[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12697-12698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6712]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 971208297-8054-02; I.D. 031098C]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Closures of
Specified Groundfish Fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska
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 Gulf of
Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the
directed fishing allowances specified for the 1998 total allowable
catch (TAC) amounts for the GOA.
DATES: Effective March 11, 1998, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t. December 31,
1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the exclusive
economic zone of the GOA is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (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)(1)(i), 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 and Pacific cod, 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 GOA Regulatory Area
or district (Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)).
The Regional Administrator has determined that the following TAC
amounts are necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries for the 1998 fishing year:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Area TAC (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thornyhead rockfish.............. Entire GOA............... 2,000
Atka mackerel.................... Entire GOA............... 600
Sablefish........................ Trawl apportionment, 1,930
entire GOA.
``Other rockfish''............... Entire GOA............... 2,170
[[Page 12698]]
Shortraker/rougheye rockfish..... Entire GOA............... 1,590
Pollock.......................... Inshore component, 7,450
Statistical Area 610.
Inshore component, 12,510
Statistical Area 620.
Inshore component, 9,830
Statistical Area 630.
Pollock.......................... Eastern Regulatory Area.. 5,580
Pollock.......................... Offshore component, 0
entire GOA.
Pacific cod...................... Offshore component, 1,745
Statistical Area 610.
Offshore component, 3,239
Statistical Areas 620,
630.
Offshore component, 94
Statistical Areas 640,
650.
Pacific cod...................... Inshore component, 15,703
Western Regulatory Area.
Pacific cod...................... Inshore component, 29,153
Central Regulatory Area.
Deep-water flatfish.............. Western Regulatory Area.. 340
Northern rockfish................ Eastern Regulatory Area.. 10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator establishes these 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)(1)(iii), NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for these species in the specified areas.
Under authority of the interim 1998 specifications (62 FR 65622,
December 15, 1998), pollock fishing opened on January 1, 1998, for
amounts specified in that publication. NMFS has since closed
Statistical Area 610 to directed fishing for pollock effective 1200
hrs, A.l.t., January 26, 1998 (63 FR 4600, January 30, 1998);
Statistical Area 620 to directed fishing for pollock effective 1200
hrs, A.l.t., February 7, 1998 (63 FR 6881, February 11, 1998),
Statistical Area 630 to directed fishing for pollock effective 1200
hrs, A.l.t., February 2, 1998 (63 FR 6111, February 6, 1998), and
Statistical Areas 640 and 650 to directed fishing for pollock effective
1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 9, 1998 (to be published March 13, 1998). The
closures for Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630 will remain in effect
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., June 1, 1998. The closure for Statistical Areas
640 and 650 will remain in effect until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31,
1998.
Under authority of the interim 1998 specifications (62 FR 65622,
December 15, 1998), Pacific cod fishing opened on January 1, 1998, for
amounts specified in that notice. NMFS has since closed Statistical
Area 610 to directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching
Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western
Regulatory Area effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 3, 1998 (63 FR 11160,
March 6, 1998) and Statistical Areas 620 and 630 to directed fishing
for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the
inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area effective 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., March 10, 1998 (published on March 13, 1998).
The closures in this document supersede the closures announced in,
or under authority of, the 1998 interim specifications (62 FR 62622,
December 15, 1997). While the closures in this document are in effect,
the maximum retainable bycatch amounts at Sec. 679.20 (e) and (f) apply
at any time during a fishing trip. The closures to directed fishing in
this document are in addition to closures and prohibitions found in
regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of
areas. The definitions of GOA deep-water flatfish and ``other
rockfish'' species categories are provided in the Federal Register
publication of the Final 1998 Harvest Specifications.
NMFS may implement other closures 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 TAC limitations and other restrictions
on the fisheries established in the Final 1998 Harvest Specifications
for Groundfish for the GOA. It must be implemented immediately to
prevent overharvesting the 1998 TACs for several groundfish species in
the GOA. A delay in the effective date is impracticable and contrary to
the public interest. The fleet is currently harvesting groundfish, and
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: March 11, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-6712 Filed 3-11-98; 4:20 pm]
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