[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 218 (Thursday, November 9, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 67310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28812]



[[Page 67310]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 99122347-9347-01; I.D. 071900A]


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Closure for the Catcher/
Processor Sector

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 closure of the 2000 catcher/processor fishery 
for Pacific whiting (whiting) at 6 p.m. local time (l.t.) November 6, 
2000, because the allocation for the catcher/processor sector will be 
reached by that time. This action is intended to keep the harvest of 
whiting within the 2000 allocation levels.

DATES: Effective from 6 p.m. l.t. November 6, 2000, until the start of 
the 2001 primary season for the catcher/processor sector, unless 
modified, superseded or rescinded. Comments will be accepted through 
November 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Donna Darm,, Acting Regional 
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. On January 4, 2000 (65 FR 221), 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 whiting were 
announced in the Federal Register. For 2000, the whiting ABC and OY are 
232,000 mt (mt), the tribal whiting allocation is 32,500 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 (34 percent), mothership 
(24 percent), and shore-based (42 percent) sectors of the whiting 
fishery. The 2000 commercial whiting allocations are 67,830 mt for the 
catcher/processor sector, 47,880 mt for the mothership sector, and 
83,790 mt for the shoreside sector. The catcher/processor sector is 
composed of vessels that harvest and process whiting. The mothership 
sector is composed of motherships, and catcher vessels that harvest 
whiting for delivery to motherships. Motherships are vessels that 
process, but do not harvest, whiting. The shoreside sector is composed 
of vessels that harvest whiting for delivery to shoreside processors.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(3)(i) describe the primary season 
for catcher/processors as the period(s) when at-sea processing is 
allowed and the fishery is open for the catcher/processor sector. When 
each sector's allocation is reached, the primary season for that sector 
is ended.

NMFS Action

    This action announces achievement of the allocation for the 
catcher/processor sector only. The best available information on 
November 1, 2000, indicated that the 67,830 mt catcher/processor 
allocation would be reached by 6 p.m. l.t. on November 6, 2000, at 
which time the primary season the catcher/processor sector ends.
    For the reasons stated here and in accordance with the regulations 
at 50 CFR 660.323(a)(4)(iii)(A), NMFS herein announces:
    Effective 6 p.m. l.t. on November 6, 2000, further taking and 
retaining, receiving or at-sea processing of whiting by a catcher/
processor is prohibited. No additional unprocessed whiting may be 
brought on board after at-sea processing is prohibited, but a catcher/
processor may continue to process whiting that was on board before at-
sea processing was prohibited.

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)(A) and is exempt 
from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: November 3, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-28812 Filed 11-6-00; 4:01 pm]
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