[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 80 (Friday, April 25, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 20129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10675]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 042197A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Shortraker 
and Rougheye Rockfish 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 retention of 
Atka mackerel and rockfish of the genus Sebastes and Sebastolobus in 
the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI) by vessels using trawl gear. This action is 
necessary to prevent overfishing of the shortraker/rougheye rockfish 
species group.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 21, 1997, 
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997. Comments must be received at 
the following address no later than 1630 hrs, A.l.t., May 6, 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: 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 Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that conservation and management 
measures prevent overfishing. The 1997 overfishing level for the 
shortraker/rougheye rockfish species group in the Aleutian Islands 
subarea of the BSAI is established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications for Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18, 
1997) as 1,250 metric tons (mt) and the acceptable biological catch as 
938 mt. As of April 12, 1997, 1,100 mt of shortraker/rougheye rockfish 
have been caught.
    NMFS closed directed fishing for shortraker/rougheye rockfish in 
the Aleutian Islands subarea in the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications 
of Groundfish and prohibited retention of shortraker/rougheye rockfish 
on April 2, 1997 (62 FR 16736, April 8, 1997). Without this action 
substantial trawl fishing effort would be directed at remaining amounts 
of Atka mackerel and rockfish in the Aleutian Islands subarea during 
1997. These fisheries can have significant bycatch of shortraker/
rougheye rockfish.
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in 
accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i) and (a)(2)(iii), that closing the 
season by prohibiting retention of Atka mackerel and rockfish of the 
genus Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl gear is 
necessary to prevent overfishing of the shortraker/rougheye rockfish 
species group, and is the least restrictive measure to achieve that 
purpose. Without this prohibition of retention, significant incidental 
catch of shortraker/rougheye rockfish would occur by trawl vessels 
targeting Atka mackerel and rockfish.
    Therefore, NMFS is requiring that further catches of Atka mackerel 
and rockfish of the genus Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels using 
trawl gear in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI be treated as 
prohibited species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(b)(2).
    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. Immediate effectiveness is necessary to prevent 
overfishing of shortraker/rougheye rockfish in the Aleutian Islands 
subarea of the BSAI. Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are 
invited to submit written comments on this action to the above address 
until May 6, 1997.

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: April 21, 1997.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-10675 Filed 4-21-97; 4:29 pm]
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