[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 39782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19557]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 970612136-7136-01; I.D. 071797B]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Western Pacific Crustacean Fisheries; 1997 Closure

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Closure of the fishery.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the closure of the Northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands (NWHI) crustacean fishery due to attainment of the harvest 
guideline for the 1997 fishing season. Lobster vessels carrying vessel 
monitoring system (VMS) units must be outside the Crustaceans Permit 
Area 1 VMS Subarea after the closure date. Vessels without VMS units 
are prohibited from landing lobster after 96 hours following the 
closure date. This action is intended to prevent overfishing and to 
achieve optimum yield according to the objectives of the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Crustacean Fisheries of the Western Pacific 
Region (FMP).

DATES: Fishing for lobsters in the NWHI is prohibited from 2400 hours 
(local time) on July 22, 1997, through June 30, 1998. After 2400 hours 
(local time) July 26, 1997, through June 30, 1998, vessels without VMS 
units are prohibited from landing lobsters taken from the NWHI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Svein Fougner, 562-980-4034; or 
Mr. Alvin Z. Katekaru, 808-973-2985.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 23, 1997, a harvest guideline of 
322,912 spiny and slipper lobsters was published in the Federal 
Register (62 FR 33761) as the allowable harvest permitted in the NWHI 
for the 1997 fishing season, which began on July 1. Through July 17, 
approximately 226,000 spiny and slipper lobsters will have been 
harvested by commercial fishing vessels, and the average daily harvest 
has been more than 16,000 lobsters. Based on recent daily catch rates 
for the fishing fleet, the Acting Regional Administrator of the 
Southwest Region projects that the harvest guideline will be reached 
and, therefore, the lobster season will close at 2400 hours (local 
time) on July 22. Further, for vessels without VMS units, landings of 
lobster taken in Permit Area 1 are prohibited after 2400 hours (local 
time) July 26, 1997.
    On July 1, 1997, a final rule implementing a VMS program in the 
crustacean fishery of the NWHI was published in the Federal Register 
(62 FR 35448). Lobster vessels carrying VMS units are prohibited from 
possessing lobster traps in Crustaceans Permit Area 1 VMS Subarea after 
the closure date. The Acting Regional Administrator of the Southwest 
Region has determined that lobster vessels without VMS units will be 
prohibited from landing lobster 96 hours following the closure date.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 660.50 and is not subject 
to review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: July 18, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-19557 Filed 7-21-97; 3:38 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F