[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 43 (Friday, March 3, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11480-11481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5196]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 990430113-913-01; I.D. 022200E]


Fisheries Off West Coast and Western Pacific States; West Coast 
Salmon Fisheries; Adjustment in the Opening Date of the Recreational 
Seasons from Point Arena to the U.S.-Mexico Border

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 announces that recreational salmon fisheries will open on 
April 1, 2000, in the area from Pigeon Point, CA, to the U.S.-Mexico 
Border, and will open on April 15, 2000, in the area from Point Arena 
to Pigeon Point, CA. This action is consistent with the recommendations 
of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and actions taken 
by the California Fish

[[Page 11481]]

and Game Commission (Commission) to delay the recreational fisheries 
opening south of Point Arena by approximately 2 weeks from the opening 
dates identified in the 1999 ocean salmon fishery management measures. 
This action is intended to provide additional protection to Central 
Valley spring chinook and ensure congruency between state and Federal 
management measures.

DATES: Effective March 17, 2000, until the effective date of the 2000 
management measures, which will be published in the Federal Register 
for the west coast salmon fisheries. Comments will be accepted through 
March 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this action must be mailed to William Stelle, 
Jr., Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point 
Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or faxed to 206-526-6736; or mailed to 
Rodney R. McInnis, Acting Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, 
NMFS, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4132; or 
faxed to 808-973-2941. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via 
e-mail or the Internet. Information relevant to this notice is 
available for public review during business hours at the offices of the 
Regional Administrators for the Northwest and Southwest Regions, NMFS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Robinson (NWR), 206-526-6140, 
or Svein Fougner (SWR), 562-980-4030.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the ocean salmon 
fisheries at 50 CFR 660.409(b)(1)(i) state that the Regional Director, 
in consultation with the Council Chairman and the appropriate State 
Directors, may, under the flexible inseason management provisions, 
modify quotas and/or fishing seasons. In adopting the 1999 annual 
management measures for the ocean salmon fishery (64 FR 24078, May 5, 
1999), NMFS concurred with the Council's recommendation to open a 
recreational salmon fishery from Point Arena to Pigeon Point, CA on 
April 1, 2000, and a tentative recommendation, which was to be reviewed 
at the Council's November 1999 meeting, to open a recreational salmon 
fishery from Pigeon Point, CA to the U.S.-Mexico Border on March 18, 
2000. On September 16, 1999 (64 FR 50394), NMFS listed Central Valley 
spring chinook salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA). In an October 15, 1999, letter to the Council Chairman, NMFS 
recommended that the existing ESA requirements for Sacramento River 
winter chinook be implemented as much as possible through a delay in 
the opening of recreational seasons south of Point Arena rather than 
through increases in the minimum size limits, in order to provide 
additional protection to Central Valley spring chinook. The Council, at 
its November meeting, reviewed the year 2000 opening dates for 
California recreational fisheries south of Point Arena and concurred 
that the openings could be delayed through inseason management action 
by NMFS prior to the March 2000 Council meeting if the Commission voted 
to delay the recreational season. The Commission, on February 4, 2000, 
took action to delay the scheduled opening of the recreational 
fisheries in state waters south of Point Arena by approximately 2 weeks 
in order to provide additional protection for Central Valley spring 
chinook, which are listed as threatened under the California ESA. The 
Commission's action effectively delays by 2 weeks the opening of 
recreational fisheries in Federal waters. The Federal action announced 
in this document will ensure consistency between state and Federal 
management measures.
    Maturing spring chinook leave the ocean in March and April to spawn 
and are likely harvested at relatively high rates in fishing seasons 
occurring prior to May. The majority of recreational recoveries of 
tagged Feather River Hatchery adult spring chinook occur prior to May. 
Delaying the opening of the recreational season will provide additional 
protection to spring chinook by reducing the take of maturing adults.
    The Regional Administrator consulted with representatives of the 
Council and the Commission regarding these adjustments on February 8, 
2000. NMFS, by an inseason action issued under 50 CFR 660.411, is 
delaying the opening dates of the following recreational fisheries 
south of Point Arena, CA. The size limits and gear restrictions remain 
unchanged from the Council's recommendations for the 1999 management 
measures. The State of California will manage these recreational 
fisheries in state waters adjacent to these areas of the exclusive 
economic zone in accordance with this Federal action.
    As provided by the inseason notification procedures at 50 CFR 
660.411, actual notice to fishermen of these actions has been given by 
telephone hotline number 206-526-6667 or 800-662-9825 on February 8, 
2000, and notice will be provided by U.S. Coast Guard Notice to 
Mariners broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz on March 25 
through April 15 for the area from Point Arena to Pigeon Point, 
California, and March 11 through April 1 for the area from Pigeon 
Point, California, to U.S.-Mexico Border.
    This action is consistent with fishery regimes established by the 
U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Commission, ocean escapement goals, 
conservation of the salmon resource, adjudicated Indian fishing rights, 
and the ocean allocation scheme in the Pacific Coast Salmon Plan.
    NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this action to be 
issued without affording a prior opportunity for public comment. This 
action must be effective before the previously scheduled opening dates 
in order to protect Central Valley spring chinook and to be consistent 
with the State of California management measures. This document does 
not apply to other fisheries that may be operating in other areas.

Pigeon Point to U.S.-Mexico Border

    The season will open April 1, 2000. All salmon except coho will be 
limited to two fish per day, with a minimum size limit of 24 in (61 
cm). North of Point Conception, special gear restrictions C.3. (circle 
hooks when mooching) and C.2. (one rod per angler), specified in the 
1999 management measures, continue to apply.

Point Arena to Pigeon Point

    The season will open April 15, 2000. All salmon except coho will be 
limited to two fish per day, with a minimum size limit of 24 in (61 
cm). Special gear restrictions C.3. (circle hooks when mooching) and 
C.2. (one rod per angler), specified in the 1999 management measures, 
continue to apply.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 and 660.411 and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: February 29, 2000.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-5196 Filed 3-1-00; 9:50 am]
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