[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67754-67755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33893]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208296-7296-01; I.D. 121997A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Closures of 
Specified Groundfish Fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing specified groundfish fisheries in the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the prohibited species bycatch 
allowances and directed fishing allowances specified for the

[[Page 67755]]

1998 interim total allowable catch (TAC) amounts.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 1, 1998, 
until superseded by the Final 1998 Harvest Specification for 
Groundfish, which will be published in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI is 
managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (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.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d), if the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) determines that the amount of a 
target species or ``other species'' category apportioned to a fishery 
or, with respect to pollock, to an inshore or offshore component 
allocation, will be reached, the Regional Administrator may establish a 
directed fishing allowance for that species or species group. If the 
Regional Administrator establishes a directed fishing allowance, and 
that allowance is or will be reached before the end of the fishing 
year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that species or species 
group in the specified subarea or district (Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). 
Similarly, under Sec. 679.21(e), if the Regional Administrator 
determines that a fishery category's bycatch allowance of halibut, red 
king crab, or C. bairdi Tanner crab for a specified area has been 
reached, the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for 
each species in that category in the specified area.
    NMFS has published interim 1998 harvest specifications for these 
groundfish fisheries (62 FR 65626, December 15, 1997). The Regional 
Administrator has determined that the interim TAC amounts of pollock in 
the Bogoslof District; Pacific ocean perch, ``other rockfish'', and 
``other red rockfish'' in the Bering Sea subarea; and sharpchin/
northern rockfish, shortraker/rougheye rockfish, and ``other rockfish'' 
in the Aleutian Islands subarea, will be reached and will be necessary 
as incidental catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries 
prior to the time that final specifications for groundfish are likely 
to be in effect for the 1998 fishing year. Consequently, in accordance 
with Sec. 679.20(d)(i), the Regional Administrator establishes these 
interim TAC amounts as directed fishing allowances.
    Further, the Regional Administrator finds that these directed 
fishing allowances will be reached before the end of the year. 
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d) NMFS is prohibiting 
directed fishing for these species in the specified areas. In addition, 
the interim BSAI halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl 
rockfish fishery and the trawl Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/
sablefish fishery categories, defined at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C) and 
(D), is 0 mt. In accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(iv), NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing for rockfish by vessels using trawl gear 
in the BSAI and for Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/sablefish by 
vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI.
    These closures will be in effect beginning at 0001 hours, A.l.t., 
January 1, 1998, until superseded by the Final 1998 Harvest 
Specifications for Groundfish.
    While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable bycatch 
amounts at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing 
trip. These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures 
and prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Refer to 
Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas. In the BSAI, ``other rockfish'' 
includes Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean 
perch and the ``other red rockfish'' species. ``Other red rockfish'' 
includes shortraker, rougheye, sharpchin, and northern rockfish.
    NMFS may implement other closures at the time the Final 1998 
Harvest Specifications are implemented or during the 1998 fishing year, 
as necessary for effective conservation and management.

Classification

    This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.
    This action responds to the interim TAC limitations and other 
restrictions on the fisheries established in the Interim 1998 harvest 
specifications for groundfish for the BSAI. It must be implemented 
immediately to prevent overharvesting the 1998 interim TAC of several 
groundfish species in the BSAI. A delay in the effective date is 
impracticable and contrary to the public interest. The fleet will begin 
to harvest groundfish on January 1, 1998. Further delay would only 
result in overharvest. NMFS finds for good cause that the 
implementation of this action should not be delayed for 30 days. 
Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective date is 
hereby waived.

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

    Dated: December 22, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-33893 Filed 12-29-97; 8:45 am]
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