[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 81 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 22896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10840]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 042297C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod 
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 the Pacific cod 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 Pacific cod fishery 
category in Zone 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 23, 1997, 
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 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 C. bairdi Tanner crab for Zone 1 of the 
BSAI trawl Pacific cod fishery category, which is defined at 
Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(E), was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish (62 FR 7168, February 18, 1997) as 177,632 
animals. On March 24, 1997, NMFS published a final rule implementing 
Amendment 41 to the FMP (62 FR 13839). Amendment 41 amended Table 7 of 
the final specifications. The revised bycatch allowance for C. bairdi 
Tanner crab for Zone 1 for the BSAI trawl Pacific cod fishery category 
is 133,224 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 Pacific cod fishery in Zone 
1 has been caught. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing 
for the Pacific cod 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: April 22, 1997.
George H. Darcy,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-10840 Filed 4-23-97; 2:15 pm]
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