[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57973-57981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23383]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 600 and Part 660

[Docket No. 020904208-2208-01; I.D.082702B]
RIN 0648-AP85


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States 
and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 
Groundfish Fishery Management Measures

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

ACTION: Emergency rule to set depth-based management measures for 
September-December 2002; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This emergency rule sets new depth-based management measures 
that create a darkblotched rockfish conservation area (DBCA). The DBCA 
will limit the incidental catch of darkblotched rockfish, an overfished 
species, while allowing the limited entry trawl fishery access to 
healthy deepwater groundfish stocks (e.g., Dover sole, thornyhead, 
sablefish) and nearshore flatfish species (e.g., Dover sole 
(seasonally), petrale sole, arrowtooth flounder, English sole) outside 
the DBCA. This action is intended to allow the fisheries to access the 
optimum yields (OYs) of healthy groundfish stocks while protecting 
overfished darkblotched rockfish.

DATES: Effective September 10, 2002, through March 12, 2003. Comments 
must be received no later than 5 p.m, local time (l.t.,) on October 15, 
2002.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to D. Robert Lohn, Administrator, Northwest 
Region (Regional Administrator), NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Bldg. 
1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070, or fax to 206-526-6736; or Rodney McInnis, 
Acting Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., 
Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213, or fax to 562-980-4047. Comments 
will

[[Page 57974]]

not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or Internet. Information 
relevant to this emergency rule, which includes an environmental 
assessment/regulatory impact review (EA/RIR), is available for public 
review during business hours at the offices of the NMFS Northwest 
Regional Administrator and the NMFS Southwest Regional Administrator, 
or may be obtained from the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific 
Council), at 7700 N.E. Ambassador Place, Portland, OR 97220, phone: 
503-820-2280. Additional reports referred to in this document may also 
be obtained from the Pacific Council.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Nordeen or Yvonne deReynier 
(Northwest Region, NMFS); phone: 206-526-6140; fax: 206-526-6736; e-
mail: [email protected],, [email protected] or Svein 
Fougner (Southwest Region, NMFS); phone: 562-980-4000; fax: 562-980-
4047; and e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    This emergency rule also is accessibleavailable on the Internet at 
the Office of the Federal Register's website at http://www.access.gpo/gov/sudocs/aces/aces140.html. Background information and documents are 
available at the NMFS Northwest Region website at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/1sustfsh/gdfsh01.htm and at the Pacific Council's 
website at http://www.pcouncil.org.

Background

    The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and its 
implementing regulations at 50 CFR part 660, subpart G, regulate 
fishing for over 80 species of groundfish off the coasts of Washington, 
Oregon, and California. Annual groundfish specifications and management 
measures are initially developed by the Pacific Council and are 
implemented by NMFS. The specifications and management measures for the 
current fishing year (January 1-December 31, 2002) were initially 
published in the Federal Register as an emergency rule for January 1-
February 28, 2002 (67 FR 1540, January 11, 2002), and as a proposed 
rule for all of 2002 (67 FR 1555, January 11, 2002), then finalized 
effective March 1, 2002 (67 FR 10490, March 7, 2002). The final rule 
was subsequently amended at 67 FR 15338, April 1, 2002, at 67 FR 18117, 
April 15, 2002, at 67 FR 30604, May 7, 2002, at 67 FR 40870, June 14, 
2002, at 67 FR 44778, July 5, 2002, at 67 FR 48571, July 25, 2002, at 
67 FR 50835, August 6, 2002, and at 67 FR 55166, August, 28, 2002.
    The following changes to groundfish management measures were 
recommended by the Pacific Council, in consultation with Pacific Coast 
Treaty Tribes and the States of Washington, Oregon, and California, at 
its June 17-21, 2002, meeting in Foster City, CA. Pacific Coast 
groundfish landings will be monitored throughout the year, and further 
adjustments will be made as necessary to allow achievement of or to 
avoid exceeding the 2002 OYs and allocations.

