[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 7719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3847]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 020603C]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish 
Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program

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

ACTION: Notice of fishing season dates.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear 
managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. The season 
will open 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 1, 2003, and will 
close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 15, 2003. This period is the same as 
the 2003 IFQ and Community Development Quota season for Pacific halibut 
adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The IFQ 
halibut season is specified by a separate publication in the Federal 
Register of annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2003, 1200 hrs, A.l.t., 
November 15, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glenn Merrill, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific 
halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) and sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) 
with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory defined in Sec.  679.2 has been 
managed under the IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a regulatory regime 
designed to promote the conservation and management of these fisheries 
and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. 
Persons holding quota share receive an annual allocation of IFQ. 
Persons receiving an annual allocation of IFQ are authorized to harvest 
IFQ species within specified limitations. Further information on the 
implementation of the IFQ Program, and the rationale supporting it, are 
contained in the preamble to the final rule implementing the IFQ 
Program published in the Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 FR 
59375) and subsequent amendments.
    This announcement is consistent with Sec.  679.23(g)(1), which 
requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under 
the IFQ program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and 
announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season 
announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the 
sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the 
halibut season, chosen by the IPHC. The directed fishing season for 
sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ program will open 1200 
hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2003, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 
15, 2003. This period runs concurrently with the IFQ season for Pacific 
halibut announced by the IPHC. The IFQ halibut season is specified by a 
separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management 
measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.

Classification

    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds 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)(B) as such requirement is contrary to the public interest. This 
requirement is contrary to the public interest as it would delay the 
opening of the sablefish fishery thereby increasing bycatch and 
regulatory discards between the sablefish fishery and the halibut 
fishery, thus preventing the accomplishment of the management objective 
for simultaneous opening of these two fisheries.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, also finds good 
cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effective date of this action 
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon the reasons 
provided above for waiver of prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.23(g)(1) and is exempt 
fromreview under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: February 11, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-3847 Filed 2-12-03; 4:03 pm]
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