[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 52 (Friday, March 16, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 15201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6598]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 030901A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish 
Managed Under the IFQ Program

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

ACTION: Announcement of fishing season dates.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the opening of directed fishing for sablefish 
with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) 
program. The season will open 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), 
March 15, 2001, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 15, 2001. 
This period is the same as the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced 
by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The IFQ halibut 
season is announced by publication in the Federal Register.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 15, 2001, until 1200 hrs, 
A.l.t., November 15, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Hale, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific 
halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) and sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) 
with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in Sec.  679.2 has 
been managed under the IFQ program. The IFQ program is a management 
measure designed to promote the conservation and management of these 
fisheries and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. 
Persons holding quota share receive an annual allocation of IFQ. 
Persons receiving an annual allocation of IFQ are authorized to harvest 
IFQ species within specified limitations. Further information on the 
implementation of the IFQ program, and the rationale supporting it, are 
contained in the preamble to the final rule implementing the IFQ 
program published in the Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 FR 
59375) and subsequent amendments.
    This announcement is consistent with Sec.  679.23(g)(1), which 
requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under 
the IFQ program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and 
announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season 
announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the 
sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the 
halibut season, chosen by the IPHC. The directed fishing season for 
sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ program will open 1200 
hrs, A.l.t., March 15, 2001, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 
15, 2001. This period runs concurrently with the IFQ season for Pacific 
halibut announced by the IPHC. The IFQ halibut season is announced by 
publication in the Federal Register.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 679.23(g)(1) and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: March 12, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-6598 Filed 3-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S