Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 157 / Thursday, August 14, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 43485

Leadbetter Point, WA, would open July

21, 1997 and continue through the

earlier of September 25, 1997, or

attainment of the 14,000 coho subarea

quota, with a bag limit of two fish per

day. Inseason management may be used

to sustain season length and keep

harvest within a guideline of 3,000

chinook.

The best available information on

June 4, 1997, indicated that the 1985–

1993 average of recreational catch ratios

is 4.7 coho to 1 chinook, which is

similar to the ratio of the coho quota to

the chinook guideline for this fishery.

Concern was expressed that this year’s

relative abundance of coho to chinook

might be lower and that the chinook

guideline could be achieved first, thus

leaving a large portion of the coho quota

unharvested. To optimize angler

opportunity to fish on the available

coho stocks, it is necessary to limit the

retention of chinook at the beginning of

the season by changing the bag limit to

two fish, only one of which may be a

chinook.

Modification of recreational bag limits

is authorized by regulations at 50 CFR

660.409(b)(1)(iii). All other restrictions

that apply to this fishery remain in

effect as announced in the annual

management measures, including the

restriction of no more than four fish in

7 consecutive days.

The Regional Administrator consulted

with representatives of the Pacific

Fishery Management Council, the

Washington Department of Fish and

Wildlife, and the Oregon Department of

Fish and Wildlife regarding this

adjustment. The State of Washington

will manage the recreational fishery in

state waters adjacent to this area of the

exclusive economic zone in accordance

with this Federal action. As provided by

the inseason notification procedures of

50 CFR 660.411, actual notice to

fishermen of this action was given prior

to 2400 hours local time, July 20, 1997,

by telephone hotline number 206–526–

6667 and 800–662–9825 and by U.S.

Coast Guard Notice to Mariners

broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and

2182 kHz. Because of the need for

immediate action to modify the bag

limit before the opening of this fishery,

NMFS has determined that good cause

exists for this notice to be issued

without affording a prior opportunity

for public comment. This action does

not apply to other fisheries that may be

operating in other areas.

Classification

This action is authorized by 50 CFR

660.409 and 660.411 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.97–21465 Filed 8–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334–7025–02; I.D.

080897B]

Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive

Zone Off Alaska; Shallow-water

Species Fishery by Vessels Using

Trawl Gear in the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed

fishing for species that comprise the

shallow-water species fishery by vessels

using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA), except for vessels fishing for

pollock using pelagic trawl gear in those

portions of the GOA open to directed

fishing for pollock. This action is

necessary because the third seasonal

bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut

apportioned to the shallow-water

species fishery in the GOA has been

caught.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), August 11, 1997, through

1200 hrs, A.l.t., October 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas Pearson, 907–486–6919.

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 Gulf of

Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North

Pacific Fishery Management Council

under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management 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 prohibited species bycatch

mortality allowance of Pacific halibut

for the GOA trawl shallow-water species

fishery, which is defined at

§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)(A), was established as

200 metric tons by the Final 1997

Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for

the GOA (62 FR 8179, February 24,

1997) for the third season, the period

July 1, 1997 through September 30,

1997.

In accordance with § 679.21(d)(7)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the third seasonal

apportionment of the 1997 Pacific

halibut bycatch mortality allowance

specified for the trawl shallow-water

species fishery in the GOA has been

caught. Consequently, the Regional

Administrator is closing directed fishing

for the species that comprise the

shallow-water species fishery by vessels

using trawl gear in the GOA, except for

vessels fishing for pollock using pelagic

trawl gear in those portions of the GOA

open to directed fishing for pollock. The

species and species groups that

comprise the shallow-water species

fishery are: pollock, Pacific cod,

shallow-water flatfish, flathead sole,

Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

may be found in the regulations at

§ 679.20(e) and (f).

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

exceeding the third seasonal allowance

of halibut mortality in the GOA. A delay

in the effective date is impracticable and

contrary to public interest. The fleet will

soon take the seasonal allowance of

halibut mortality. Further delay would

only result in the seasonal allowance

being exceeded and disrupt the FMP’s

objective of seasonally apportioning

halibut mortality throughout the year.

NMFS finds for good cause that the

implementation of this action cannot be

delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under

U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective

date is hereby waived.

Classification

This action is required by 50 CFR

679.21 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. 97–21533 Filed 8–11–97; 12:13 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F