Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 156 / Wednesday, August 13, 1997 / Proposed Rules 43307

May 15, and from September 15–

December 31, except as provided in

paragraph (b)(1) of this section; the

restrictions and requirements specified

in paragraph (a) of this section apply to

the Mid-Coast Closure Area, which is

the area bounded by straight lines

connecting the following points in the

order stated.

MID-COAST CLOSURE AREA

Point N. Lat. W. Long.

MC1 .............. 42°30′ (1)

MC2 .............. 42°30′ 70°15′

MC3 .............. 42°40′ 70°15′

MC4 .............. 42°40′ 70°00′

MC5 .............. 43°00′ 70°00′

MC6 .............. 43°00′ 69°30′

MC7 .............. 43°15′ 69°30′

MC8 .............. 43°15′ 69°00′

MC9 .............. (2) 69°00′

1 Massachusetts shoreline.

2 Maine shoreline.

(3) Massachusetts Bay Closure Area.

From February 1–April 30, except as

provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this

section, the restrictions and

requirements specified in paragraph (a)

of this section apply to the

Massachusetts Bay Closure Area, which

is the area bounded by straight lines

connecting the following points in the

order stated.

MASSACHUSETTS BAY CLOSURE AREA

Point N. Lat. W. Long.

MB1 .............. 42°30′ (1),

MB2 .............. 42°30′ 70°30′

MB3 .............. 42°12′ 70°30′

MB4 .............. 42°12′ 70°00′

MB5 .............. (2) 70°00′

MB6 .............. 42°00′ (2),

MB7 .............. 42°00′ (1)

1 Massachusetts shoreline.

2 Cape Cod shoreline.

(4) Cape Cod South Closure Area.

From February 1–April 30, except as

provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this

section, the restrictions and

requirements specified in paragraph (a)

of this section apply to the Cape Cod

South Closure Area, which is the area

bounded by straight lines connecting

the following points in the order stated.

CAPE COD SOUTH CLOSURE AREA

Point N. Lat. W. Long.

CCS1 ............ (1) 71°45′

CCS2 ............ 40°40′ 71°45′

CCS3 ............ 40°40′ 70°30′

CCS4 ............ (2) 70°30′

1 Rhode Island shoreline.

2 Massachusetts shoreline.

(b) For the purposes of this subpart,

a pinger is an acoustic deterrent device

which, when immersed in water,

broadcasts a 10 kHz (± 2 kHz) sound at

132 dB (± 4 dB) re 1 micropascal at 1

m, lasting 300 milliseconds (± 15

milliseconds), and repeating every 4

seconds (± .2 seconds). An operating

and functional pinger must be attached

at the end of each string of the gillnets

and at the bridle of every net within a

string of nets.

(1) Vessels, subject to the restrictions

and regulations specified in paragraph

(a) of this section, may fish in the Midcoast Closure Area from September 15

through December 31 of each fishing

year, provided that pingers are used in

accordance with the requirements of

paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Vessels, subject to the restrictions

and regulations specified in paragraph

(a) of this section, may fish in the

Massachusetts Bay Closure Area from

February 1 through the last day of

February and from April 1–April 30 of

each fishing year, provided that pingers

are used in accordance with the

requirements of paragraph (b) of this

section.

(3) Vessels, subject to the restrictions

and regulations specified in paragraph

(a) of this section, may fish in the Cape

Cod South Closure Area from February

1 through the last day of February and

from April 1–April 30 of each fishing

year, provided that pingers are used in

accordance with the requirements of

paragraph (b) of this section.

[FR Doc. 97–21403 Filed 8–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 970801188–7188–01; I.D.

070797C]

RIN 0648–AJ45

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish of the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area;

Prohibited Species Catch Limit for

Chionoecetes Opilio Crab

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; proposed change

to 1997 final groundfish harvest

specifications; request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this proposed

rule to implement Amendment 40 to the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP). This

rule would establish a prohibited

species catch (PSC) limit for

Chionoecetes opilio in a new C. opilio

Bycatch Limitation Zone (COBLZ) of the

Bering Sea. Upon attainment of a C.

opilio bycatch allowance apportioned to

a particular trawl fishery category, the

COBLZ would be closed to directed

fishing for species in that trawl fishery

category. This measure is necessary to

protect the C. opilio stock in the Bering

Sea, which has declined to a level that

presents a conservation problem. This

measure is intended to accomplish the

objectives of the FMP with respect to

the management of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI) groundfish fishery.

