[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 185 (Monday, September 25, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49348-49349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23684]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 950206040-5040-01; I.D. 091995A]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Pollock 
in the Bering Sea Subarea by the Offshore Component

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed fishery for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the offshore component in the Bering 
Sea subarea (BS) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
(BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the second 
seasonal allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) 
apportioned to vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 20, 
1995, until 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive 
economic zone is managed by NMFS 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 Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by regulations implementing 
the FMP at 50 CFR parts 620 and 675.
    In accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(7)(ii), the second seasonal 
allowance of pollock for vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in the BS was established by the Final 1995 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish (60 FR 8479, February 14, 1995), and 
augmented from the non-specific operational reserve (60 FR 32278, June 
21, 1995) as 440,782 metric tons (mt). The amount actually available is 
379,844 mt, subsequent to harvests from the first seasonal allowance.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Director), has 
determined in accordance with Sec. 675.20(a)(8), that the second 
allowance of pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for processing by 
the offshore component in the BS 

[[Page 49349]]
soon will be reached. Therefore, the Regional Director has established 
a directed fishing allowance of 357,844 mt with consideration that 
22,000 mt will be taken as incidental catch in directed fishing for 
other species in the BS. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in the BS.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable gear types may be 
found in the regulations at Sec. 675.20(h).

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 675.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: September 19, 1995.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-23684 Filed 9-20-95; 11:09 am]
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