[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 125 (Tuesday, June 30, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35541-35542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17342]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[Docket No. 980225048-8059-02; I.D. 062398A]


Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Washington Sport Fishery

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

ACTION: Inseason action.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces changes to the regulations for the Area 2A 
sport fishery off the south coast of Washington. A subsection of the 
south coast of Washington area, from the Queets River south to 
47 deg.00'00'' N. lat., and east of 124 deg.40'00'' W. long. will be 
open 7 days per week, beginning June 26, 1998, until 36,648 lb (16.6 
mt) are estimated to have been taken, after which time all sport 
fishing for halibut in the south coast of Washington area between the 
Queets River and Leadbetter Point will be closed. The purpose of this 
action is to allow halibut taken as bycatch in shallow-depth sport 
fishing trips to be retained, rather than discarded.

DATES: Effective June 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to William Stelle, Jr., Regional 
Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way, Seattle, WA 
98115. Information relevant to this action is available for public 
review during business hours at this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yvonne deReynier, 206-526-6120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Area 2A Catch Sharing Plan for Pacific 
halibut off Washington, Oregon, and California is implemented in the 
annual management measures for the Pacific halibut fisheries published 
on March 17, 1998 (63 FR 13000). In accordance with those regulations, 
the sport fishery in the area from Queets River, Washington, to 
Leadbetter Point, Washington opened on May 1 and has continued for 5 
days per week (Sunday through Thursday) since that opening. The 1998 
subarea quota for this fishery is 36,648 lb (16.1 mt). This all-depth 
sport fishery in this area is scheduled to close when 1,000 lb (0.45 
mt) are projected to remain in the subarea quota. Immediately following 
that closure, the season would reopen in the shallow-depth area from 
the Queets River (47 deg.31'42'' N. lat.) south to 47 deg.00'00'' N. 
lat. and east of 124 deg.40'00'' W. long., and continue every day until 
the full 36,648 lb (16.1 mt) subarea quota is estimated to have been 
taken.
    The best available data on June 16, 1998, indicates that as of June 
14, 1998, 31,327 lb (14.2 mt) of halibut have been taken in the area 
from the Queets River south to Leadbetter Point, Washington. Catch rate 
attainment for this subarea is significantly slower than it has been in 
past years, lengthening the directed sport season over past season 
durations. While a longer than usual halibut season has been beneficial 
to area sport fishery operations, the lengthened 5 day per week fishery 
has had an unanticipated impact on sport fishing trips directed at 
species other than halibut. Because the halibut fishery is restricted 
to 5 days per week, halibut must be discarded when caught incidentally 
on fishing trips directed at other species on days when halibut may not 
be landed (Friday and Saturday). A small number of halibut are taken 
from the shallow depth area, where a significant rockfish sport fishery 
occurs. Allowing halibut landings for 7 days per week from this area 
will eliminate unnecessary discard of incidentally-caught halibut. Any 
halibut landed from the shallow-depth fishery on a Friday or a Saturday 
will count against the all-depth fishing quota of 35,648 lb (16.1 mt). 
NMFS has determined, in consultation with Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife (WDFW), that the directed halibut fishery for this area 
has been proceeding at a sufficiently slow rate to justify allowing 
Friday and Saturday halibut landings from the shallow depth fishing 
trips that are generally directed at species other than halibut, but 
which may catch halibut incidentally.
    Section 24 of the 1998 Pacific halibut regulations provides NMFS 
with the flexibility to make certain inseason management changes 
including, among other things, modification of sport fishing periods, 
and modification of sport fishery days per calendar week. In 
consultation with WDFW, the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the 
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), NMFS has determined 
that the remaining quota for this area is sufficient to open the 
shallow depth fishery for 7 days per week, beginning June 26, 1998. The 
all-depth fishery will continue as originally specified in the annual 
management measures, until 35,648 lb (16.6 mt) are estimated to have 
been taken from the south coast of Washington area. Once 35,648 lb 
(16.1 mt) are estimated to have been taken, the shallow depth subarea 
within the south coast of Washington area (from the Queets River south 
to 47 deg.00'00'' N. lat. and east of 124 deg.40'00'' W. long.) will 
remain open every day until 36,648 lb (16.6 mt) are estimated to have 
been taken, or until September 30, whichever occurs first.

NMFS Action

    For the reasons stated above, NMFS announces the following change 
to the 1998 annual management measures (63 FR 13000, March 17, 1998, as 
amended). For the Washington south coast subarea, section 
23(4)(C)(iii)(A) is amended as follows:
    (iii) In the area between the Queets River, WA and Leadbetter 
Point, WA (46 deg.38'10'' N. lat.), the quota for landings into ports 
in this area is 36,648 lb (16.6 mt).
    (A) The fishing season that began on May 3 continues 5 days a week 
(Sunday through Thursday) until 35,648 lb (16.1) are estimated to have 
been taken and the season is closed by the Commission. Within the area 
described in this section, above, the area from the Queets River south 
to 47 deg.00'00'' N. lat. and east of 124 deg.40'00'' W. long. is open 
7 days per week, and continues every day until

[[Page 35542]]

36,648 lb (16.6 mt) are estimated to have been taken and the area is 
closed by the Commission, or until September 30, whichever occurs 
first.

Classification

    These actions are authorized by the regulations implementing the 
Area 2A Catch Sharing Plan. The determination to take these actions is 
based on the most recent data available. Because of the need for 
immediate action to implement these changes to limit unnecessary 
halibut discard, and because the public had an opportunity to comment 
on NMFS' authority to make inseason changes to certain management 
measures when those measures would further the objectives of the Catch 
Sharing Plan, NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this 
document to be published without affording a prior opportunity for 
public comment or a 30-day delayed effectiveness period. Public 
comments will be received for a period of 15 days after the 
effectiveness of this action. This action is authorized by Section 24 
of the annual management measures for Pacific halibut fisheries 
published on March 17, 1998 (63 FR 13000, 13008) and has been 
determined to be not significant for purposes of E.O. 12866.

    Dated: June 24, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-17342 Filed 6-25-98; 1:42pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F