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule

must be received by September 29,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to

Chief, Fisheries Management Division,

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,

Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori J. Gravel,

or delivered to the Federal Building, 709

West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. Copies of

the Environmental Assessment/

Regulatory Impact Review/Initial

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/

RIR/IRFA) prepared for the amendment

may be obtained from the North Pacific

Fishery Management Council, Suite 306,

605 West 4th Avenue, Anchorage, AK

99501–2252; telephone: 907–271–2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim

S. Rivera, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The U.S. groundfish fisheries of the

BSAI in the exclusive economic zone

are managed by NMFS under the FMP.

The FMP was prepared by the North

Pacific Fishery Management Council

(Council) under Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and is

implemented by regulations for the

fisheries off Alaska at 50 CFR part 679.

General regulations that also pertain to

U.S. fisheries appear at subpart H of 50

CFR part 600.

The Council has submitted

Amendment 40 for Secretarial review

and a Notice of Availability (NOA) of

the FMP amendment was published on

July 15, 1997 (62 FR 37860). Comments

on this proposed rule are invited and

must be received on or before

September 29, 1997. Public comments

on the FMP amendment and the

proposed rule must be received on or

before September 15, 1997, to be
43308 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 156 / Wednesday, August 13, 1997 / Proposed Rules

considered in the approval/disapproval

decision on Amendment 40.

Recruitment of Bering Sea C. opilio

stocks is at a relatively low level, based

on recent NMFS bottom trawl survey

data. The 1996 C. opilio season

produced only 64.6 million lb (29,302

metric tons) for the 235 vessels

participating. This is the lowest catch

since 1984. Survey data from 1996

indicate that adult males are abundant,

but females and pre-recruits are

becoming less abundant.

The groundfish fisheries incidentally

catch crab. An objective of the FMP is

to minimize the impact of groundfish

fisheries on crab and other prohibited

species, while providing for rational and

optimal use of the region’s fishery

resources. All gear types used to catch

groundfish have some potential to

incidentally catch crab, but the large

majority of crab bycatch occurs in trawl

fisheries for flatfish.

In view of this FMP objective, the

Council initiated an assessment in

January 1995 of potential measures to

further limit crab bycatch in the

groundfish fisheries. At its January 1996

meeting, the Council requested that a

suite of crab bycatch management

measures be examined in one package,

so that the impacts of these measures

could be analyzed in a comprehensive

manner. This Council initiative also was

responsive to increasing concern about

the potential impact of crab bycatch on

declining stocks and future harvests in

the commercial crab fisheries. Proposed

alternatives included the establishment

of bycatch limits for C. opilio. To date,

bycatch limits for C. opilio have never

been established for Bering Sea trawl

fisheries.

In June 1996, the Council formed an

industry work group to review proposed

PSC limits for C. opilio. This work

group consisted of three crab fishery

representatives, three trawl fishery

representatives, and one shoreside

processing representative. The group

met November 6–7, 1996, and came to

a consensus on a PSC limit for C. opilio,

based on the best available scientific

information on the abundance and

distribution of the specified crab species

and their rate of bycatch in fisheries for

certain species of groundfish. The

agreement negotiated by affected

industry groups resulted in a proposal

for: (1) Establishment of a C. opilio

COBLZ, (2) an annual specification of a

PSC limit for C. opilio in the COBLZ

based on the total abundance of C.

opilio as indicated by the most recent

NMFS bottom trawl survey, and (3)

establishment of a minimum and

maximum PSC limit. At its December

1996 meeting, the Council endorsed the

industry work group agreement and

recommended that NMFS proceed to

establish the COBLZ and implement a

PSC limit for C. opilio under

Amendment 40 to the FMP.

C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone

(COBLZ)

The bycatch of C. opilio in the BSAI

groundfish fisheries is highest in the

areas north and east of the Pribilof

Islands, corresponding to Federal

reporting areas 513, 514, and 521.

