[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19337-19338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8932]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 991228352-0012-02; I.D. 040500A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Rock Sole by 
Catcher Vessels Using Trawl Gear 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 directed fishing for rock sole by catcher 
vessels that are non-exempt under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) in 
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action 
is necessary to prevent exceeding the interim 2000 BSAI AFA catcher 
vessel sideboard amount of rock sole.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 6, 2000, 
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2000.

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 
Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area 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 amount of the interim 2000 BSAI AFA catcher vessel rock sole 
sideboard harvest limit was established as 2,921 metric tons (mt) in 
accordance with Sec. 679.63 (b)(1)(ii)(A) by the Emergency Interim Rule 
to Implement Major Provisions of the American Fisheries Act (65 FR 
4520, January 28, 2000).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 
sideboard harvest limit of rock sole for non-exempt AFA catcher vessels 
will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing 
a directed fishing allowance of 2,500 mt, and is setting aside the 
remaining 421 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated groundfish 
fisheries. In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional 
Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will soon be 
reached. Consequently, NMFS is closing directed fishing for rock sole 
by non-exempt AFA catcher vessels in the BSAI.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations 
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).

[[Page 19338]]

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. It must be implemented immediately in order 
to prevent exceeding the interim 2000 BSAI AFA catcher vessel sideboard 
of rock sole in the BSAI. A delay in the effective date is 
impracticable and contrary to the public interest. The rock sole AFA 
catcher vessel sideboard harvest limit directed fishing allowance will 
soon be reached. Further delay would only result in exceeding the 
harvest limitation. NMFS finds for good cause that the implementation 
of this action can not 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: April 5, 2000.
George H. Darcy,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-8932 Filed 4-6-00; 3:11 pm]
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