[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46701-46702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23660]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 980429110-8110-01; I.D. 081998A]


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; West 
Coast Salmon Fisheries; Closures of the Ocean Recreational Salmon 
Fisheries From Cape Alava to Queets River, Washington, and Leadbetter 
Point, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon

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

ACTION: Closures; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the closures of the ocean recreational salmon 
fisheries from Cape Alava to Queets River, Washington, and Leadbetter 
Point, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon, that were effective at 
midnight, August 9, 1998. This action was necessary to conform to the 
1998 management measures and was intended to ensure conservation of 
coho and chinook salmon as well as to maximize the harvest of coho and 
chinook salmon without exceeding the ocean share allocated to the 
recreational fishery in these subareas.

DATES: Closures effective 2400 hours local time, August 9, 1998. 
Comments will be accepted through September 16, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to William Stelle, Jr., Regional 
Administrator, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Building 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070. 
Information relevant to this document is available for public review 
during business hours at the same office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson, 206-526-6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the ocean salmon 
fisheries at 50 CFR 660.409(a)(1) state that when a quota for the 
commercial or the recreational fishery, or both, for any salmon species 
in any portion of the fishery management area is projected by the 
Regional Administrator to be reached on or by a certain date, the 
Secretary will, by an inseason action issued under 50 CFR 660.411, 
close the commercial or recreational fishery, or both, for all salmon 
species in the portion of the fishery management area to which the 
quota applies as of the date the quota is projected to be reached.
    In the 1998 management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (63 FR 
24973, May 6, 1998), NMFS announced that the recreational fishery in 
the area from Cape Alava to Queets River opened for all salmon on 
August 3, 1998, through the earlier of September 24 or 600 coho subarea 
quota, with an inseason management guideline of 100 chinook, and 
Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon opened for all salmon on August 3, 
1998, through earlier of September 24, 1998, or 7,000 coho subarea 
quota, with an inseason management guideline of 1,050 chinook.
    The best available information on August 7, 1998, indicated that 
the catch and effort data and projections

[[Page 46702]]

supported closure of the recreational fisheries in these subareas at 
midnight, August 9, 1998, in order to prevent the catch in each subarea 
from exceeding its subarea quota.
    The projected catch for Cape Alava to Queets River, Washington 
through August 9, 1998, was 50-100 fish over the 600 coho quota. 
However, recreational representatives from the Queets River to 
Leadbetter Point, Washington subarea, whose coho quota had not been 
reached, agreed to a transfer of a portion of this subarea's allotment 
to cover any overage in the Cape Alava to Queets River 600 coho quota. 
After closure, the estimated catch reported through August 9, 1998, was 
596 coho salmon, a transfer of quota unnecessary.
    The estimated catch through August 9 for Leadbetter Point, 
Washington to Cape Falcon, Oregon was 6,109 fish compared to the 7,000 
coho quota. The catch was close enough to the quota that all parties 
agreed not to add another day of fishing to capture the 891 coho 
remaining in the quota because of the potential to exceed the 7,000 
fish quota due to potential higher weekend fishing effort on August 9. 
There is the potential in this subarea for an extra day of fishing if 
the subarea to the north, Queets River to Leadbetter Point, Washington, 
does not meet it's 7,400 coho quota. Any reopening will be announced 
through the inseason action procedure of the Coast Guard broadcast and 
telephone hotline listed here.
    As required by 50 CFR 660.409(b), the Regional Administrator 
consulted with representatives of the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon 
Department of Fish and Wildlife. The States of Washington and Oregon 
manage the recreational fisheries in state waters adjacent to this area 
of the exclusive economic zone in accordance with this Federal action. 
As provided by the inseason action procedures of 50 CFR 660.411, actual 
notice to fishermen of these actions was given prior to 2400 hours 
local time, August 9, 1998, for the closures by telephone hotline 
numbers 206-526-6667 and 800-662-9825, and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice 
to Mariners broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz. Because of 
the need for immediate action to manage the fishery to achieve but not 
exceed the quota, NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this 
action to be issued without affording a prior opportunity for public 
comment. This action does not apply to other fisheries that may be 
operating in other areas.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 and 660.411 and is 
exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: August 27, 1998.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-23660 Filed 9-1-98; 8:45 am]
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