Relatively few C. opilio are taken in

Zone 1 (Federal reporting areas 508,

509, 512, and 516). About 75 percent of

C. opilio bycatch comes from Zone 2

(Federal reporting areas 513, 517, and

521), which encompasses much of the

adult population. In 1995, 90 percent of

the C. opilio bycatch in Zone 2 was from

Federal reporting areas 513 and 521.

Federal reporting area 517 exhibits

relatively low abundance of and low

bycatch of C. opilio. During 1992

through 1994, the average annual C.

opilio bycatch in Zone 2 was about 10.8

million crabs, or about 0.11 percent of

the NMFS total population index.

Bycatch of C. opilio in 1995 and 1996

was much lower than in previous years,

totaling 5.4 million and 3.9 million

crabs, respectively. Of the total, 4.3

million and 3.4 million C. opilio were

taken in Zone 2 in 1995 and 1996,

corresponding to 0.05 and 0.06 percent

of the total population index,

respectively.

The proposed COBLZ encompasses

nearly the entire distribution of C. opilio

in the Bering Sea. The proposed COBLZ

includes Federal reporting areas 513,

524, most of 521, approximately half of

523, and a small portion of 514. Only a

small number of C. opilio are found to

the south, outside of this area. Very

little fishing effort for flatfish has

occurred to the south of the COBLZ. The

Council believed that the COBLZ would

offer more protection to the C. opilio

stock than alternative areas examined in

the EA/RIR/IRFA.

The proposed COBLZ within the EEZ

is an area defined as that portion of the

Bering Sea Subarea north of 56°30′ N.

lat. that is west of a line connecting the

following coordinates in the order

listed:

56°30′ N. lat. 165°00′ W. long.

58°00′ N. lat. 165°00′ W. long.

59°30′ N. lat. 170°00’ W. long.

and north along 170°00′ W. long. to its

intersection with the U.S.-Russian

Boundary.

Establishment of a C. opilio PSC Limit

in the COBLZ

Amendment 40 would authorize the

annual specification of a C. opilio PSC

limit for the COBLZ. The C. opilio PSC

limit would be set at 0.1133 percent of

the total Bering Sea abundance as

indicated by the most recent NMFS

bottom trawl survey, with a minimum

PSC limit of 4.5 million crabs and a

maximum PSC limit of 13 million crabs.

The bycatch of C. opilio in the BSAI

groundfish fisheries totaled 5.4 million

and 3.9 million in 1995 and 1996,

respectively, which is a significant

reduction from 17.7 million in 1992.

About 99 percent of the C. opilio

bycatch occurs in the trawl fisheries.

The yellowfin sole fishery accounts for

most of the C. opilio bycatch (70 percent

of 1992–1994 average).

The C. opilio PSC limit would be

apportioned among trawl fishery

categories as defined at § 679.21(e)(3).

The sum of all bycatch allowances of

the trawl fishery categories would equal

the C. opilio PSC limit. Upon attainment

of a C. opilio bycatch allowance

apportioned to a particular trawl fishery

category, the COBLZ would be closed to

directed fishing for species in that trawl

fishery category, except for pollock with

nonpelagic trawl gear, according to

§ 679.21(e)(7)(i).

The Council’s proposed C. opilio PSC

limit is an effort to protect further the

stocks of Bering Sea C. opilio by limiting

the incidental take of this species when

the stock is depressed. The proposed

criteria for the annual specification of

the C. opilio PSC limits were developed

by the Council-appointed industry work

group.

Implementation in 1997

Estimation of prohibited species

bycatch uses both observer and industry

reports, which provide groundfish and

prohibited species catch by Federal

reporting area. Therefore, the catch

estimation programs currently used by

NMFS to monitor PSC limits are

constrained by Federal reporting areas.

The COBLZ as defined includes

portions of existing Federal reporting

areas. Therefore, NMFS must revise its

current catch monitoring programs to

allow for the monitoring of the annual

C. opilio PSC limit in the COBLZ. These

revisions cannot be completed before

1998 for programmatic reasons. If

Amendment 40 is approved, monitoring

of the C. opilio PSC limit in 1997 would

be extended to Federal reporting areas

513, 514, 521, 523, and 524. The

resulting combined area exceeds the

boundaries of the proposed COBLZ.