Management Measures to Protect Darkblotched Rockfish

    Darkblotched rockfish, an overfished species, are typically 
encountered along the central Pacific Coast (Oregon and northern 
California) but may occur along the continental slope from Washington 
to central California. Both adult and juvenile darkblotched rockfish 
are associated with mud and rock habitats. Adults move to deeper water 
as they increase in size and age; they are typically observed resting 
on mud, near cobble and boulders and do not often rise above the ocean 
floor.
    Darkblotched rockfish are harvested by several sectors of the 
groundfish fishery and have experienced higher than expected landings 
during the first four months of 2002. Due to its overfished status, 
darkblotched rockfish is being managed as an incidentally caught 
species and not as a targeted species in the 2002 Pacific Coast 
groundfish fishery. However, it is known to co-occur with several 
groundfish species that are directly targeted by the fishery. For 
example, Dover sole and petrale sole occupy areas and depths where 
darkblotched rockfish are found, primarily during summer months, and 
darkblotched rockfish catch tends to increase when Dover sole and 
petrale sole are targeted during these times. Several 2002 inseason 
adjustments to management measures have been made to minimize the 
incidental catch of darkblotched rockfish and allow the stock to 
rebuild.
    Management measures in 2002, intended to keep the darkblotched 
rockfish catch within its OY, include small cumulative trip limits of 
darkblotched rockfish that accommodate incidental catch but discourage 
targeted catch. In addition, the 2002 management measures constrain 
northern DTS (Dover sole, thornyhead, sablefish) trawl fisheries during 
the November December period to reduce the incidental catch of 
darkblotched rockfish. Management measures also constrain flatfish 
fisheries limits during the summer months when participation in these 
fisheries is greatest and darkblotched rockfish are most likely to be 
encountered. Lower sablefish and Dover sole OYs in 2002 are also 
expected to reduce the incidental catch of darkblotched rockfish from 
the amount that was taken in 2001. On May 1, 2002, NMFS took further 
action to reduce minor slope rockfish trip limits between 40[deg]10' N. 
lat. and 36[deg] N. lat. for both the trawl and fixed gear limited 
entry fleets.
    At the June Pacific Council meeting, the best available science 
indicated that landings of darkblotched rockfish in 2002 were greater 
than initially projected. Coastwide commercial landings through June 8, 
2002, were estimated to be between 73 mt and 98 mt which represents 56 
percent to 75 percent of the darkblotched rockfish 130 mt landed catch 
OY (not including catch in the at-sea whiting sector). As of June 8, 
2002, approximately 30 mt had been landed south of 40[deg]10' 
40[deg]10' N. lat. Due to combined coastwide landed catch and estimated 
discard, the projected year-end catch of darkblotched rockfish under 
the current trip limit schedule would have exceeded the rebuilding OY 
of 168 mt by approximately 35-40 mt. To prevent the total harvest from 
exceeding the darkblotched rockfish OY, the Pacific Council recommended 
the following management measures: a trawl small footrope only 
requirement, reductions in trip limits for limited entry and exempted 
trawl, and area closures. These management measures were designed to 
limit the darkblotched rockfish catch to 160 mt, which is within the 
2002 darkblotched rockfish OY of 168 mt. NMFS implemented these 
recommendations managing the fishery south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. on 
July 1, via inseason action at 67 FR 44778, July 5, 2002.

Emergency Rule Request from the Pacific Council

    The management measures that the Pacific Council recommended at its 
June meeting for the July-August period were intended as short-term 
measures to immediately reduce incidental catch of darkblotched 
rockfish. At that time, the Pacific Council acknowledged that these 
measures would not reduce the incidental catch of darkblotched rockfish 
enough to allow fisheries for healthy, co-occurring stocks to remain 
open September-December 2002. In evaluating other potential management 
measures that might allow fisheries for healthy stocks to remain open 
while still protecting darkblotched rockfish,

