[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 136 (Wednesday, July 16, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38037-38038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18589]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 300
[Docket No. 961217359-7050-02; I.D. 070397C]
Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Oregon Sport Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason action.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Area 2A sport fishery off Oregon on
August 1, 2, and 9, 1997, in all-depths is closed. The restricted depth
fishery will remain open until September 30, 1997, or until the Oregon
sport fishery quota is reached.
DATES: Effective July 16, 1997. Comments will be accepted through July
31, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to William Stelle, Jr., Regional
Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way, Seattle, WA
98115. Information relevant to this action is available for public
review during business hours at this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Scordino, 206-526-6143.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Area 2A Catch Sharing Plan for Pacific
halibut off Washington, Oregon, and California is implemented in the
annual management measures for the Pacific halibut fisheries published
on March 18, 1997 (62 FR 12759). The sport fishery in Oregon in the
area from Cape Falcon, Oregon, to the Oregon/California border was
divided in accordance with the Area 2A Catch Sharing Plan into three
seasons with an overall quota of 137,600 lb (62.4 mt) for 1997. The
first season in the area between Cape Falcon and the Siuslaw River,
which was an all-depth fishery with a sub-quota of 86,703 lb (39.3 mt),
closed on May 24. The first season in the area between the Siuslaw
River and the Oregon/California border, which was an all-depth fishery
with a sub-quota of 8,077 lb (3.7 mt), closed on May 17. The second
season for both areas (from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/
[[Page 38038]]
California border), which is a restricted depth fishery (inside 30
fathoms), opened on the day after the closure of the all-depth
fisheries in accordance with Section 22 of the annual regulations for
the Pacific halibut fisheries (62 FR 12759, March 18, 1997) and is
scheduled to continue until July 31. The third season for the entire
area from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/California border is an all-depth
fishery that is to open on August 1, 2, and 9, or until the Oregon
sport fishery quota is taken.
The catch from the first season in the entire area between Cape
Falcon and the Oregon/California border has been determined by NMFS, in
consultation with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), to
have exceeded the first season subquotas by over 30,000 lbs (13.6 mt).
In consultation with ODFW, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and
the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), NMFS has
determined based on past catch rates in restricted depth and all-depth
sport fisheries off Oregon, that the remaining quota for this area is
sufficient to maintain the current restricted depth fishery until July
31 and
possibly a 1-day, all-depth fishery on August 1, but the remaining
quota is not sufficient to allow the scheduled 3-day, all-depth opening
in August (third season). It is possible that there may be sufficient
quota remaining on July 31 to allow an all-depth fishery on August 1,
but that determination cannot be made until late July when the catch in
the restricted depth fishery is accounted for. Because halibut catch
rates are much lower in a restricted depth fishery than an all-depth
fishery, the restricted depth fishery could remain open after the
second season until September 30 without exceeding the quota.
NMFS Action
NMFS is taking inseason action to close the August 1, 2, and 9,
1997, all-depth fishery in the area from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/
California border to prevent the quota for the Oregon sport fishery
from being exceeded. The restricted depth fishery, limited to waters
inside 30 fathoms as described in Section 22 of the annual management
measures, in the area from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/California border,
will remain open until September 30 or until the Oregon sport fishery
quota is estimated to have been taken and the season is closed by IPHC.
A determination on whether a 1-day, all-depth fishery can be allowed on
August 1 without exceeding the quota will be made on July 18. Notice of
an all-depth fishery opening will be provided by a telephone hotline
administered by the Northwest Region, NMFS, at 206-526-6667 or 800-662-
9825. No fishing will be allowed in the area beyond 30 fathoms on
August 1, unless the opening has been announced by NMFS. The Regional
Administrator has determined that this action is necessary to allow
allocation objectives to be met, and will not result in exceeding the
catch limits that were established prior to the season opening. Because
of the need to provide adequate public notice on the closure, NMFS has
determined that good cause exists for this action to be issued without
affording a prior opportunity for public comment. Public comments will
be received for a period of 15 days after the effectiveness of this
action.
Classification
This action is authorized by Section 23 of the annual management
measures for Pacific halibut fisheries published on March 18, 1997 (62
FR 12759) and has been determined to be not significant for purposes of
E.O. 12866.
Dated: July 10, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-18589 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]
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