[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 113 (Monday, June 12, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36795-36796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14776]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 000119015-0015-01; I.D. 010500A]
RIN 0648-AM32


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Steller Sea 
Lion Protection Measures for the Pollock Fisheries Off Alaska

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

ACTION: Emergency interim rule; extension of expiration date; request 
for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS extends the expiration date of an emergency interim rule 
that implemented reasonable and prudent alternatives to avoid the 
likelihood that the pollock fisheries off Alaska will jeopardize the 
continued existence of the western population of Steller sea lions, or 
adversely modify their critical habitat. The emergency interim rule 
that is effective from January 20, 2000, through July 19, 2000, is 
extended through December 31, 2000. This emergency action is necessary 
to continue to implement reasonable and prudent alternatives until 
permanent rulemaking is implemented.

DATES: The expiration date of the emergency interim rule published 
January 25, 2000 (65 FR 3892), is extended to December 31, 2000. 
Comments must be received by July 12, 2000.

[[Page 36796]]


ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 99802, Attn: Lori Gravel, or delivered to 
room 401 of the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. 
Copies of the Biological Opinion (BiOp) on the pollock fisheries of the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the 
Atka mackerel fishery of the Aleutian Islands subarea, the Revised 
Final Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RFRPAs), and the 
Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review prepared for the 
emergency interim rule may be obtained from the same address. The BiOp 
and the RFRPAs are also available on the Alaska Region home page at 
http://www.fakr.noaa.gov. Comments will not be accepted if submitted 
via e-mail or Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shane Capron, 907-586-7228 or 
[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS issued a BiOp dated December 3, 1998, 
and revised December 16, 1998, on the pollock fisheries of the BSAI and 
GOA, and the Atka mackerel fishery of the Aleutian Islands Subarea. The 
BiOp concluded that the BSAI and GOA pollock trawl fisheries, as 
previously prosecuted, were likely to jeopardize the continued 
existence of the western population of Steller sea lions, and adversely 
modify its critical habitat.
    The BiOp concluded that, to avoid the likelihood of jeopardizing 
the continued existence of the western population of Steller sea lions, 
or adversely modifying its critical habitat, reasonable and prudent 
alternatives to the existing pollock trawl fisheries in the BSAI and 
GOA must accomplish three basic principles: (1) Temporal dispersion of 
fishing effort, (2) spatial dispersion of fishing effort, and (3) 
pollock trawl exclusion zones around Steller sea lion rookeries and 
haulouts.
    NMFS published an emergency interim rule implementing the RFRPAs in 
the Federal Register on January 25, 2000 (65 FR 3892), amended on 
February 10, 2000 (65 FR 6561), and is effective through July 19, 2000.
    At its April 2000 meeting, the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) voted to recommend extension of the emergency rule. 
The preamble to the original emergency interim rule provides a detailed 
description of the purpose and need for the action. This action extends 
the expiration date of the emergency interim rule establishing Steller 
sea lion conservation measures (65 FR 3892, January 25, 2000) from July 
19, 2000, to December 31, 2000.
    NMFS intends to initiate proposed and final rulemaking later in 
2000 to permanently implement Steller sea lion conservation measures as 
required by the BiOp and the RFRPAs, and as recommended by the Council 
at its June 1999 meeting. This extension of an emergency interim rule 
is necessary to prosecute the remainder of the 2000 pollock fishery 
after July 19, 2000.
    Details concerning the basis for this action are contained in the 
initial emergency interim rule and are not repeated here.
    The comments received on the initial emergency interim rule and 
this emergency rule extension will be responded to later this year in 
NMFS' final rulemaking to permanently implement Steller sea lion 
conservation measures. Also, there will be an additional opportunity 
for comments when the proposed rule is published prior to final 
rulemaking.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq., and 3631 et seq.

    Dated: June 6, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-14776 Filed 6-9-00; 8:45 am]
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