[[Page 57975]]

the Pacific Council discussed whether closing the area where 
darkblotched rockfish are typically found would adequately prevent the 
fisheries from exceeding that species' OY.
    The Pacific Council and its advisory bodies reviewed historical 
data on the depth distribution of darkblotched rockfish to determine 
whether closing fisheries at those depths would still allow some 
fishing for healthy stocks. Upon reviewing the darkblotched rockfish 
depth distribution and the depth distribution of healthy, co-occurring 
stocks, the Pacific Council recommended allowing flatfish trawling 
inshore of approximately 100 fm (184 m) and offshore of approximately 
250 fm (461 m) to allow vessels to fish for nearshore flatfish and 
deepwater species occurring inside and outside of the primary 
darkblotched rockfish depth range. Flatfish species that would likely 
be taken inside of 100 fm (184 m) include English sole, Dover sole 
(seasonally), petrale sole, and arrowtooth flounder. Deepwater species 
that would likely be taken outside of 250 fm (461 m) include Dover 
sole, longspine thornyhead, shortspine thornyhead, and sablefish.
    The only depth-based management measure currently used in the 
groundfish fishery is a 20 fm (37 m) contour off California south of 
40[deg]10' N. lat. to control fishing inside and outside of that 
contour by commercial and recreational hook-and-line fisheries. Under 
the FMP, any new management measure must be discussed within a two-
meeting process, to allow the public an opportunity to consider and 
comment upon the potential new measure. Within these constraints, 
closure of the DBCA while allowing trawling in areas inside and outside 
the DBCA could not have been permitted until October 1, 2002, following 
the Pacific Council's September meeting. Therefore, all trawl fisheries 
north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. would have to be closed during September if 
the Pacific Council had to follow the two-meeting process to implement 
new depth-based restrictions. At its June meeting, the Pacific Council 
decided that the economic need to keep the groundfish fishery open 
through September was sufficiently great to ask NMFS to implement an 
emergency rule to allow depth-based trawl fishery management north of 
40[deg]10' N. lat. during September. The trawl fleet has been severely 
restricted in recent years and this emergency rule will establish a 
depth-based area that will be used to allow limited entry trawl access 
to healthy groundfish stocks and the associated revenue otherwise 
forgone while protecting darkblotched rockfish.
    The Pacific Council realized there was uncertainty whether the 
emergency rule could be approved and implemented by September 1, so 
they also recommended that if the emergency rule was not possible, the 
bottom trawl groundfish fishery north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. should be 
closed on September 1. Therefore, NMFS announced trip limit adjustments 
at 67 FR 44778 (July 5, 2002) including a September 1 closure of all 
bottom trawling north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. Thus, this emergency rule 
modifies the September 1 bottom trawl closure.
    Following the Pacific Council's June meeting, NMFS drafted an EA/
RIR to evaluate the effects of this emergency rule. With that analysis, 
NMFS estimated the total catch of darkblotched rockfish associated with 
the Pacific Council's September implementation request to be 
approximately 96 percent-99 percent of the OY. This is due, in part, to 
the estimated bycatch of darkblotched rockfish that would be caught 
inside of 100 fathoms (184 m) with nearshore flatfish during September 
and October. Given the uncertainties in estimating the catch of 
darkblotched rockfish, particularly inside 100 fathoms (184 m), NMFS 
believes a more conservative action than that proposed by the Pacific 
Council is necessary to assure the darkblotched rockfish OY is not 
exceeded. Therefore, NMFS will continue to prohibit limited entry trawl 
fishing inside approximately 100 fathoms (184 m) during September, but 
re-open that area during October-December with reduced flatfish trip 
limits during October. Limited entry trawl access outside approximately 
250 fathoms (461 m) would be re-opened for September-December. This 
modification of the Pacific Council's request is expected to reduce the 
incidental catch of darkblotched rockfish with nearshore flatfish 
during the months of September and October and provide greater 
assurance that neither the darkblotched rockfish OY, nor the OY of any 
other groundfish species will be exceeded. Furthermore, NMFS determined 
that allowing fishing inshore of approximately 100 fm (184 m), during 
October- December, and offshore of 250 fm (461 m), during September-
December, would allow the trawl fishery access to healthy stocks whose 
2002 landings were well below their OYs. NMFS also determined that some 
of the flatfish limits recommended by the Pacific Council for the 
September through December periods were too liberal to adequately 
prevent the overharvest of overfished species. With this emergency 
rule, NMFS has set trip limits for groundfish, including flatfish, at 
levels that are expected to protect overfished species from 
overharvest. Many of the species that would be caught under these 
management measures, particularly flatfish species, are commonly only 
caught by trawl gear. Therefore, if the scheduled closure of all bottom 
trawling north of 40[deg]10' N. latitude were to be in effect for 
September, notable harvestable quantities of healthy stocks would be 
left unharvested. In addition, NMFS is correcting limited entry fixed 
gear and open access limits for Pacific whiting during the September-
December periods to reflect the closure of Pacific whiting announced in 
the July inseason action (67 FR 44778, July 5, 2002).
    The goal of this rule is to prohibit trawling within the DBCA, 
between approximately 100 fm (184 m) and 250 fm (461 m), in order to 
keep the fishery out of the area where darkblotched rockfish are 
commonly encountered. However, it is extremely difficult to enforce 
large area restrictions delineated by depth contours, so the state 
agencies of Washington, Oregon, and California calculated lat./long. 
coordinates for straight-line borders approximating depth contours to 
create a closed area. This emergency rule designates the waters between 
approximately 100 fm (184 m) and approximately 250 fm (461 m) as the 
DBCA.