Based on the abundance of C. opilio
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 156 / Wednesday, August 13, 1997 / Proposed Rules 43309

estimated from the 1996 NMFS trawl

survey (5.4 billion crabs), the PSC limit

for C. opilio in 1997 would have been

6,147,000 crabs in the COBLZ. In 1997,

the PSC limit of 6,147,000 would be

adjusted upward by 10 percent, for a

total PSC limit of 6,760,000 crabs, to

account for the larger area being

monitored. C. opilio bycatch accrued

from January 1 until publication of the

final rule would apply to all fisheries

that take C. opilio in 1997.

The industry work group proposed

that until further information is

available to suggest how best to

apportion the C. opilio bycatch among

the trawl fishery categories, the 1997 C.

opilio PSC limit be a single bycatch

allowance for all the trawl fisheries.

Economic Considerations

Estimates based on a Bering Sea

simulation model using 1993 and 1994

fishery data indicate that a trawl fishery

closure based on a C. opilio PSC limit

similar to that proposed in this rule

would lead to a slight decrease in the

net economic benefits to the Nation over

the status quo (the model run assumed

a closure area encompassing the entire

Bering Sea outside of Zone 1 and a PSC

limit of 7.32 million crabs). The

decrease in net economic benefits to the

Nation, had the assumed closure and

PSC limit been effective during those

years, would have been approximately

$771,000 and approximately $11.5

million using 1993 and 1994 data,

respectively. However, given the level of

uncertainty inherent in the data and in

the model procedures, these predicted

changes in net economic benefits to the

Nation are probably not great enough to

indicate an actual change from the

status quo. In 1993 and 1994, between

12 and 14 million crabs were caught as

bycatch. Using 1995 or 1996 data when

fewer crabs were caught as bycatch, the

model would be expected to estimate

lower impacts.

Implementation of the proposed

measure, along with area closures to

protect red king crab under Amendment

37 (61 FR 65985, December 16, 1996),

and closures to protect C. bairdi upon

attainment of a PSC limit under

Amendment 41 (62 FR 13839, March 24,

1997) may have cumulative effects on

groundfish trawl fisheries. As noted by

the Council’s Scientific and Statistical

Committee, time and area closures cause

temporal and spatial shifts in

groundfish fishing effort. With each

additional bycatch restriction, options

for the groundfish trawl fleets are

reduced, resulting in effort shifts that

could increase the bycatch of other

prohibited species. However, these

tradeoffs will occur with any protection

closure that may be implemented.

Because the proposed minimum and

maximum PSC limits for C. opilio were

developed from historical bycatch data,

the groundfish trawl fisheries may not

be substantially impacted if the PSC

limit can be optimally allocated among

trawl fisheries. The potential benefit of

setting minimum and maximum PSC

limits is that they would allow bycatch

levels to fluctuate with crab abundance

and would temper annual variability in

PSC limits caused by trawl survey

abundance estimates.

Proposed Changes to the Final 1997

Specifications of Prohibited Species

Bycatch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl

Fisheries

As part of the annual BSAI groundfish

specification process, the Council

recommended PSC allowances for the

BSAI trawl fisheries at its December

1996 meeting. NMFS has published in

the Federal Register the final 1997 BSAI

groundfish specifications that include

the PSC allowances for the trawl

fisheries (62 FR 7168, February 18,

1997). Table 7 of the final 1997 PSC

allowances for the BSAI trawl fisheries

would be amended by adding C. opilio

to the list of prohibited species in the

first column under the ‘‘Trawl

Fisheries’’ category; by adding a fifth

column titled ‘‘COBLZ’’ and the

proposed C. opilio PSC limit allowance

total, 6,760,000, under that heading; and

adding footnote 3 indicated below, as

follows to add the proposed C. opilio

PSC limit:

TABLE 7.—FINAL 1997 PROHIBITED

SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES

FOR THE BSAI TRAWL FISHERIES

Trawl fisheries COBLZ 3

C. opilio, number of animals ..... 6,760,000

3The COBLZ, or C. opilio Bycatch Limitation

Zone, is defined at § 679.21(e)(7)(iv)(B). For

1997 only, the PSC limit for the COBLZ is

monitored in Federal reporting areas 513, 514,

521, 523, and 524.

