[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 12, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 47418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-22903]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 010112013-1013-01; I.D. 090701B]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Trawling in
Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas in the Central Aleutian District of
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting trawling within Steller sea lion
protection areas in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to
prevent exceeding the B season critical habitat limit of the 2001 total
allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel allocated to the Central
Aleutian District.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 9,
2001, through 2400 hrs. A.l.t., December 31, 2001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 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 2001 B season apportionment of TAC for Atka mackerel in the
Central Aleutian District is 15,540 metric tons (mt), of which no more
than 7,148 mt may be harvested from Steller Sea lion protection areas
(66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001 and 66 FR 37167, July 17, 2001). See
Secs. 679.20 (a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22 (a)(12)(iii)(B).
In accordance with Sec. 679.22 (a)(12)(iii), the Administrator,
Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the
allowable harvest of Atka mackerel in the Steller Sea lion protection
areas in the Central Aleutian District has been reached. Consequently,
NMFS is prohibiting trawling in selected rookery and haul out sites, as
defined at Table 21 of 50 CFR 679.22 and described at 50 CFR 679.22
(a)(12)(iii)(A) in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI.
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 2001 Atka mackerel critical habitat
limit 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
2001 Atka mackerel critical habitat limit 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: September 7, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-22903 Filed 9-7-01; 3:17 pm]
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