NMFS Actions

    For the reasons stated herein, NMFS modified the Pacific Council's 
recommendations with a more conservative action providing greater 
assurance that neither the darkblotched rockfish OY, nor the OY of any 
other groundfish species will be exceeded and hereby announces the 
following changes to the 2002 specifications and management measures 
(67 FR 10490, March 7, 2002, as amended at 67 FR 15338, April 1, 2002, 
67 FR 18117, April 15, 2002, 67 FR 30604, May 1, 2002, 67 FR 40870, 
June 14, 2002, 67 FR 44778, July 5, 2002, 67 FR 48571, July 25, 2002, 
67 FR 50835, August 6, 2002, and 67 FR 55166, August 28, 2002) to read 
as follows:
    1. On page 10514, in section IV, under A. General Definitions and 
Provisions, at the end of the last paragraph, the following is to be 
added:
    (22) Darkblotched Rockfish Conservation Area. There is hereby 
established a Darkblotched Rockfish Conservation Area (DBCA). The DBCA 
extends south from the U.S./Canada border (48[deg]30' N. lat.) to 
40[deg]10' N. lat. The DBCA is defined along its eastern boundary by 
straight lines connecting

[[Page 57976]]

all of the following points in the order stated:
    48[deg]23' N. lat., 125[deg]60' W. long.;
    48[deg]13' N. lat., 125[deg]63' W. long.;
    47[deg]95' N. lat., 125[deg]50' W. long.;
    48[deg]33' N. lat., 125[deg]30' W. long.;
    48[deg]33' N. lat., 125[deg]05' W. long.;
    48[deg]38' N. lat., 124[deg]83' W. long.;
    48[deg]28' N. lat., 124[deg]94' W. long.;
    48[deg]10' N. lat., 125[deg]00' W. long.;
    48[deg]15' N. lat., 125[deg]30' W. long.;
    48[deg]10' N. lat., 125[deg]30' W. long.;
    47[deg]98' N. lat., 125[deg]27' W. long.;
    47[deg]82' N. lat., 125[deg]05' W. long.;
    47[deg]70' N. lat., 125[deg]08' W. long.;
    47[deg]52' N. lat., 124[deg]90' W. long.;
    47[deg]40' N. lat., 124[deg]77' W. long.;
    47[deg]31' N. lat., 124[deg]75' W. long.;
    47[deg]14' N. lat., 124[deg]93' W. long.;
    47[deg]01' N. lat., 124[deg]91' W. long.;
    47[deg]02' N. lat., 124[deg]98' W. long.;
    46[deg]95' N. lat., 124[deg]91' W. long.;
    47[deg]00' N. lat., 124[deg]82' W. long.;
    46[deg]90' N. lat., 124[deg]80' W. long.;
    46[deg]91' N. lat., 124[deg]88' W. long.;
    46[deg]69' N. lat., 124[deg]72' W. long.;
    46[deg]58' N. lat., 124[deg]48' W. long.;
    46[deg]48' N. lat., 124[deg]50' W. long.;
    46[deg]33' N. lat., 124[deg]61' W. long.;
    46[deg]30' N. lat., 124[deg]63' W. long.;
    46[deg]28' N. lat., 124[deg]59' W. long.;
    46[deg]28' N. lat., 124[deg]38' W. long.;
