[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29676-29677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14216]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 970403076-7114-02; I.D. 052797A]


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Temporary Closure

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

ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a temporary closure of the unrestricted primary 
season for Pacific whiting (whiting) south of 42 deg. N. lat. at noon 
May 27, 1997, and reimposition of a 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) trip limit 
until 0001 hours June 15, 1997, at which time the primary season south 
of 42 deg. N. lat. will resume. This action is authorized by 
regulations implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off 
Washington, Oregon, and California. This action is intended to keep the 
harvest of whiting at levels announced by the Secretary at 62 FR 27519 
(May 20, 1997).

DATES: Effective from 12 noon (local time) May 27, 1997, until 2400 
hours June 14, 1997. Comments will be accepted through June 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to William Stelle, Jr., Administrator, 
Northwest Region (Regional Administrator), National Marine Fisheries 
Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or William 
Hogarth, Acting Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 
90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson at 206-526-6140 or 
Rodney McInnis at 562-980-4040.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a) (3) and 
(4) (62 FR 27519, May 20, 1997) established separate allocations for 
the catcher/processor, mothership, and shore-based sectors of the 
whiting fishery, and announced starting dates for each sector's primary 
season. The primary season for the shore-based sector is the period(s) 
when the virtually unrestricted, large-scale target fishery is 
conducted, and thus when routine trip limits are not in effect. The 
regulations further divide the shore-based allocation so that no more 
than 5 percent of the shore-based allocation for whiting may be taken 
and retained south of 42 deg. N. lat. before the primary season begins 
north of 42 deg. N. lat. The primary season for the shore-based sector 
south of 42 deg. N. lat. began in late April, earlier than the northern 
season which begins on June 15, 1997, because whiting migrate from 
south to north during the fishing year. (The first large whiting 
landing south of 42 deg. N. lat. occurred on April 27, 1997, although 
the fishery could have started on March 1, 1997.) The 5-percent cap is 
intended to discourage effort shifts to the south area early in the 
year. The shore-based whiting allocation is 86,900 mt in 1997, and the 
5-percent cap on early fishing south of 42 deg. N. lat. is 4,345 mt. 
When the 5-percent cap is reached, the 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) trip limit 
that was in place before the start of the southern primary season is 
reimposed and remains in effect until the start of the northern primary 
season on June 15, 1997.
    The best available information on May 23, 1997, indicates that 
4,023 mt of whiting have been taken by the shore-based fishery south of 
42 deg. N. lat. through May 21, 1997, and that 4,345 mt are projected 
to be taken by noon May 27, 1997. Therefore, the 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) 
trip limit announced in the 1997 annual management measures is resumed 
until the primary season begins north of 42 deg. N. lat.

NMFS Action

    For the reasons stated above, and in accordance with the 
regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4) (i)(B) and (iii)(D), NMFS amends 
paragraph F. of Section

[[Page 29677]]

IV. of the 1997 annual management measures (62 FR 700, January 6, 
1997), by adding paragraph (c), to read as follows:
    F. Whiting.
    (1) * * *
    (c) Effective 12 noon May 27, 1997, to 2400 hours (12 midnight) 
June 14, 1997 (local times), no more than 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of 
whiting may be taken and retained, possessed or landed south of 42 deg. 
N. lat. This trip limit includes any whiting caught shoreward of 100 fm 
(183 m) in the Eureka subarea. Effective 0001 hours June 15, 1997, the 
primary season south of 42 deg. N. lat. will resume, concurrent with 
the start of the primary season north of 42 deg. N. lat.
* * * * *

Classification

    This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the FMP. 
The determination to take these actions is based on the most recent 
data available. The aggregate data upon which the determinations are 
based are available for public inspection at the office of the Regional 
Administrator (see ADDRESSES) during business hours. This action is 
taken under the authority of at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4) (i)(B) and 
(iii)(D), and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: May 27, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14216 Filed 5-27-97; 4:43 pm]
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