[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8297-8298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3911]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 000211040-0040-01; I.D. 021400E]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Closures of 
Specified Groundfish Fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing specified groundfish fisheries in the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BASI). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the prohibited species bycatch 
allowances and directed fishing allowances specified for the 2000 BSAI 
groundfish fisheries.

DATES: Effective February 15, 2000, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 
31, 2000.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI 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 Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), if the Administrator, 
Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) determines that any 
allocation or apportionment of a target species or ``other species'' 
category has been or will be reached, the Regional Administrator may 
establish a directed fishing allowance for that species or species 
group. If the Regional Administrator establishes a directed fishing 
allowance, and that allowance is or will be reached before the end of 
the fishing year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that species 
or species group in the specified subarea or district 
(Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, under Sec. 679.21(e), if the 
Regional Administrator determines that a fishery category's bycatch 
allowance of halibut, red king crab, or C. bairdi Tanner crab for a 
specified area has been reached, the Regional Administrator will 
prohibit directed fishing for each species in the category in the 
specified area.
    The Regional Administrator has determined that the following 
remaining allocation amounts will be necessary as incidental catch to 
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2000 fishing 
year:

Bogoslof District: 1,000 mt
Pollock
Aleutian Islands subarea:
Pollock: 2,000 mt
Sharpchin/northern rockfish 4,764 mt
Shortraker/rougheye rockfish 819 mt

[[Page 8298]]

``Other rockfish'' 583 mt
Bering Sea subarea:
Pacific ocean perch 2,210 mt
``Other rockfish'' 314 mt
``Other red rockfish'' 1657 mt

    Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 
Administrator establishes the directed fishing allowances for the 
listed species or species groups as zero.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing for these species in the specified areas 
and these closures will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, Alaska local 
time (A.l.t), December 31, 2000.
    In addition, the BSAI, Zone 1, annual red king crab allowance 
specified for the trawl rockfish fishery (Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(D)) is 
0 mt and the BSAI first seasonal halibut bycatch allowance specified 
for the trawl rockfish is 0 mt. The BSAI annual halibut bycatch 
allowance specified for the trawl Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/
sablefish fishery categories, (Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C)) is 0 mt. 
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(ii) and (v), NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing for rockfish by vessels using trawl gear 
in Zone 1 of the BSAI, directed fishing for rockfish by vessels using 
trawl gear in the entire BSAI and directed fishing for Greenland 
turbot/arrowtooth flounder/sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the 
BSAI. These closures will remain in effect through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., 
December 31, 2000, for directed fishing for Greenland turbot/arrowtooth 
flounder/sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI, and for 
directed fishing for rockfish by vessels using trawl gear in Zone 1 in 
the BSAI, and the 1200 hrs, A.l.t., July 4, 2000, for directed fishing 
for rockfish by vessels using trawl gear in the entire BSAI.
    Under authority of the interim 2000 harvest specifications (65 FR 
60, January 3, 2000), NMFS closed directed fishing for Atka mackerel 
for gears other than jig in the Eastern Aleutian District and the 
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 29, 
2000, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2000 (65 FR 4893, February 
2, 2000); directed fishing for pollock by vessels, not participating in 
cooperatives, greater than 99 ft (30.2 m) LOA catching pollock for 
processing by the inshore component in the SCA of the BSAI effective 12 
noon, A.l.t., January 30, 2000, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., April 1, 2000 
(65 FR 5284, February 3, 2000); and prohibited trawling within Steller 
sea lion critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI, 
effective 12 noon, A.l.t., February 10, 2000, until the directed 
fishery for Atka mackerel closes within the entire Central Aleutian 
District (65 FR xxxx, February x, 2000). The amount of available TAC 
remaining for these fisheries under the final 2000 harvest 
specifications for groundfish, following the closures under the interim 
2000 harvest specifications for groundfish, will be taken as incidental 
catch in directed fishing for other species. Thus, these closures 
remain effective under authority of final 2000 harvest specifications.
    These closures supersede the closures announced in the interim 2000 
harvest specifications (65 FR 60, January 3, 2000). While these 
closures are in effect, the maximum retainable bycatch amounts at 
Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. These 
closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and 
prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Refer to 
Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas. In the BSAI, ``Other rockfish'' 
includes Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean 
perch, shortraker, rougheye, sharpchin, and northern rockfish.

Classification

    This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and Sec. 679.21 and is 
exempt from review under E.O. 12866.
    This action responds to the TAC limitations and other restrictions 
on the fisheries established in the Final 2000 Harvest Specification 
for Groundfish for the BSAI. It must be implemented immediately to 
prevent overharvesting the 2000 TAC of several groundfish species in 
the BSAI. A delay in the effective date is impracticable and contrary 
to the public interest. The fleet is currently harvesting groundfish, 
and further delay would only result in overharvest. NMFS finds for good 
cause that the implementation of this action should not be delayed for 
30 days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective 
date is hereby waived.

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

    Dated: February 14, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-3911 Filed 2-15-00; 2:50 pm]
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