[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 31 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 6882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3652]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 011218304-1304-01; I.D. 021102A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka 
Mackerel in the Central Aleutian District

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 Atka mackerel in the 
Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the A season allowance of Atka mackerel total allowable catch (TAC) in 
this area.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 11, 
2002, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Smoker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area 
(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.
    The A season allowance of Atka mackerel TAC in the Central Aleutian 
District of the BSAI is 11,008 metric tons (mt) as established by an 
emergency rule implementing 2002 harvest specifications and associated 
management measures for the groundfish fisheries off Alaska (67 FR 956, 
January 8, 2002).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20 (d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the A season 
allowance of the Atka mackerel TAC in the Central Aleutian District 
will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing 
a directed fishing allowance of 10,008 mt, and is setting aside the 
remaining 1,000 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated groundfish 
fisheries. In accordance with Sec. 679.20 (d)(1)(iii), the Regional 
Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will be 
reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka 
mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI.
    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 amount of the A season allowance of Atka mackerel 
TAC in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI constitutes good cause 
to waive the requirement to provide prior notice 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 A 
season allowance of Atka mackerel TAC in the Central Aleutian District 
of the BSAI 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 Secs.  679.20 and 679.22 and is exempt 
from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: February 11, 2002.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-3652 Filed 2-11-02; 3:54 pm]
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