section 679.20(b)(2) is revised by changing the word 
``flounder'' to read ``flatfish.''
    (2) Section 679.20(b)(2)(i) and (ii) are added to include inshore/
offshore pollock and Pacific cod provisions to the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 
reserves.
    (3) Section 679.20(3) is revised by adding text that was 
inadvertently omitted to include the GOA in the apportionment text.

Classification

    Because this technical amendment makes only non-substantive 
corrections to an existing rule, notice and public procedure thereon 
and a delay in effective date would serve no purpose. Accordingly, 
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d), notice and public procedure thereon 
and a delay in effective date are unnecessary.
    Because this rule is being issued without prior comment, it is not 
subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act requirement for a regulatory 
flexibility analysis and none has been prepared.
    This rule makes minor technical changes to a rule that has been 
determined to be not significant under E.O. 12866. No changes in the 
regulatory impact previously reviewed and analyzed will result from 
implementation of this technical amendment.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679

    Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: March 24, 1997.
Rolland A. Schmitten,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
    For reasons set forth in the preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is amended 
as follows:

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

    1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq.

    2. In Sec. 679.20, paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (ii) are added, the 
introductory text of (b)(2), the heading for (b)(3), paragraphs 
(b)(3)(i)(A), and (b)(3)(ii)(A) and (B) are revised to read as follows:


Sec. 679.20  General limitations.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *

[[Page 15128]]

    (2) GOA. Initial reserves are established for pollock, Pacific cod, 
flatfish, and ``other species,'' which are equal to 20 percent of the 
TACs for these species or species groups.
    (i) Pollock inshore/offshore reapportionment (Applicable through 
December 31, 1998). Any amounts of the GOA reserve that are 
reapportioned to pollock as provided by this paragraph (b) must be 
apportioned between inshore and offshore components in the same 
proportion specified in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section.
    (ii) Pacific cod inshore/offshore reapportionment (Applicable 
through December 31, 1998). Any amounts of the GOA reserve that are 
reapportioned to Pacific cod as provided by this paragraph (b) must be 
apportioned between inshore and offshore components in the same 
proportion specified in paragraph (a)(6)(iii) of this section.
    (3) Apportionment of reserves.
    (i) * * *
    (A) As soon as practicable after April 1, June 1, and August 1, and 
on such other dates as NMFS determines appropriate, NMFS will, by 
notification in the Federal Register, apportion all or part of the BSAI 
or GOA reserve in accordance with this paragraph (b).
    (B) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (A) General. Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(B) of this 
section, NMFS will apportion the amount of BSAI or GOA reserve that 
will be harvested by U.S. vessels during the remainder of the year.
    (B) Exception. Part or all of the BSAI or GOA reserve may be 
withheld if an apportionment would adversely affect the conservation of 
groundfish resources or prohibited species.
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[FR Doc. 97-8058 Filed 3-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F