    46[deg]27' N. lat., 124[deg]33' W. long.;
    46[deg]20' N. lat., 124[deg]58' W. long.;
    46[deg]18' N. lat., 124[deg]65' W. long.;
    46[deg]15' N. lat., 124[deg]65' W. long.;
    46[deg]02' N. lat., 124[deg]64' W. long.;
    45[deg]95' N. lat., 124[deg]61' W. long.;
    45[deg]90' N. lat., 124[deg]67' W. long.;
    45[deg]79' N. lat., 124[deg]59' W. long.;
    45[deg]70' N. lat., 124[deg]47' W. long.;
    45[deg]57' N. lat., 124[deg]40' W. long.;
    45[deg]45' N. lat., 124[deg]36' W. long.;
    45[deg]29' N. lat., 124[deg]30' W. long.;
    44[deg]99' N. lat., 124[deg]32' W. long.;
    44[deg]82' N. lat., 124[deg]50' W. long.;
    44[deg]76' N. lat., 124[deg]56' W. long.;
    44[deg]55' N. lat., 124[deg]61' W. long.;
    44[deg]47' N. lat., 124[deg]75' W. long.;
    44[deg]22' N. lat., 124[deg]94' W. long.;
    43[deg]94' N. lat., 124[deg]93' W. long.;
    43[deg]94' N. lat., 124[deg]58' W. long.;
    43[deg]71' N. lat., 124[deg]54' W. long.;
    43[deg]52' N. lat., 124[deg]57' W. long.;
    43[deg]29' N. lat., 124[deg]69' W. long.;
    43[deg]12' N. lat., 124[deg]69' W. long.;
    43[deg]06' N. lat., 124[deg]74' W. long.;
    43[deg]07' N. lat., 124[deg]85' W. long.;
    42[deg]93' N. lat., 124[deg]88' W. long.;
    42[deg]90' N. lat., 124[deg]79' W. long.;
    42[deg]73' N. lat., 124[deg]71' W. long.;
    42[deg]64' N. lat., 124[deg]69' W. long.;
    42[deg]55' N. lat., 124[deg]71' W. long.;
    42[deg]53' N. lat., 124[deg]70' W. long.;
    42[deg]50' N. lat., 124[deg]71' W. long.;
    42[deg]47' N. lat., 124[deg]78' W. long.;
    42[deg]42' N. lat., 124[deg]73' W. long.;
    42[deg]32' N. lat., 124[deg]63' W. long.;
    42[deg]27' N. lat., 124[deg]60' W. long.;
    42[deg]09' N. lat., 124[deg]58' W. long.;
    42[deg]00' N. lat., 124[deg]59' W. long.;
    42[deg]00' N. lat., 124[deg]58' W. long.;
    41[deg]78' N. lat., 124[deg]46' W. long.;
    41[deg]55' N. lat., 124[deg]48' W. long.;
    41[deg]17' N. lat., 124[deg]34' W. long.;
    40[deg]86' N. lat., 124[deg]39' W. long.;
    40[deg]68' N. lat., 124[deg]51' W. long.;
    40[deg]60' N. lat., 124[deg]62' W. long.;
    40[deg]54' N. lat., 124[deg]64' W. long.;
    40[deg]39' N. lat., 124[deg]53' W. long.;
    40[deg]40' N. lat., 124[deg]47' W. long.;
    40[deg]37' N. lat., 124[deg]40' W. long.;
    40[deg]35' N. lat., 124[deg]46' W. long.;
    40[deg]31' N. lat., 124[deg]43' W. long.;
    40[deg]32' N. lat., 124[deg]38' W. long.;
    40[deg]25' N. lat., 124[deg]43' W. long.;
    40[deg]28' N. lat., 124[deg]57' W. long.; and
    40[deg]17' N. lat., 124[deg]35' W. long.
