[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 109 (Friday, June 6, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31010-31011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14781]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334-7025-02; I.D. 053097B]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish 
of the Gulf of Alaska; Pollock in the Western Regulatory Area

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 directed 
fishing for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 
(GOA). This adjustment closes the fishery 18 hours after its scheduled 
opening at 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 1, 1997, and is 
necessary to prevent the underharvest of the pollock total allowable 
catch (TAC) in the Western Regulatory Area.

DATES: Effective 0600 hrs, A.l.t., June 2, 1997, through 1200 hrs, 
A.l.t., July 1, 1997. Comments must be received at the following 
address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., June 18, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries 
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 
99802-1668, Attn. Lori Gravel, or be delivered to the fourth floor of 
the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive 
economic zone is managed by the NMFS according to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by 
the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens 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.
    As of May 17, 1997, 3,905 metric tons (mt) of pollock remain in the 
second season allowance of the inshore allocation of the Western 
Regulatory Area of the GOA pollock TAC. That amount would normally be 
available for harvest at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., June 1, 1997. In accordance 
with Sec. 679.23(d)(2)(ii), directed fishing for pollock in the Western 
Regulatory Area of the GOA is scheduled from 1200 hrs, A.l.t., June 1, 
through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., July 1, or until the TAC is reached, 
whichever occurs first.
    Section 679.23(b) specifies that the time of all openings and 
closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the 
calendar fishing year is 1200 hrs, A.l.t. NMFS has determined that a 
fishery opening must be a minimum of 24 hours. Current information 
shows the catching capacity of vessels catching pollock for processing 
by the inshore component is in excess of 9,600 mt per day. The 
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the remaining 
portion of the TAC allocated to the inshore component would be exceeded 
if a 24-hour fishery were allowed to occur. NMFS intends that the TAC 
should not be exceeded and will not allow a 24-hour directed fishery.
    NMFS in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), is adjusting the 
season for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA by allowing 
the scheduled opening of the directed fishery at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., June 
1, 1997. The fishery will remain open until 0600 hrs, A.l.t., June 2, 
1997, at which time directed fishing will be prohibited. This action 
has the effect of opening the fishery for 18 hours. NMFS is taking this 
action to allow a controlled fishery to occur, thereby preventing 
either the

[[Page 31011]]

underharvest or overharvest of the pollock TAC allocated to the inshore 
component as authorized by Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(i). In accordance with 
Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(iii), NMFS has determined that prohibiting directed 
fishing at 0600 hrs, A.l.t., June 2, 1997, after an 18-hour opening, is 
the least restrictive management adjustment to achieve the second 
season allowance of the pollock TAC allocated to the inshore component 
and will allow other fisheries to continue in noncritical areas and 
time periods.

Classification

    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 (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d)(3)). Without this inseason 
adjustment, NMFS could not allow this fishery, and the second season 
allowance of the pollock TAC in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA 
would not be harvested in accordance with the regulatory schedule, 
resulting in a seasonal loss of more than $1.0 million. Under 
Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments on this action to the above address until June 13, 1997.
    This action is required by Sec. 679.25 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: June 2, 1997.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14781 Filed 6-3-97; 1:21 pm]
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