[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57595-57596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27876]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 990304063-9063-01; I.D. 102099A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock by 
Vessels Catching Pollock for Processing by the Inshore Component in the 
Bering Sea Subarea

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

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering 
Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
(BSAI). This action is necessary to fully utilize the 1999 pollock 
total allowable catch (TAC) specified to the inshore component in the 
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 24, 
1999 until 2400 hrs A.l.t., December 31, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish

[[Page 57596]]

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)(1) of the American Fisheries Act 
(AFA), 50 percent of the remainder of the pollock TAC in the BSAI, 
after the subtraction of the allocation to the pollock Community 
Development Quota and the subtraction of allowances for the incidental 
catch of pollock by vessels harvesting other groundfish species, shall 
be allocated as a directed fishing allowance to catcher vessels 
harvesting pollock for processing by the inshore component. The Final 
1999 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for the BSAI (64 FR 12103, 
March 11, 1999), and subsequent reallocation (64 FR 56474, October 20, 
1999), established the final 1999 amount of pollock allocated for 
processing by the inshore component of the Bering Sea subarea as 
424,187 metric tons.
    NMFS prohibited directed fishing for pollock by vessels catching 
pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering Sea 
subarea of the BSAI effective October 6, 1999 (64 FR 55438, October 13, 
1999) in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) with the expectation 
that the directed fishing allowance would be caught by that date.
    NMFS has determined that as of October 16, 1998, 10,600 mt remain 
in the directed fishing allowance. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the 
previous closure and is opening directed fishing for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the inshore component in the Bering 
Sea subarea.

Classification

    All other closures remain in full force and effect. 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. Providing prior notice and opportunity 
for public comment for this action is impracticable and contrary to the 
public interest. Further delay would only disrupt the FMP and AFA 
objective of providing the pollock TAC for harvest. 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 required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: October 20, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27876 Filed 10-21-99; 3:31 pm]
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