43486 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 157 / Thursday, August 14, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 970613138–7138–01; I.D.

080797B]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Scallop Fishery;

Shelikof District of Registration Area K

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure; inseason adjustment;

request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the fishery

for scallops in the Shelikof District of

Registration Area K to prevent localized

overfishing of scallops in that District.

This action is necessary to prevent

overfishing of scallops. It is intended to

promote the goals and objectives of the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Scallop Fishery off Alaska.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), August 10, 1997, until 2400

hrs, A.l.t., June 30, 1998. Comments

must be received at the following

address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t.,

August 29, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to

Chief, Fisheries Management Division,

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

Juneau, AK 99802–1668, Attn. Lori

Gravel, or delivered to the fourth floor

of the Federal Building, 709 West 9th

Street, Juneau, AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Smoker, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

scallop fishery off Alaska in the

exclusive economic zone is managed by

NMFS according to the Fishery

Management Plan for the Scallop

Fishery Off Alaska (FMP) prepared by

the North Pacific Fishery Management

Council under authority of the

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act.

Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by

regulations implementing the FMP at

subpart F of 50 CFR part 600 and 50

CFR part 679.

The 1997 total allowable catch for

scallops in Registration Area K, which

includes the Shelikof District, was

established by the 1997-98 Harvest

Specifications (62 FR 34182, June 25,

1997) as 400,000 lb (181.4 mt) of

shucked scallop meat. As of August 3,

1997, 223,000 lb (101.15 mt) of shucked

scallop meat have been landed from the

Shelikof District.

The Alaska Department of Fish and

Game, Commercial Fisheries

Management and Development

Division, has monitored the scallop

fishery in the Shelikof District of

Registration Area K since the fishery

opened on July 1, 1997. Harvest rates of

scallops have declined by 20 percent,

indicating that fishing mortality is

exceeding the biologically acceptable

catch in the Shelikof District.

The Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS, has determined, in accordance

with § 679.63(a), § 679.25(a)(1)(i) and

§ 679.25(a)(2)(i)(A), that on the basis of

the best available scientific information,

the closure of the scallop season within

the Shelikof District of Registration Area

K is necessary to prevent overfishing of

this stock of scallops. Therefore, NMFS

is prohibiting the taking and retention of

scallops in the Federal waters of the

Shelikof District of Registration Area K.

Classification

The Assistant Administrator for

Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good cause

that providing prior notice and public

comment on this action is impracticable

and contrary to the public interest.

Immediate effectiveness is necessary to

prevent overfishing the stock of scallops

in the Shelikof District of Registration

Area K. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C.

553(d), a delay in the effective date is

hereby waived.

This action is required by § 679.63

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

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

Dated: August 8, 1997

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–21534 Filed 8–11–97; 12:13 pm]

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