[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 145 (Friday, July 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39099-39100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18983]
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[[Page 39100]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 072296A]
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the
Central Regulatory Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting retention of
rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels
using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary to prevent overfishing of Pacific ocean
perch (POP).
EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 22, 1996,
until 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 1996. Comments must be received
at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., August 6,
1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries
Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802, Attn. Lori Gravel, or be delivered to the fourth floor of the
Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive
economic zone is managed by NMFS according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the GOA (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act). Fishing by U.S. vessels
is governed by regulations implementing the FMP at subpart H of 50 CFR
part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The Magnuson Act requires that conservation and management measures
prevent overfishing. The 1996 overfishing level for POP in the Central
Regulatory Area of the GOA was established by the Final 1996 Harvest
Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4304, February 5, 1996) as 4,870
metric tons (mt), the acceptable biological catch as 3,860 mt., and the
total allowable catch level as 3,333 mt. As of July 13, 1996, 4,530 mt
of POP have been caught.
NMFS closed directed fishing for POP on July 11, 1996 (61 FR 37225,
July 17, 1996) and prohibited retention of POP on July 15, 1996, (61 FR
37700, July 19, 1996). Substantial trawl fishing effort will be
directed at remaining amounts of groundfish in the GOA during 1996.
These fisheries can have significant bycatch of POP.
The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined, in accordance
with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i) and (a)(2)(iii), that closing the season by
prohibiting retention of rockfish species of the genera Sebastes and
Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl gear is necessary to prevent
overfishing of POP, and is the least restrictive measure to achieve
that purpose. Without this prohibition of retention, significant
incidental catch of POP would occur by trawl vessels targeting rockfish
and seeking to maximize retainable amounts of rockfish under the
maximum retainable bycatch amounts Sec. 679.20(e).
Therefore, NMFS is requiring that further catches of rockfish
species of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus by vessels using trawl
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA be treated as prohibited
species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(b)(2).
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good
cause that providing prior notice and public comment or delaying the
effective date of this action is impracticable and contrary to the
public interest. Immediate effectiveness is necessary to prevent
overfishing of POP in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. Under
Sec. 679.25(c)(1)(ii), interested persons are invited to submit written
comments on this action to the above address by August 6, 1996.
Classification
This action is taken under Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from OMB
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 22, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18983 Filed 7-22-96; 4:27 pm]
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