[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 222 (Friday, November 16, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 57687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28744]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 001226367-01; I.D. 110901A]


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Closure for the Catcher/
Processor Sector

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

ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces closure of the 2001 catcher/processor fishery 
for Pacific whiting (whiting) at 1800 hours local time (l.t.) November 
13, 2001, because the allocation for the catcher/processor sector will 
be reached by that time. This action is intended to keep the harvest of 
whiting within the 2001 allocation levels.

DATES: Effective from 1800 hours l.t. November 13, 2001, until the 
start of the 2002 primary season for the catcher/processor sector, 
unless modified, superseded or rescinded. Comments will be accepted 
through December 3, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to D. Robert Lohn, Administrator,Northwest 
Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or Rod 
McInnis, Acting Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 
West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Renko at 206-526-6110.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by regulations 
implementing the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off Washington, Oregon, and 
California. On January 11, 2001 (66 FR 2338), the levels of allowable 
biological catch (ABC), the optimum yield (OY) and the commercial OY 
(the OY minus the tribal allocation) for U.S. harvests of whiting were 
announced in the Federal Register. For 2001 the whiting ABC and OY are 
190,400 metric tons (mt) and the commercial OY is 162,900 mt.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 660.323 (a)(4) divide the commercial OY into 
separate allocations for the non-tribal catcher/processor, mothership, 
and shore-based sectors of the whiting fishery. The catcher/processor 
sector is composed of vessels that harvest and process whiting. The 
mothership sector is composed of motherships, and catcher vessels that 
harvest whiting for delivery to motherships. Motherships are vessels 
that process, but do not harvest. The shoreside sector is composed of 
vessels that harvest whiting for delivery to shoreside processors. Each 
of these sectors receives a portion of the commercial OY. In 2001, the 
catcher/processors received 34 percent, motherships received 24 
percent, and the shore-based sector received 42 percent. When applied 
to the commercial OY for 2001 this resulted in the following 
allocations: 55,386 mt for the catcher/processors, 39,096 mt for the 
motherships, and 68,418 mt for the shore-based sector.
    On August 31, 2001, NMFS received notification from the treaty 
Indian participants indicating that 10,000 mt of the tribal whiting 
allocation was not expected to be harvested before the end of the 
fishing year. As a result, NMFS announced the reapportionment of that 
whiting, 3,400 mt of which was apportioned to the catcher/processor 
sector (66 FR 48370, September 20, 2001). Therefore, the allowable 
harvest for the catcher/processor sector in 2001 was 58,786 mt (55,386 
mt + 3,400 mt).
    Regulations at 50 CFR 660.323 (a)(3)(i) describe the primary season 
for catcher/processors as the period(s) when at-sea processing is 
allowed and the fishery is open for the catcher/processor sector. When 
each sector's allocation is reached, the primary season for that sector 
ends.

NMFS Action

    This action announces achievement of the allocation for the 
catcher/processor sector only. The best available information on 
November 9, 2001, indicated that the 58,786 mt catcher/processor 
allocation would be reached by 1800 hours l.t., November 13, 2001, at 
which time the primary season for the catcher/processor sector ends.
    For the reasons stated here and in accordance with the regulations 
at 50 CFR 660.323 (a)(4)(iii)(A), NMFS herein announces that effective 
1800 hours l.t., November 13, 2001, further taking and retaining, 
receiving or at-sea processing of whiting by a catcher/processor is 
prohibited. No additional unprocessed whiting may be brought on board 
after at-sea processing is prohibited, but a catcher/processor may 
continue to process whiting that was on board before at-sea processing 
was prohibited.

Classification

    This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the FMP. 
The determination to take this action is based on the most recent data 
available. The aggregate data upon which the determination is based are 
available for public inspection at the Office of the Regional 
Administrator (see ADDRESSES) during business hours. This action is 
taken under the authority of 50 CFR 660.323 (a)(4)(iii)(A) and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: November 13, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-28744 Filed 11-13-01; 3:43 pm]
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