[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 45357-45358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22707]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 961227373-6373-01; I.D. 082097C]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; End of the Primary Season and 
Resumption of Trip Limits for the Shore-based Whiting 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 the end of the 1997 regular season for the 
shore-based fishery for Pacific whiting (whiting), and resumption of a 
10,000 lb (4,534 kg) trip limit, at 12 noon local time (l.t.), Friday, 
August 22, 1997, because the allocation for the shore-based sector will 
be reached by that time. This action is intended to keep the harvest of 
whiting at levels announced by NMFS on January 6, 1997, and May 20, 
1997.

DATES: Effective from 12 noon l.t, August 22, 1997, until the effective 
date of the 1998 annual specifications and management measures for the 
Pacific Coast groundfish fishery, which will be published in the 
Federal Register, unless modified, superseded, or rescinded. Comments 
will be accepted through September 11, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments 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: 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. On January 6, 1997 (62 FR 700), regulations were published 
announcing the annual management measures for Pacific coast whiting. 
The regulations at 50 CFR 660.23(a)(4) (62 FR 27519, May 20, 1997) 
established separate allocations for the catcher/processor, mothership, 
and shore-based (also called ``shoreside'') 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 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 August 19, 1997, indicated that 
80,792 mt of whiting had been taken by the shore-based sector through 
August 16, 1997, and that the 86,900-mt shore-based allocation would be 
reached by 12 noon l.t., August 22, 1997. Accordingly, the primary 
season for the shore-based sector ends at 12 noon l.t., August 22, 
1997, at which time no more than 10,000 lb (4,534 kg) of whiting may be 
taken and retained, possessed or landed by a catcher boat in the shore-
based sector per fishing trip. The regulations at 50 CFR 
600.323(a)(3)(i) describe the primary season for the shore-based sector 
as the period(s) when the large-scale target fishery is conducted (when 
routine trip limits accommodating small fresh fish and bait fisheries 
and bycatch in other fisheries under Sec. 600.323(b) are neither needed 
nor in effect). The 10,000 lb (4,534 kg) trip limit, which also had 
been in effect before the primary season, is intended to accommodate 
small bait and fresh fish markets, and bycatch in other fisheries.

NMFS Action

    For the reasons stated above, and in accordance with the 
regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4)(iii)(C) NMFS herein announces:
    Effective 12 noon l.t., August 22, 1997--No more than 10,000 lb 
(4,534 kg) of whiting may be taken and retained, possessed, or landed 
by a catcher vessel participating in the shoreside sector per fishing 
trip.

Classification

    This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the FMP. 
The

[[Page 45358]]

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)(C) and is exempt 
from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: August 21, 1997.
George H. Darcy
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-22707 Filed 8-21-97; 5:04 pm]
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