[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 69 (Friday, April 10, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 17737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9562]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297-8054-02; I.D. 033098A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Offshore 
Component Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels 
catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the 
Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska management area (GOA). 
This action is necessary to fully utilize the 1998 total allowable 
catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels catching Pacific cod 
for processing by the offshore component in this area.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 6, 1998, 
until 2400 hrs. A.l.t., December 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive 
economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management 
Plan for Groundfish 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.
    The 1998 TAC of Pacific cod allocated to vessels catching Pacific 
cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory 
Area was established as 3,337 mt by the Final 1998 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish for the GOA (63 FR 12027, March 12, 1998). 
See Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii).
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), 
has established a directed fishing allowance of 2,000 mt, and set aside 
the remaining 1,337 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated 
groundfish fisheries. The fishery for Pacific cod by vessels catching 
Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central 
Regulatory Area of the GOA was closed to directed fishing under 
Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on March 11, 1998 (63 FR 12697, March 16, 1998).
    NMFS has determined that as of March 14, 1998, 2,000 mt remain in 
the directed fishing allowance. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the 
previous closure and is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by 
vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component 
in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Classification

    All other closures remain in full force and effect. This action 
responds to the best available information recently obtained from the 
fishery. It must be implemented immediately in order to allow full 
utilization of the Pacific cod TAC. Providing prior notice and 
opportunity for public comment for this action is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. Further delay would only disrupt the 
FMP objective of providing a portion of the Pacific cod TAC for vessels 
catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. NMFS 
finds for good cause that the implementation of this action cannot be 
delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the 
effective date is hereby waived.
    This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: April 6, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-9562 Filed 4-7-98; 3:07 pm]
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