[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 178 (Thursday, September 13, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 47591-47592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23006]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

 50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 010112013-1013-01; I.D. 091001A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
Statistical Area 630 of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in 
Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the C season allowance of the pollock

[[Page 47592]]

total allowable catch (TAC) for Statistical Area 630.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 10, 
2001, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., October 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing 
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H 
of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    Within any fishing year, under harvest or over harvest of a 
seasonal allowance of pollock may be added to or subtracted from the 
subsequent seasonal allowances of pollock in a manner to be determined 
by the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), 
provided that a revised seasonal allowance does not exceed 30 percent 
of the annual TAC apportionment (Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(ii)(C)). The 
combined A, B, and C season allowance of the pollock TAC in Statistical 
Area 630 is 16,821 metric tons (mt), as established by the Final 2001 
Harvest Specifications and Associated Management Measures for the 
Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska (66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001 and 66 FR 
37167, July 17, 2001). The Regional Administrator has determined that 
the A and B seasonal catch was in excess of the allowances by 2,050 mt 
and that the excess shall be proportionately subtracted from the 
subsequent seasonal allowances. The Regional Administrator hereby 
decreases the C season pollock TAC by 1,118 mt. In accordance with 
Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(ii)(C), the C season allowance of pollock TAC in 
Statistical Area 630 is 7,492 mt.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 
Administrator, has determined that the C season allowance of the 
pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 will soon be reached. Therefore, 
the Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance 
of 7,292 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 200 mt as bycatch to 
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. Consequently, NMFS is 
prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the 
GOA.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations 
at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA, finds that the need to immediately implement this action to 
prevent exceeding the seasonal allocation of pollock in Statistical 
Area 630 constitutes good cause to waive the requirement to provide 
prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the 
authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 50 CFR 
679.20(b)(3)(iii)(A), as such procedures would be unnecessary and 
contrary to the public interest. Similarly, the need to implement these 
measures in a timely fashion to prevent exceeding the seasonal 
allocation of pollock in Statistical Area 630 constitutes good cause to 
find that the effective date of this action cannot be delayed for 30 
days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective date 
is hereby waived.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: September 10, 2001.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-23006 Filed 9-10-01; 2:46 pm]
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