[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 14, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 26429-26430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12621]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 050797C]


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 
Pacific cod and Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels using 
hook-and-line 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.), May 10, 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 27, 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 of 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 26, 1997, 1,189 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 for the BSAI and prohibited retention of shortraker/
rougheye rockfish on April 2, 1997 (62 FR 16736, April 8, 1997). The 
trawling season for Atka mackerel and rockfish of the genus Sebastes 
and Sebastolobus was closed April 21, 1997 (62 FR 20129, April 25, 
1997) to prevent overfishing of shortraker/rougheye. Substantial hook-
and-line fishing effort will be directed at remaining amounts of 
Pacific cod and Greenland turbot 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 
seasons by prohibiting retention of Pacific cod and Greenland turbot in 
the Aleutian Islands subarea by vessels using hook-and-line gear is 
necessary to prevent overfishing of the shortraker/rougheye rockfish 
species group, and are the least restrictive measures to achieve this 
purpose. Without this prohibition of retention, significant incidental 
catch of shortraker/rougheye rockfish would occur by hook-and-line 
vessels targeting Pacific cod and Greenland turbot.

[[Page 26430]]

    Therefore, NMFS is requiring that further catches of Pacific cod 
and Greenland turbot by vessels using hook-and-line 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 27, 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: May 8, 1997.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-12621 Filed 5-9-97; 1:29 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F