[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 32543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15735]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 970403076-7114-02; I.D. 061097D]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Closure for the Catcher/
Processor Sector

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 closure of the 1997 catcher/processor fishery 
for whiting at 12:00 noon June 11, 1997, because the allocation for the 
catcher/processor sector will be reached by that time. 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 of Commerce on 
May 20, 1997.

DATES: Effective from 12:00 noon (local time) June 11, 1997, until the 
start of the 1998 primary season for the catcher/processor sector, 
unless modified, superseded or rescinded. Comments will be accepted 
through July 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit comment 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 Regional 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)(4) (62 
FR 27519, May 20, 1997) established separate allocations for the 
catcher/processor, mothership, and shore-based sectors of the whiting 
fishery. Each allocation is a harvest guideline, which, when reached, 
results in the end of the primary season for that sector. The catcher/
processor sector is composed of catcher/processors, which are vessels 
that harvest and process whiting. The mothership sector is composed of 
motherships and catcher vessels that harvest whiting for delivery to 
motherships. Motherships are vessels that process, but do not harvest, 
whiting. The shoreside sector is composed of vessels that harvest 
whiting for delivery to shore-based processors. The allocations, which 
are based on the 1997 commercial harvest guideline for whiting of 
207,000 metric tons (mt), are: 70,400 mt (34 percent) for the catcher/
processor sector; 49,700 mt (24 percent) for the mothership sector; and 
86,900 mt (42 percent) for the shoreside sector. The best available 
information on June 9, 1997, indicated that the 70,400-mt catcher/
processor allocation would be reached by 12:00 noon June 11, 1997. The 
mothership fishery reached its allocation and was closed on June 1, 
1997 (62 FR 30776). Attainment of the shore-based sector allocation is 
not announced at this time. (The regulations at 50 CFR 600.323(a)(3)(i) 
describe the primary season for catcher/processors as the period(s) 
when at-sea processing is allowed and the fishery is open for the 
catcher/processor sector.)

NMFS Action

    For the reasons stated above, and in accordance with the 
regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4)(iii)(A), NMFS herein announces: 
Effective 12:00 noon (local time) June 11, 1997--(1) Further taking and 
retaining, receiving or at-sea processing of whiting by a catcher/
processor is prohibited. No additional unprocessed whiting may be 
brought on board after at-sea processing is prohibited, but a catcher/
processor may continue to process whiting that was on board before at-
sea processing was prohibited. which time further taking and retaining, 
receiving, or at-sea processing of whiting by a catcher/processor is 
prohibited.

Classification

    This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the FMP. 
The determination to take this action is based on the most recent data 
available. The aggregate data upon which the determination is 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 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4)(iii)(A) and is exempt 
from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: June 11, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-15735 Filed 6-11-97; 4:30 pm]
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