[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 36208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17369]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[Docket No. 990416100-9256-02; I.D. 031999C]
RIN 0648-AL18


Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Local Area Management Plan for the 
Halibut Fishery in Sitka Sound; Correction

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

ACTION: Correcting amendment.

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SUMMARY: This document amends the final regulations published in the 
Federal Register on September 29, 1999, containing the geographic 
coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe, which is one of the boundary points of 
the Local Area Management Plan (LAMP) for the halibut fishery in Sitka 
Sound in the Gulf of Alaska.

DATES: Effective July 11, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The final regulations that are the subject 
of these corrections were published on September 29, 1999. Those 
regulations implemented the Sitka Sound LAMP, which is intended to 
address user conflicts resulting from decreased availability of Pacific 
halibut within Sitka Sound, an area defined in the implementing 
regulations at Sec.  300.63(d)(1) of the Code of Federal Regulations. 
In a recent review of this regulation, NMFS discovered a typographical 
error in the geographic coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe, one of the 
points describing the boundary of Sitka Sound within which the LAMP 
management measures apply.

Need for Correction

    As published, Sec.  300.63(d)(1)(i) correctly identifies Cape 
Edgecumbe as the starting point for the southwestern boundary of Sitka 
Sound, but incorrectly states that Cape Edgecumbe is located at 
57 deg.59'54" N. lat., 135 deg.51'27" W. long., a geographic position 
that is one full degree (60 nautical miles) north of the true location 
of Cape Edgecumbe. This action amends section 300.63(d)(1)(i) and its 
associated Figure 1 to Subpart E by correctly describing the geographic 
coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe at 56 deg.59'54" N. lat., 135 deg.51'27" 
W. long.

Classification

    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that the 
need to immediately correct the published coordinates of Cape Edgecumbe 
will eliminate a potential source of confusion as to its location and 
the boundary of the Sitka Sound LAMP area and constitutes good cause to 
waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for 
public comment pursuant to authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(3)(B), as such procedures would be unnecessary and contrary to 
the public interest. Similarly, as this action does not change the 
designation of Cape Edgecumbe as one of the points describing the 
boundary of Sitka Sound and does not substantively alter the area 
within which the LAMP management measures apply, the Assistant 
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, waives the 30-day delay in effective 
date pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d).

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 300

    Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Treaties.

    Accordingly, 50 CFR part 300 is corrected by making the following 
correcting amendment:

PART 300--INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS

    1. The authority citation for part 300 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.
    2. Remove ``57 deg.59'54"'' and replace it with ``56 deg.59'54"'' 
in the following places:
    (a) In Sec.  300.63(d)(1)(i) and
    (b) In Figure 1 to Subpart E-Sitka Sound Local Area Management Plan 
Boundaries b. Coordinates, under heading Southern Boundaries, paragraph 
(1).

    Dated: July 3, 2001.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-17369 Filed 7-10-01; 8:45 am]
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