    The DBCA is defined along its western boundary by straight lines 
connecting all of the following points in the order stated:
    48[deg]25' N. lat., 125[deg]71' W. long.;
    48[deg]22' N. lat., 125[deg]65' W. long.;
    48[deg]14' N. lat., 125[deg]75' W. long.;
    48[deg]10' N. lat., 125[deg]78' W. long.;
    48[deg]06' N. lat., 125[deg]62' W. long.;
    48[deg]03' N. lat., 125[deg]67' W. long.;
    47[deg]95' N. lat., 125[deg]62' W. long.;
    47[deg]93' N. lat., 125[deg]48' W. long.;
    47[deg]97' N. lat., 125[deg]42' W. long.;
    48[deg]01' N. lat., 125[deg]41' W. long.;
    48[deg]06' N. lat., 125[deg]35' W. long.;
    48[deg]03' N. lat., 125[deg]33' W. long.;
    48[deg]00' N. lat., 125[deg]35' W. long.;
    47[deg]97' N. lat., 125[deg]33' W. long.;
    47[deg]97' N. lat., 125[deg]30' W. long.;
    47[deg]87' N. lat., 125[deg]28' W. long.;
    47[deg]82' N. lat., 125[deg]18' W. long.;
    47[deg]77' N. lat., 125[deg]10' W. long.;
    47[deg]74' N. lat., 125[deg]13' W. long.;
    47[deg]70' N. lat., 125[deg]10' W. long.;
    47[deg]63' N. lat., 125[deg]12' W. long.;
    47[deg]50' N. lat., 125[deg]00' W. long.;
    47[deg]47' N. lat., 124[deg]98' W. long.;
    47[deg]38' N. lat., 124[deg]85' W. long.;
    47[deg]28' N. lat., 124[deg]88' W. long.;
    47[deg]25' N. lat., 125[deg]00' W. long.;
    47[deg]13' N. lat., 124[deg]98' W. long.;
    47[deg]02' N. lat., 125[deg]00' W. long.;
    46[deg]92' N. lat., 125[deg]03' W. long.;
    46[deg]85' N. lat., 124[deg]95' W. long.;
    46[deg]68' N. lat., 124[deg]85' W. long.;
    46[deg]57' N. lat., 124[deg]63' W. long.;
    46[deg]51' N. lat., 124[deg]68' W. long.;
    46[deg]55' N. lat., 124[deg]53' W. long.;
    46[deg]48' N. lat., 124[deg]53' W. long.;
    46[deg]33' N. lat., 124[deg]65' W. long.;
    46[deg]27' N. lat., 124[deg]62' W. long.;
    46[deg]26' N. lat., 124[deg]45' W. long.;
    46[deg]22' N. lat., 124[deg]63' W. long.;
    46[deg]22' N. lat., 124[deg]65' W. long.;
    46[deg]18' N. lat., 124[deg]70' W. long.;
    46[deg]10' N. lat., 124[deg]70' W. long.;
    46[deg]05' N. lat., 124[deg]84' W. long.;
    45[deg]95' N. lat., 124[deg]76' W. long.;
    45[deg]72' N. lat., 124[deg]77' W. long.;
    45[deg]60' N. lat., 124[deg]76' W. long.;
    45[deg]60' N. lat., 124[deg]71' W. long.;
    45[deg]41' N. lat., 124[deg]64' W. long.;
    45[deg]19' N. lat., 124[deg]66' W. long.;
    44[deg]97' N. lat., 124[deg]62' W. long.;
    44[deg]74' N. lat., 124[deg]85' W. long.;
    44[deg]54' N. lat., 124[deg]90' W. long.;
    44[deg]39' N. lat., 124[deg]83' W. long.;
