[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48371-48380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23229]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 010112013-1168-06; I.D. 011101B]
RIN 0648-A082


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Steller Sea 
Lion Protection Measures and 2001 Harvest Specifications and Associated 
Management Measures for the Groundfish Fisheries off Alaska; Correction

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

ACTION: Emergency interim rule; correction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document corrects the July 17, 2001, emergency interim 
rule and its August 22, 2001, correction by correcting Steller sea lion 
protection areas for the Pacific cod directed fishery, to clarify 
closure areas to Tables 22, 23, and 24 to part 679 and by correcting 
the corresponding regulatory text to be consistent with the changes to 
the tables.

DATES: Effective September 18, 2001, through December 31, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Brown, NMFS, 907-586-7228 or 
e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The emergency interim rule published July 
17, 2001 (66 FR 37167), and corrected August 22, 2001 (66 FR 44073), 
implements Steller sea lion protection measures and announces final 
2001 harvest specifications for the groundfish fisheries of the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands Area and the Gulf of Alaska. As published and 
corrected, the final regulations contain errors.
    In Table 22, in column 8, the column heading was incomplete in the 
August 22, 2001, Federal Register correction. This correction includes 
the additional language regarding vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m). 
Footnote 7 to Table 22 is corrected to clarify the no fishing zones.
    Tables 22 and 23 have footnotes added to Sutwik Island and Kodiak/

[[Page 48372]]

Cape Ugat sites to clarify the extent of the no pollock and Pacific cod 
trawl fishing zones around these sites. The 20-nautical miles (nm) arcs 
were incorrectly extended into the Shelikof foraging area. The North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS did not intend 
the closures around these areas to enter the open area of the Shelikof 
foraging area.
    Consistent with the Council intent and NMFS' action, the closure is 
within 10 nautical miles around rookeries in the Aleutian Islands to 
Pacific cod trawling, except for the 20-nm closures around the 
Agligadak and Buldir rookeries for all Pacific cod fishing. All Pacific 
cod non-trawl vessels may fish outside 3 nautical miles in critical 
habitat around remaining rookeries and haulouts in the Aleutian 
Islands. Table 23 in the emergency interim rule, which erroneously 
shows all Pacific cod fishing closed to either 10 nautical miles or 20 
nautical miles around Adak Island, Kasatochi Island, Seguam Island/
Saddleridge Point, and Yunaska Island rookeries, is corrected to show 
all these rookeries with 10-nm Pacific cod trawling closures. Because 
the closures at these rookeries apply only to trawling, the exemptions 
(designated by a ``Y'') shown in column 10 of Table 23 for vessels less 
than 60 ft (18.3 m) using non-trawl gear are removed.
    In addition, column 9 of Table 23 is removed, and columns 10 and 11 
are redesignated as columns 9 and 10, respectively, to eliminate 
redundant closure designations. All sites listed with closures in 
column 9 of the August 22, 2001, Table 23 are rookeries. All rookeries 
that are listed in Table 21 of the regulatory text have no groundfish 
fishing zones, which make fishery specific closures from 0 nautical 
miles to 3 nautical miles unnecessary.
    Footnotes 5 and 8 to Table 23 of the regulations are revised, 
respectively, to correspond with the corrections. Regulatory text in 50 
CFR 679.22 (a)(12), (a)(13), and (b)(7)(ii)(B) is also corrected to 
reflect the corrections made to Table 23. Footnote 7 to Table 23 is 
corrected to clarify the no fishing zone.
    The footnotes to Table 24 of the regulatory text are also corrected 
by designating Sec.  679.22(a)(12) to correspond with the corrections 
to Table 23. Footnote 4 to Table 24 is corrected to clarify the no 
fishing zone.

Correction

    Accordingly, the emergency interim rule published on July 17, 2001 
(66 FR 37167, FR Doc. 01-17850), and its correction published August 
22, 2001 (66 FR 44073, FR Doc. 01-21205), are corrected as follows.

Sec.  679.22 [Corrected]

    1. In the emergency interim rule published July 17, 2001, 66 FR 
37167, the following corrections are made to Sec.  679.22:
    a. On page 37180, in the second column, amendatory instruction 5, 
in the fourth line, ``(a)(12)(iv) through (viii)'' is corrected to read 
``(a)(12)(iv) through (vii).''
    b. On page 37180, column 3, and on page 37181, column 1, paragraph 
(a)(12)(vii) is removed;
    c. On page 37181, column 1, paragraph (a)(12)(viii) is correctly 
redesignated as paragraph (a)(12)(vii);
    d. On page 37181, column 1, paragraph (a)(13)(iii)(C) is corrected 
to read as follows:
    (a) * * *
    (13) * * *
    (iii) * * *
    ``(C) All pot vessels are exempt from Pacific cod no fishing zones 
for selected sites. These sites are listed in Table 23 to this part and 
identifiable by a ``Bering Sea'' in column 2 and by a ``Y'' in column 
10.''
* * * * *
    e. On page 37181, column 3, paragraph (b)(7)(ii)(B) is corrected to 
read as follows:
    (b) * * *
    (7) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (B) All vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA using non-trawl gear 
are exempt from the fishing prohibitions of paragraph (b)(3)(i)(B) of 
this section and from Pacific cod no fishing zones for selected sites. 
These sites are listed in Table 23 of this part and identifiable by a 
``Gulf of Alaska'' in column 2 and a ``Y'' in column 9.
* * * * *

Tables 22, 23, and 24 to 50 CFR part 679 [Corrected]

    2. In the correction of the emergency interim rule published August 
22, 2001 (66 FR 44073, FR Doc. 01-21205), Tables 22, 23, and 24 to 50 
CFR part 679, beginning on pages 44079, 44081, and 44084, respectively, 
are correctly revised to read as follows:
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

[[Page 48373]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.000


[[Page 48374]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.001


[[Page 48375]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.002


[[Page 48376]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.003


[[Page 48377]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.004


[[Page 48378]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.005


[[Page 48379]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.006


[[Page 48380]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR20SE01.007


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

    Dated: September 12, 2001.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-23229 Filed 9-18-01; 9:35 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-C