[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4892-4893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2165]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 9912223348-9348-01; I.D. 012700C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
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 is adjusting the interim 2000 total allowable catch 
(TAC) of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the 
Gulf of Alaska (W/C GOA). This action is necessary to adjust the 
harvest of pollock, that, based on the best available scientific 
information, has been found by NMFS to be incorrectly specified.

DATES:  Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 27, 
2000, until 1200 hrs A.l.t. July 19, 2000. Comments must be received at 
the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., February 17, 
2000.

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. Comments will 
not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or Internet. 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:  Andrew Smoker, 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 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 interim 2000 pollock TAC in the W/C GOA as amended by the 
emergency interim rule implementing Steller sea lion protection 
measures for the pollock fisheries off Alaska (65 FR 3892, January 25, 
2000) are as follows: Western Regulatory Area (610) 5,465 metric tons 
(mt), Central Regulatory Area (620 outside Shelikof Strait) 3,252 mt, 
Central Regulatory Area (630 outside Shelikof Strait) 4,278 mt, and 
Shelikof Strait 14,366 mt.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(i)(B), the Administrator, 
Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is adjusting the interim 
TAC for pollock in the W/C GOA based on the best available scientific 
information and a determination that the current interim TACs are 
incorrectly specified.
    On January 20, 2000, NFMS stock assessment scientists developed a 
revised procedure for more accurately allocating the pollock interim 
TAC by time and area in the Western and Central Regulatory areas as 
authorized under the emergency interim rule implementing Steller sea 
lion protection measure. To allocate TAC in Shelikof Strait the revised 
procedure uses the most recent winter Shelikof Strait acoustic survey 
(1998) and updated 1998 estimates of GOA pollock biomass west of 
140 deg. W. long. For the three areas outside of Shelikof Strait 
(Statistical area 610, Statistical area 620 outside Shelikof Strait, 
and Statistical area 630 outside Shelikof Strait) the distribution of 
pollock biomass is averaged from the last four summer surveys. The 
method of using the average distribution from the last four summer 
trawl surveys for purposes of spatial allocation was advocated by the 
Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Plan Team, reflected in the annual Stock 
Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report dated November 1999, 
and accepted by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's 
Scientific and Statistical Committee. However, the revised procedure 
distinguishes the management areas inside and outside Shelikof Strait 
more accurately than the previous method used to determine the 
allocation of TAC among areas of the     W/C GOA under the interim 
harvest specification published with the emergency rule implementing 
Steller sea lion protection measures (65 FR 3892, January 25, 2000).
    Based upon this information the Regional Administrator has 
determined that the current interim pollock TACs specified for the W/C 
GOA are incorrect. He is correcting the estimate of total GOA pollock 
biomass west of 140 deg. W. long. from 933,000 mt to 958,000 mt as 
reflected in the most recent SAFE report, dated November 1999. After 
the interim harvest amount for the Shelikof Strait is calculated using 
the procedure set forth in the emergency rule implementing the Steller 
sea lion protection measures, the remainder of the combined W/C GOA 
pollock TAC is apportioned to those areas outside the Shelikof Strait 
as described above. This results in percentage apportionments of the 
remainder of the combined W/C GOA pollock TAC equal to 56.09 percent, 
4.08 percent, and 39.83 percent to Statistical areas 610, 620 (outside 
Shelikof Strait), and 630 (outside Shelikof Strait), respectively. 
Table 5 in the emergency rule implementing Steller Sea lion protection 
measures specified interim pollock TACs for the W/C GOA and is 
accordingly corrected to read:

  Table 5.--Revised First Seasonal Allowances of Pollock in the Western
    (W) and Central (C) Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               A season
                            Area                             interim TAC
                                                                 (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species: Pollock \1\
  W (610)..................................................        7,498
  C (620 outside Shelikof Strait)..........................          546
  C (630 outside Shelikof Strait)..........................        5,325
  Shelikof Strait..........................................       13,991
                                                            ------------
      Total................................................      27,360
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The pollock catch limit for the Shelikof Strait conservation zone is
  determined by calculating the ratio of the most recent estimate of
  pollock biomass in Shelikof Strait (489,900 mt) divided by the most
  recent estimate of total pollock biomass in the GOA (958,000 mt). This
  ratio is then multiplied by the pollock TAC in the A season for the
  combined Western and Central areas of the GOA (27,360 mt). The
  remainder of the combined W/C TAC in the A Season is apportioned among
  Regulatory Areas 610, 620, and 630 outside the Shelikof Strait based
  on the distribution of pollock outside the Shelikof Strait; 56.09%,
  4.08%, and 39.83% respectively.

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 current interim 
seasonal allocation of pollock

[[Page 4893]]

TAC would promote an improper distribution of the fishery. Under 
Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments on this action to the above address until February 17, 2000.
    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: January 27, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-2165 Filed 1-27-00; 5:01 pm]
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