[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 189 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52676-52677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25372]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 990304062-9062-01; I.D. 092499J]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
Statistical Area 630 of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment for managing directed 
fishing for pollock for the D fishing season in Statistical Area 630 of 
the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This adjustment is necessary to authorize a 
closure at midnight. Current regulations specify that the time of all 
openings and closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and 
end of the calendar fishing year is noon, A.l.t. Without this inseason 
adjustment, this fishery would close prematurely, thereby incurring 
underharvest of the directed fishing allowance and economic loss.

DATES: Effective 2400 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 24, 
1999. Comments must be received at the following address no later than 
4:30 p.m., A.l.t., October 12, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Lori Gravel. Hand delivery 
or courier delivery of comments may be sent to the Federal Building, 
709 West 9th Street, Room 453, Juneau, AK 99801.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA exclusive economic zone 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

[[Page 52677]]

Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in 
accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 
CFR part 679.
    The 1999 TAC of pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA was 
established by the Final 1999 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish (64 
FR 12094, March 11, 1999) as 30,520 metric tons (mt), determined in 
accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(ii)
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 1999 TAC 
for pollock in Statistical Area 630 will be reached. Therefore, the 
Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of 
29,920 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 600 mt as bycatch to 
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. In accordance with 
Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator finds that this 
directed fishing allowance has been reached. Consequently, NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the 
GOA.
    Current information shows the catching capacity of vessels catching 
pollock in Statistical Area 630 is in excess of 4,000 mt per day.
    Section 679.23(b) specifies that the time of all openings and 
closures of fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the 
calendar fishing year is 1200 hrs, A.l.t. The Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS, has determined that the pollock TAC would be 
underharvested if a 1200 hrs closure on September 24, 1999, were 
allowed to occur.
    NMFS, therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), is 
adjusting the D fishing season for pollock in Statistical Area 630 of 
the GOA by prohibiting directed fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t., September 
24, 1999. NMFS is taking this action to prevent the underharvest of the 
pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA as authorized by 
Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(i)(C). In accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(iii), 
NMFS has determined that closing the season at 2400 hrs on September 
24, 1999, is the least restrictive management adjustment to harvest the 
pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA and will allow other 
fisheries to continue in noncritical areas and time periods.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations 
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for
    good cause that providing prior notice and public comment or
    delaying the effective date of this action is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. Without this inseason adjustment, the 
pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA would be underharvested. 
Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit 
written comments on this action to the above address until October 12, 
1999.
    This action is required by Secs. 679.20 and 679.25 and is exempt 
from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: September 24, 1999.
George H. Darcy,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-25372 Filed 9-24-99; 4:05 pm]
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