[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 96 (Monday, May 19, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 27210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12987]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 051397A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Yellowfin 
Sole 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 yellowfin sole 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 yellowfin sole fishery category in 
Zone 1 of the BSAI.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), May 13, 1997, 
until 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 yellowfin sole fishery category, which is defined at 
Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(B)(1), was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18, 
1997) as 368,421 animals. Amendment 41 to the BSAI FMP amended Table 7 
of the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications (62 FR 13839, March 24, 1997). 
The revised bycatch allowance for C. bairdi Tanner crab for Zone 1 is 
276,316 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 yellowfin sole fishery in 
Zone 1 has been caught. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing for yellowfin sole by vessels using trawl gear in Zone 1 of the 
BSAI.
    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: May 13, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-12987 Filed 5-13-97; 4:46 pm]
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