Classification

At this time, NMFS has not

determined that the FMP amendment

these rules would implement is

consistent with the national standards,

other provisions of the MagnusonStevens Act, and other applicable laws.

NMFS, in making that determination,

will take into account the data, views,

and comments received during the

comment period.

This proposed rule has been

determined to be not significant for

purposes of E.O. 12866.

The Council prepared an IRFA as part

of the RIR, which describes the impact

this proposed rule would have on small

entities, if adopted. Based on the

analysis, it was determined that this

proposed rule could have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities. Many trawl

vessels and processors participating in

the BSAI groundfish fishery could be

affected by this proposed action.

Catcher vessels harvesting groundfish in

the BSAI are considered small entities

and would be affected by the new C.

opilio PSC limits. In 1995, 122 trawl

catcher vessels harvested BSAI

groundfish. Based on the best available

information, NMFS anticipates that this

proposed rule could result in over a 5

percent reduction in gross revenues for

any one of these vessels. Therefore, this

proposed rule could have a significant

impact on a substantial number of small

entities. A copy of this analysis is

available from the Council (see

ADDRESSES).

Consistent with the stated statutory

objectives, the IRFA must discuss

significant alternatives to the proposed

rule, which accomplish the stated

objectives of applicable statutes and

which minimize any significant

economic impact on small entities. The

no action alternative would establish no

PSC limit for C. opilio for all groundfish

fisheries, including small entities,

which would not accomplish the

Council’s objective of reducing bycatch,

especially if the BSAI allocations of

flatfish are increased in the future. The

alternative of establishing a fixed limit

of C. opilio that, upon attainment,

would close affected trawl fisheries in

Zone 2 unless the optimum limit was

specified prior to the fishing season was

not selected, because if the optimum

limit was not correctly specified in

advance certain trawl fisheries (e.g.,

yellowfin sole fishery) could be

adversely impacted. The alternative of

setting a fixed limit for Zone 2 of C.

opilio within a specific percentage of

the NMFS bottom trawl survey index

was not selected, because Zone 2 does

not correspond to crab distribution as

does the preferred COBLZ, which was

proposed specifically for crab bycatch

management. Alternatives that

addressed modifying reporting

requirements for small entities or the

use of performance rather than design

standards for small entities were not

considered by the Council or in this

proposed rule. These alternatives are

not relevant to this proposed action.

Exemptions for small entities from this

proposed action would not be

appropriate in that the objective of the
43310 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 156 / Wednesday, August 13, 1997 / Proposed Rules

action to further limit C. opilio bycatch

in the BSAI groundfish fisheries could

not be adequately addressed.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679

Alaska, Fisheries, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: August 7, 1997.

Gary Matlock,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

For the reasons set out in the

preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is proposed

to be amended as follows:

PART 679—FISHERIES OF THE

EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF

ALASKA

1. The authority citation for 50 CFR

part 679 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et

seq., and 3631 et seq.

2. In § 679.2, the definition of ‘‘C.

Opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone’’ and

‘‘U.S.-Russian Boundary’’ is added in

alphabetical order to read as follows:

§ 679.2 Definitions.

* * * * *

C. Opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone

(COBLZ) (see § 679.21(e)(7)(iv)(B)).

* * * * *

U.S.-Russian Boundary means the

seaward boundary of Russian waters as

defined in Figure 1 of this part.

* * * * *

3. In § 679.21, paragraphs (e)(1)(iii)

through (vi) are redesignated as

paragraphs (e)(1)(iv) through (vii),

respectively, a new paragraph (e)(1)(iii)

is added, paragraphs (e)(3)(ii)(A) and (C)

and (e)(6) are revised, paragraphs

(e)(7)(iv) through (vii) are redesignated

as paragraphs (e)(7)(v) through (viii),

and a new paragraph (e)(7)(iv) is added

to read as follows:

§ 679.21 Prohibited species bycatch

management.

* * * * *

(e) * * * (1) * * *

(iii) C. opilio. (A) (Applicable through

December 31, 1997). The PSC limit of C.

opilio caught by trawl vessels while

engaged in directed fishing for

groundfish in reporting areas 513, 514,

521, 523, and 524 is 6,760,000 animals.

