[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 20, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56801-56802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24062]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 99122347-9347-01; I.D. 090700A]


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; End of the Primary Season and 
Resumption of Trip Limits for the Shore-based Fishery for Pacific 
Whiting

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

ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS announces the end of the 2000 primary season for the 
shore-based fishery for Pacific whiting (whiting) and resumption of 
per-trip limits at 6 p.m local time (l.t.) September 15, 2000, because 
the

[[Page 56802]]

allocation is projected to be reached. This action is intended to keep 
the harvest of whiting at the 2000 allocation levels.

DATES: Effective from 6 p.m l.t. September 15, 2000, until the 
effective date of the 2001 specification and management measures for 
the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery which will be published in the 
Federal Register, unless modified, superseded or rescinded. Comments 
will be accepted through October 5, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to William Stelle, Jr., Administrator, 
Northwest Region (Regional Administrator), NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way 
NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or Rebecca Lent, Regional Administrator, 
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 
CA 90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Becky Renko at 206-526-6110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by regulations 
implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off Washington, Oregon, and 
California. The levels of allowable biological catch (ABC), the optimum 
yield (OY), and the commercial OY (the OY minus the tribal allocation) 
for U.S. harvests of Pacific whiting were announced in the Pacific 
Coast groundfish annual specifications and management measures (annual 
management measures) that were published on January 4, 2000, in the 
Federal Register (65 FR 221). For the year 2000 the whiting ABC and OY 
are 232,000 mt (mt) and the commercial OY is 199,500 mt. Regulations at 
50 CFR 660.323(a)(4) divide the commercial OY into separate allocations 
for the catcher/processor, mothership, and shore-based sectors of the 
whiting fishery. The 2000 allocations, based on the 2000 commercial OY, 
are 67,830 mt (34 percent) for the catcher/processor sector, 47,880 mt 
(24 percent) for the mothership sector, and 83,790 mt (42 percent) for 
the shore-based sector.
    When each sector's allocation is reached, the primary season for 
that sector is ended. The catcher/processor sector is composed of 
vessels that harvest and process whiting. The mothership sector is 
composed of catcher vessels that harvest whiting and mothership vessels 
that process whiting. The shore-based sector is composed of vessels 
that harvest whiting for delivery to land-based processors. The 
regulations at 50 CFR 600.323 (a)(3)(i) describe the primary season for 
the shore-based sector as the period(s) when the large-scale target 
fishery is conducted (when trip limits under Sec. 660.323(b) are not in 
effect). Before and after the primary seasons, per-trip limits are in 
effect for whiting.
    The best available information on September 11, 2000, indicates 
that 77,746 mt had been taken through September 9, 2000, and that the 
83,790 mt shore-based allocation would be reached by 6 p.m. l.t. on 
September 15, 2000. This Federal Register document announces the date 
that the primary season for the shore-based sector ends, and that per-
trip limits are imposed. This limit is intended to accommodate small 
bait and fresh fish markets, and bycatch in other fisheries. To 
minimize incidental catch of chinook salmon by vessels fishing inside 
of 100 fm (183 m) in the Eureka area, at any time during a fishing 
trip, a limit of 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) of whiting is in effect year-
round (unless landings of whiting are prohibited).

NMFS Action

    For the reasons stated here, and in accordance with the regulations 
at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4)(iii)(C), NMFS herein announces:
    Effective 6 p.m. l.t. on September 15, 2000, no more than 20,000-lb 
(9,072 kg) of whiting may be taken and retained, possessed or landed by 
a catcher vessel participating in the shore-based sector of the whiting 
fishery. If a vessel fishes shoreward of the 100 fm (183 m) contour in 
the Eureka area (43 deg. - 40 deg. 30' N. lat.) at any time during a 
fishing trip, the 10,000-lb (4,536 kg) trip limit applies, as announced 
in the annual management measures at paragraph IV, B (3)(c)(ii).

Classification

    This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the FMP. 
The determination to take this action is based on the most recent data 
available. The aggregate data upon which the determination is based are 
available for public inspection at the Office of the Regional 
Administrator (see ADDRESSES) during business hours. This action is 
taken under the authority of 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4)(iii)(C) and is exempt 
from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: September 14, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-24062 Filed 9-14-00; 4:37 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S