    44[deg]22' N. lat., 124[deg]98' W. long.;
    43[deg]97' N. lat., 124[deg]97' W. long.;
    43[deg]84' N. lat., 124[deg]89' W. long.;
    43[deg]83' N. lat., 124[deg]73' W. long.;
    43[deg]71' N. lat., 124[deg]69' W. long.;
    43[deg]40' N. lat., 124[deg]71' W. long.;
    43[deg]33' N. lat., 124[deg]75' W. long.;
    43[deg]33' N. lat., 124[deg]88' W. long.;
    43[deg]29' N. lat., 124[deg]88' W. long.;
    42[deg]82' N. lat., 124[deg]92' W. long.;
    42[deg]78' N. lat., 124[deg]89' W. long.;
    42[deg]73' N. lat., 124[deg]86' W. long.;
    42[deg]76' N. lat., 124[deg]82' W. long.;
    42[deg]73' N. lat., 124[deg]77' W. long.;
    42[deg]65' N. lat., 124[deg]72' W. long.;
    42[deg]58' N. lat., 124[deg]78' W. long.;
    42[deg]52' N. lat., 124[deg]78' W. long.;
    42[deg]52' N. lat., 124[deg]74' W. long.;
    42[deg]49' N. lat., 124[deg]78' W. long.;
    42[deg]47' N. lat., 124[deg]83' W. long.;
    42[deg]44' N. lat., 124[deg]79' W. long.;
    42[deg]33' N. lat., 124[deg]72' W. long.;
    42[deg]23' N. lat., 124[deg]67' W. long.;
    42[deg]09' N. lat., 124[deg]65' W. long.;
    42[deg]00' N. lat., 124[deg]63' W. long.;
    41[deg]99' N. lat., 124[deg]63' W. long.;
    41[deg]80' N. lat., 124[deg]53' W. long.;
    41[deg]36' N. lat., 124[deg]51' W. long.;
    41[deg]12' N. lat., 124[deg]42' W. long.;
    40[deg]96' N. lat., 124[deg]50' W. long.;
    40[deg]68' N. lat., 124[deg]55' W. long.;
    40[deg]56' N. lat., 124[deg]71' W. long.;
    40[deg]38' N. lat., 124[deg]53' W. long.;
    40[deg]28' N. lat., 124[deg]53' W. long.;
    40[deg]31' N. lat., 124[deg]84' W. long.; and
    40[deg]17' N. lat., 124[deg]47' W. long.
    The DBCA is closed to limited entry groundfish trawl fishing. 
Fishing with limited entry groundfish trawl gear is prohibited within 
the DBCA. It is unlawful to take and retain, possess, or land 
groundfish taken with limited entry groundfish trawl gear in the DBCA. 
Limited entry groundfish trawl vessels may transit through the DBCA, 
with or without groundfish on board, provided all groundfish trawl gear 
is stowed either: (1) below deck; or (2) if the gear cannot readily be 
moved, in a secured and covered manner, detached from all towing lines, 
so that it is rendered unusable for fishing. For the month of September 
2002, all prohibitions that apply to the DBCA also apply to all waters 
inshore of the DBCA. These restrictions do not apply to Pacific whiting 
vessels using mid-water trawl gear to fish for their sector's primary 
whiting season allocation, as defined at 660.323(a)(3).
* * * * *

