[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 17, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52713-52714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26174]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 010112013-1013-01; I.D. 101201A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
Statistical Area 610 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 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the seasonal allowance of the pollock 
total allowable catch (TAC) for Statistical Area 610 of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 13, 
2001, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 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 annual 2001 
pollock TAC in the combined Central and Western GOA is 87,180 mt and 30 
percent of this amount is 26,154 mt (66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001, and 
66 FR 37167, July 17, 2001). This is the maximum amount of TAC that may 
harvested in any season, in this case the D season. Pollock TACs in the 
Western and Central Regulatory Areas in the C and D seasons are 
apportioned among Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630 in proportion to 
the distribution of biomass as determined by the four most recent NMFS 
summer surveys. These amounts are 42.05 percent, 25.03 percent, and 
32.92 percent respectively (66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001 and 66 FR 
37167, July 17, 2001). In Statistical Area 610 this translates to a 
maximum TAC for the D season of 10,998 mt (26,154 mt x 0.4205). The 
Regional Administrator has determined that 11,666 mt of the original 
pollock TAC remains in Statistical Area 610. In accordance with Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(ii)(C), the Regional Administrator hereby increases the 
original D season pollock TAC of 9,165 mt by 1,833 mt. The revised D 
season allowance of pollock TAC in Statistical Area 610 is 10,998 mt.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional 
Administrator, has determined that the D season allowance of the 
pollock TAC in Statistical Area 610 will soon be reached. Therefore, 
the Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance 
of 10,798 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 200 mt as bycatch to 
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. Consequently in 
accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of 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 610 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)

[[Page 52714]]

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 610 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: October 12, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-26174 Filed 10-12-01; 4:04 pm]
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