[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6709-6710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2057]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF46


Pacific Halibut Fishery; Guideline Harvest Levels for the Guided 
Recreational Halibut Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of guideline harvest level.

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SUMMARY: NMFS provides notice of Pacific halibut guideline harvest 
levels (GHLs) for the guided sport charter vessel fishery in the 
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regulatory areas 2C and 
3A. The GHLs provide a benchmark harvest level for participants in the 
charter fishery. This notice is necessary to meet the management and 
regulatory requirements for the GHLs and to inform the public about the 
2008 GHLs for the charter halibut fishery.

DATES: The GHLs are effective beginning February 1, 2008, through 
December 31, 2008. This period is specified by the IPHC as the sport 
fishing season in all waters of Alaska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Scheurer, (907) 586-7356, or 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS implemented a final rule to establish 
GHLs in IPHC regulatory areas 2C and 3A for the harvest of Pacific 
halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) by the charter fishery on August 8, 
2003 (68 FR

[[Page 6710]]

47256). The GHLs are intended to serve as a benchmark harvest level for 
participants in the charter fishery.
    This announcement is consistent with 50 CFR 300.65(c)(2), which 
requires that GHLs for IPHC regulatory areas 2C and 3A be specified by 
NMFS and announced by publication in the Federal Register no later than 
30 days after receiving information from the IPHC. The IPHC annually 
establishes the constant exploitation yield (CEY) for halibut in IPHC 
regulatory areas 2C and 3A. Regulations at Sec.  300.65(c)(1) establish 
the GHLs based on the CEY that is established annually by the IPHC. The 
CEY established by the IPHC for 2008 is 6,500,000 lb (2,948.4 mt) in 
Area 2C and 28,960,000 lb (13,136.0 mt) in Area 3A. The corresponding 
GHLs are 931,000 lb (447.2 mt) in Area 2C, and 3,650,000 lb (1,655.6 
mt) in Area 3A. The GHL in Area 2C has been reduced from the 2007 level 
of 1,432,000 lb (649.5 mt). The GHL for Area 3A did not change.
    This is a notice of the GHLs in Areas 2C and 3A for 2008 and does 
not require any regulatory action by NMFS. If a GHL is exceeded in 
2008, NMFS will notify the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) in writing within 30 days of receipt of that information. The 
Council has proposed management actions to reduce the harvest of 
Pacific halibut in the Area 2C guided charter vessel fishery to the GHL 
(72 FR 74257, December 31, 2007). The Secretary of Commerce may issue a 
final rule after consideration of the 2008 GHL and public comments on 
the proposed rule.

Classification

    This notice does not require any additional regulatory action by 
NMFS and does not impose any additional restrictions on harvests by the 
charter fishery. If a GHL is exceeded in any year, the Council would be 
notified, but would not be required to take action. This process of 
notification is intended to provide the Council with information about 
the level of Pacific halibut harvest by the charter fishery in a given 
year and could prompt future action.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.

    Dated: January 30, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-2057 Filed 2-4-08; 8:45 am]
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