[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 24668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11483]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 020718172-2303-02; I.D. 043003A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Chiniak 
Gully Research Area Opening for the Groundfish Trawl Fisheries of the 
Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional 
Administrator) proposes to open the Chiniak Gully Research Area in the 
Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to directed fishing for groundfish using trawl 
gear from August 1, 2003, through September 20, 2003. NMFS' Alaska 
Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) will not conduct research in this area 
in 2003. Therefore, the closure of the Chiniak Gully Research Area is 
not needed. This action is intended to relieve an unnecessary 
restriction on groundfish trawl fisheries and allow the optimum 
utilization of fishery resources, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES: Comments must be received at the following address no later than 
4:30 p.m., A.l.t., June 6, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Durall, or delivered to 
room 401 of the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. 
Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) to 907-586-7557. Comments 
will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or Internet. Courier or 
hand delivery of comments may be made to NMFS in the Federal Building, 
Room 453, Juneau, AK 99801. Copies of the environmental assessment/
regulatory impact review/final regulatory flexibility analysis (EA/RIR/
FRFA) for the regulatory amendment to permit an investigation of the 
effect of commercial fishing on Walleye pollock distribution and 
abundance in localized areas off the east side of Kodiak Island, may be 
obtained from the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Brown, Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, Alaska Region, 907-586-7228 or email at 
[email protected].

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 (Council) and approved by the 
Secretary of Commerce under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries 
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.

Background

    In April 2001, the Council endorsed a research project proposed by 
the AFSC in the Chiniak Gully off Kodiak Island to determine the effect 
of pollock fisheries on pollock school dynamics and the likelihood of 
localized depletions of Steller sea lion pollock prey. The research 
project requires the closure of the Chiniak Gully Research Area to 
trawl fishing from August 1 to no later than September 20 in the years 
2001 through 2004. A detailed description of the research project is 
provided in the EA/RIR/FRFA. For copies of this document, please 
contact NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The trawl closure necessary for this 
research project was implemented by emergency interim rules in 2001 (66 
FR 37167, July 17, 2001) and in 2002 (67 FR 956, January 8, 2002), and 
by final rule in 2003 (68 FR 204, January 2, 2003).
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.22(b)(3)(ii)(B), the Regional Administrator 
may rescind the trawl closure of the Chiniak Gully Research Area by 
publishing notification in the Federal Register prior to September 20. 
Because the AFSC will not be conducting research in the Chiniak Gully 
Research Area in 2003, the Regional Administrator is proposing to 
rescind the closure specified in Sec.  679.22(b)(3)(ii)(A) for August 
1, 2003, through September 20, 2003. The 2003 closure would 
unnecessarily restrict the trawl groundfish fisheries because no 
research will be conducted this year. Rescinding the 2003 trawl closure 
will allow vessels participating in groundfish trawl fisheries to 
harvest their total allowable catch amounts without the operational 
constraints imposed by the closure.
    The effective date of this action would be August 1, 2003, through 
September 20, 2003.

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the AFSC. Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could 
not allow directed fishing for groundfish using trawl gear in the 
Chiniak Gully Research Area from August 1 through September 20, 
unnecessarily restricting the groundfish trawl fisheries. Interested 
persons are invited to submit written comments on this action to the 
above address until June 6, 2003.This action is pursuant to Sec.  
679.22 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: May 2, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-11483 Filed 5-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S