[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 20, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56474-56475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27379]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 990304063-9063-01; I.D. 101299E]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pollock

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

ACTION: Reallocation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating projected unused amounts of Bering Sea 
subarea (BS) pollock from the incidental catch account to the directed 
fisheries. This action is necessary to allow the 1999 total allowable 
catch (TAC) of pollock to be harvested.

DATES: Effective October 15, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) exclusive 
economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Groundfish Fishery 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. 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.
    In accordance with section 206(b) of the American Fisheries Act 
(AFA), NMFS specified a pollock incidental catch allowance equal to 6 
percent of the pollock total allowable catch after subtraction of the 
10 percent Community Development Quota reserve in the Final 1999 
Harvest Specifications for Groundfish for the BSAI (64 FR 12103, March 
11, 1999).
    As of October 2, 1999, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), has determined that approximately 5,000 
metric tons (mt) of pollock remain in the incidental catch account. 
Based on projected harvest rates of other groundfish species and the 
expected bycatch of pollock in those fisheries, the Regional 
Administrator has determined that 2,000 mt of pollock specified to the 
incidental catch account will not be necessary as incidental catch. 
Therefore, NMFS is apportioning the projected unused amount, 2,000 mt, 
of pollock

[[Page 56475]]

from the incidental catch account to the directed fishing allowances 
established at section 206(b). This transfer will increase the 
allocation to catcher vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the 
inshore component by 1,000 mt, to catcher/processors and catcher 
vessels harvesting pollock for processing by catcher processors in the 
offshore component by 800 mt, and to catcher vessels harvesting pollock 
for processing by motherships in the offshore component by 200 mt. 
Pursuant to section 210(c) of the AFA, no less than 8.5 percent of the 
800 mt allocated to catcher processors in the offshore component, 68 
mt, will be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels 
delivering to listed catcher processors.
    Regulations in the emergency interim rule establishing Steller sea 
lion protection measures for the pollock fisheries off Alaska allow for 
catch to occur within a season so that pollock removals from all 
sectors do not exceed 30 percent of the annual TAC (64 FR 3437, January 
22, 1999). See Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). Thirty percent of the annual 
pollock TAC is equal to 297,600 mt. With this apportionment the C 
season catch for the three combined directed fisheries and the CDQ 
fishery will be 265,000 mt thereby not violating the 30 percent 
restriction.

Classification

    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 pollock TAC. A delay in the effective 
date is impracticable and contrary to the public interest. Further 
delay would only disrupt the AFA and FMP's objective of providing 
pollock for harvest in directed fisheries. 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 taken under 50 CFR 679.20, and is exempt from OMB 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: October 14, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27379 Filed 10-15-99; 3:24 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F