[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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