(B) (Applicable after December 31,

1997). The PSC limit of C. opilio caught

by trawl vessels while engaged in

directed fishing for groundfish in the

COBLZ will be specified annually by

NMFS under paragraph (e)(6) of this

section, based on total abundance of C.

opilio as indicated by the NMFS annual

bottom trawl survey using the following

criteria:

(1) PSC Limit. The PSC limit will be

0.1133 percent of the total abundance,

unless;

(2) Minimum PSC Limit. If 0.1133

percent multiplied by the total

abundance is less than 4.5 million, then

the minimum PSC limit will be 4.5

million animals; or

(3) Maximum PSC Limit. If 0.1133

percent multiplied by the total

abundance is greater than 13 million,

then the maximum PSC limit will be 13

million animals.

* * * * *

(3) * * *

(ii) Red king crab, C. bairdi, C. opilio,

and halibut—(A) General. (1) Except as

provided in paragraph (e)(3)(ii)(A)(2) of

this section, for vessels engaged in

directed fishing for groundfish in the

GOA or BSAI, the PSC limits for red

king crab, C. bairdi, C. opilio, and

halibut will be apportioned to the trawl

fishery categories defined in paragraphs

(e)(3)(iv)(B) through (F) of this section.

(2) Exception. For 1997, the C. opilio

PSC limit is a single bycatch allowance

for the trawl fishery categories defined

in paragraphs (e)(3)(iv)(B) through (F) of

this section.

(B) * * *

(C) Incidental catch in midwater

pollock fishery. Any amount of red king

crab, C. bairdi, C. opilio, or halibut that

is incidentally taken in the midwater

pollock fishery as defined in paragraph

(e)(3)(iv)(A) of this section will be

counted against the bycatch allowances

specified for the pollock/Atka mackerel/

‘‘other species’’ category defined in

paragraph (e)(3)(iv)(F) of this section.

* * * * *

(6) Notification—(i) General. NMFS

will publish annually in the Federal

Register the annual red king crab PSC

limit and, if applicable, the amount of

this PSC limit specified for the RKCSS,

the annual C. bairdi PSC limit, the

annual C. opilio PSC limit, the proposed

and final bycatch allowances, seasonal

apportionments thereof, and the manner

in which seasonal apportionments of

nontrawl fishery bycatch allowances

will be managed, as required under this

paragraph (e).

(ii) Public comment. Public comment

will be accepted by NMFS on the

proposed annual red king crab PSC limit

and, if applicable, the amount of this

PSC limit specified for the RKCSS, the

annual C. bairdi PSC limit, the annual

C. opilio PSC limit, the proposed and

final bycatch allowances, seasonal

apportionments thereof, and the manner

in which seasonal apportionments of

nontrawl fishery bycatch allowances

will be managed, for a period of 30 days

from the date of publication in the

Federal Register.

(7) * * *

(iv) C. opilio, C. Opilio Bycatch

Limitation Zone (COBLZ), closure. (A)

Except as provided in paragraph (e)(7)(i)

of this section, if, during the fishing

year, the Regional Administrator

determines that U.S. fishing vessels

participating in any of the fishery

categories listed in paragraphs

(e)(3)(iv)(B) through (F) of this section

will catch the COBLZ bycatch

allowance, or seasonal apportionment

thereof, of C. opilio specified for that

fishery category under paragraph (e)(3)

of this section, NMFS will publish in

the Federal Register the closure of the

COBLZ, as defined in paragraph

(e)(7)(iv)(B) of this section, to directed

fishing for each species and/or species

group in that fishery category for the

remainder of the year or for the

remainder of the season.

(B) C. Opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone.

The C. Opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone

is an area defined as that portion of the

Bering Sea Subarea north of 56°30′ N.

lat. that is west of a line connecting the

following coordinates in the order

listed:

56°30′ N. lat. 165°00′ W. long.

58°00′ N. lat. 165°00′ W. long.

59°30′ N. lat. 170°00′ W. long.

and north along 170°00′ W. long. to its

intersection with the U.S.-Russian

Boundary.

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 97–21340 Filed 8–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P