[[Page 57977]]

    2. On pages 10517 and 10518, in section IV, under B. Limited Entry 
Fishery, at the end of paragraph (1), Table 3 and Table 4 are revised 
to read as follows:

B. Limited Entry Fishery

    (1) * * *
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[[Page 57978]]


[GRAPHIC][TIFF OMITTED]TR13SE02.001


[[Page 57979]]


[GRAPHIC][TIFF OMITTED]TR13SE02.002


[[Page 57980]]


* * * * *
    3. On page 10520, in section IV, under C. Trip Limits in the Open 
Access Fishery, at the end of paragraph (1), Table 5 is revised to read 
as follows:

C. Trip Limits in the Open Access Fishery

    (1) * * *
    [GRAPHIC][TIFF OMITTED]TR13SE02.003
    
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[[Page 57981]]

Classification

    These changes to groundfish management measures are issued under 
the authority of, and are in accordance with, the Magnuson-Stevens Act 
(16 USC 1855 (c)). Fishery Conservation and Management Act and are in 
accordance with 50 CFR part 660, the regulations implementing the 
Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP.
    The Assistant Administrator (AA) for Fisheries, NMFS, finds good 
cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity 
for public comment on this action pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), 
because providing prior notice and opportunity for comment would be 
impracticable. It would be impracticable because the information upon 
which this action is based was not available until the June 2002 
Council meeting, providing insufficient time for a proposed and final 
rule with the opportunity for public comment, while allowing fisheries 
access to healthy stocks. Absent this rule, the limited entry trawl 
fisheries north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. would remain closed on, and 
affording prior notice and opportunity for public comment would impede 
the agency's function of providing fisheries with access to the 
allowable harvest of healthy stocks while protecting overfished stocks 
from depletion and overfishing. Delaying implementation of these depth-
based management measures would prevent the trawl fisheries north of 
40[deg]110' N. lat. from having access to allowable harvest levels of 
healthy stocks of groundfish, many of which are not taken with gear 
other than trawl gear. In addition to preventing trawl fisheries from 
having access to these species, the shorebased processing industry that 
relies on trawl groundfish deliveries would also lose access to these 
healthy stocks. Delaying implementation of these depth-based management 
measures would result in the continued closure of all trawl fisheries 
north of 40[deg]10' N. lat., with notable adverse economic effects on 
the trawl fleet and the shore-based processing industry. The AA is also 
waiving the 30-day delay in effectiveness requirement under 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(1) because this rule relieves a restriction.
    This emergency rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS issued Biological Opinions (BOs) under the ESAEndangered 
Species Act on August 10, 1990, November 26, 1991, August 28, 1992, 
September 27, 1993, May 14, 1996, and December 195, 1999, pertaining to 
the effects of the groundfish fishery on chinook salmon (Puget Sound, 
Snake River spring/summer, Snake River fall, upper Columbia River 
spring, lower Columbia River, upper Willamette River, Sacramento River 
winter, Central Valley spring, California coastal), coho salmon 
(Central California coastal, southern Oregon/northern California 
coastal, Oregon coastal), chum salmon (Hood Canal summer, Columbia 
River), sockeye salmon (Snake River, Ozette Lake), and steelhead 
(upper, middle and lower Columbia River, Snake River Basin, upper 
Willamette River, central California coast, California Central Valley, 
south-central California, northern California, and southern 
California). NMFS has concluded that implementation of the FMP for the 
Pacific Coast groundfish fishery is not expected to jeopardize the 
continued existence of any endangered or threatened species under the 
jurisdiction of NMFS, or result in the destruction or adverse 
modification of critical habitat.
    During the 2000 Pacific whiting season, the whiting fisheries 
exceeded the chinook bycatch amount specified in the Pacific whiting 
fisheryfishery's Biological Opinion's (whiting BO's) (December 19, 
1999) incidental catch statement estimate of 11,000 fish, by 
approximately 500 fish. In the 2001 whiting season, however, the 
whiting fishery's chinook bycatch was about 7,000 fish, which 
approximates the long--term average. After reviewing data from, and 
management of, the 2000 and 2001 whiting fisheries (including industry 
bycatch minimization measures), the status of the affected listed 
chinook, environmental baseline information, and the incidental catch 
statement from the 1999 whiting BO, NMFS determined that a re-
initiation of the 1999 whiting BO was not required. NMFS has concluded 
that implementation of the FMP for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery 
is not expected to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered 
or threatened species under the jurisdiction of NMFS, or result in the 
destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. This action is 
within the scope of these consultations.
    This emergency rule is exempt from the procedures of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act because the rule is issued without opportunity for 
prior public notice and comment.

    Dated: September 10, 2002.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-23383 Filed 9-10-02; 4:23 pm]
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