[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 36740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17959]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334-7025-02; I.D. 070397B]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Northern 
Rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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 northern rockfish in the 
Western Regulatory Area in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the northern rockfish total allowable 
catch (TAC) in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 3, 1997, 
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Pearson, 907-486-6919.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive 
economic zone is managed by 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. 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 northern rockfish TAC in the Western Regulatory Area of the 
Gulf of Alaska was established by the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications 
of Groundfish for the GOA (62 FR 8179, February 24, 1997) as 840 metric 
tons (mt), determined in accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the northern 
rockfish TAC in the Western Regulatory Area will soon be reached. 
Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing a directed 
fishing allowance of 790 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 50 mt 
as bycatch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. In 
accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator 
finds that this directed fishing allowance will soon be reached. 
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern 
rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20 (e) and (f).
    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. It must be implemented immediately to 
prevent overharvesting the 1997 TAC for northern rockfish in the 
Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. A delay in the effective date is 
impracticable and contrary to public interest. The fleet will soon take 
the directed fishing allowance for northern rockfish. Further delay 
would only result in overharvest and disrupt the FMP's objective of 
allowing incidental catch to be retained throughout the year. NMFS 
finds for good cause that the implementation of this action cannot be 
delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the 
effective date is hereby waived.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: July 3, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-17959 Filed 7-3-97; 3:10 pm]
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