[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 192 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53317-53318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26628]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 980429110-8110-01; I.D. 091198B]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; West 
Coast Salmon Fisheries; Ocean Recreational Salmon Fisheries; Closure 
and Reopening; Queets River, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon

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

ACTION: Closures and reopenings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the closure of the ocean recreational salmon 
fishery from Queets River to Leadbetter Point, Washington, effective at 
midnight, August 16, 1998, and the reopening of the ocean recreational 
salmon fisheries from Queets River, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon, 
for one day on September 3, 1998. The area from 0 to 3 miles (4.8 km) 
off shore that was previously closed to fishing in the subarea from 
Queets River to Leadbetter Point, Washington, opened for this one-day 
fishery. These actions were necessary to conform to the 1998 management 
measures and are 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: Closure effective 2400 hours local time (l.t.), August 16, 1998. 
Partial reopening and recision of closed area (Queets River to 
Leadbetter Point, Washington) effective 0001 hours l.t. until 2400 
hours l.t., September 3, 1998. Comments will be accepted through 
October 19, 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 office of the Regional Administrator, 
Northwest Region, NMFS.

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, NMFS 
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 Queets River to Leadbetter Point opened for all salmon on 
August 3, 1998, through the earlier of September 24, 1998, or 7,400 
coho salmon subarea quota, with an inseason management guideline of 
2,350 chinook salmon, and Leadbetter Point to Cape Falcon opened for 
all salmon on August 3, 1998, through the earlier of September 24, 
1998, or 7,000 coho salmon subarea quota, with an inseason management 
guideline of 1,050 chinook salmon.
    On August 14, 1998, the best available information indicated that 
the catch and effort data and projections supported closure from Queets 
River to Leadbetter Point, Washington at midnight, August 16, 1998, in 
order to prevent the catch in the subarea from exceeding its quota. The 
estimated catch for the recreational fishery in this subarea through 
August 13, 1998, was 5,843 fish compared to the 7,400 coho salmon 
quota. The projected catch for August 14-16, 1998, was 1,000-1,200 
fish. The projected catch was close enough to the quota that all 
parties agreed not to add another day of fishing to capture the 100-500 
coho salmon remaining in the quota because the weekend fishing effort 
on August 16, 1998, could have been higher than expected and could have 
exceeded the 7,400 fish quota. As of August 17, 1998, the estimated 
catch for the recreational fishery in this subarea through August 16, 
1998, was 6,675 fish, with 725 coho salmon remaining in the quota.
    As of August 11, 1998, the estimated catch through the August 9, 
1998, weekend fishing effort on August 16, 1998, closure for Leadbetter 
Point, Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon, was 6,109 fish compared to 
the 7,000 coho salmon quota, with 962 coho remaining (63 FR 46701, 
September 2, 1998).
    On August 17, 1998, the two subarea fisheries from Queets River, 
Washington, to Cape Falcon, Oregon, were reevaluated. The best 
available information indicated that the catch and effort data and 
projections supported reopening of these two ocean recreational 
fisheries for one day on Thursday, September 3, 1998, in order to 
maximize harvest within the quotas. The decision was based on the 
following: The slightly higher estimates of coho salmon left in each 
subarea's quota than had been projected when the areas were closed, the 
proposed additional fishing date not being on the weekend, the fact 
that the buoy 10 fishery would be closed at that time, and the fact 
that coho salmon catch rates typically decrease and chinook salmon 
catch rates increase later in the season. There are more chinook salmon 
available in the season catch guidelines compared to what is remaining 
in the coho salmon quota. Based on the above information, NMFS has 
concluded that the chances of exceeding each subarea's quota is low. 
The area from 0 to 3 miles (4.8 km) off shore that was previously 
closed to fishing in the subarea from Queets River to Leadbetter Point, 
Washington, will be opened for this one-day fishery. This will also 
tend to increase the chinook salmon catch rate, because chinook salmon 
are typically found closer to shore than coho salmon.
    Reopenings of the fishery are authorized by 50 CFR 660.409(a)(2), 
and recision of an area of closure is authorized by 50 CFR 
660.409(b)(1)(v). 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 
l.t., August 16, 1998, for the closure, and prior to 0001 hours l.t., 
September 3, 1998, for the reopenings by telephone hotline number 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

[[Page 53318]]

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: September 29, 1998.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-26628 Filed 10-2-98; 8:45 am]
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