50888 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 188 / Monday, September 29, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334–7052–02; I.D.

092297D]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Shortraker/Rougheye

Rockfish in the Eastern Regulatory

Area of the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention

of shortraker/rougheye rockfish in the

Eastern Regulatory Area of the Gulf of

Alaska (GOA). NMFS is requiring that

catches of shortraker/rougheye rockfish

in this area be treated in the same

manner as prohibited species and

discarded at sea with a minimum of

injury. This action is necessary because

the 1997 total allowable catch (TAC) of

shortraker/rougheye rockfish in this area

has been reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), September 23, 1997, until

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 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 1997 TAC of shortraker/rougheye

rockfish in the Eastern Regulatory Area

of the GOA was established as 460

metric tons by the Final 1997 Harvest

Specifications of Groundfish for the

GOA (62 FR 8179, February 24, 1997).

See § 679.20(c)(3)(ii).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined that the 1997 TAC for

shortraker/rougheye rockfish in the

Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA has

been reached. Therefore, NMFS is

requiring that further catches of

shortraker/rougheye rockfish in the

Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA be

treated as prohibited species in

accordance with § 679.21(b).

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the 1997 TAC for

shortraker/rougheye rockfish in the

Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Providing prior notice and an

opportunity for public comment for this

action is impracticable and contrary to

public interest. The fleet has taken the

1997 TAC for shortraker/rougheye

rockfish. Further delay would only

result in overharvest and disrupt the

FMP’s objective of not exceeding the

TAC throughout the year. NMFS finds

for good cause that the implementation

of this action cannot be delayed for 30

days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C.

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

hereby waived.

This action is required by 50 CFR

679.20 and is exempt from review under

E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: September 23, 1997.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–25670 Filed 9–23–97; 4:59 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334–7025–02; I.D.

092297C]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod in the

Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of

Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed

fishing for Pacific cod by vessels

catching Pacific cod for processing by

the offshore component in the Central

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA). This action is necessary to fully

utilize the total allowable catch (TAC) of

Pacific cod in this area.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), October 1, 1997, until 2400

hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 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 the Groundfish Fishery of the

Gulf of 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

regulation implementing the FMP at

subpart H of CFR part 600 and 50 CFR

part 679.

In accordance with Sec.

679.20(d)(1)(iii)(A), the allowance for

the Pacific cod TAC apportioned for

vessels catching Pacific cod for

processing by the offshore component in

the Central Regulatory Area was

established as 4,369 metric tons (mt) by

the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish for the GOA (62 FR 8179,

February 24, 1997) and subsequent

apportionment of reserve (62 FR 19062,

April 18, 1997). The Administrator,

Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional

Administrator), has established a

directed fishing allowance of 3,369 mt,

and set aside the remaining 1,000 mt as

bycatch to support other anticipated

groundfish fisheries. The fishery for

Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific

cod for processing by the offshore

component in the Central Regulatory

Area of the GOA was closed to directed

fishing under § 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on

February 19, 1997, in order to reserve

amounts anticipated to be needed for

incidental catch in other fisheries (62

FR 8179, February 24, 1997).

NMFS has determined that as of

September 13, 1997, 3,092 mt remain in

the directed fishing allowance.

Therefore, NMFS is terminating the

previous closure and is opening

directed fishing for Pacific cod by

vessels catching Pacific cod for

processing by the offshore component in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

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

1997.

Classification

All other closures remain in full force

and effect. This action responds to the

best available information recently

obtained from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately in order to

allow full utilization of the Pacific cod

TAC. Providing prior notice and an

opportunity for public comment for this

action is impracticable and contrary to

the public interest. Further delay would

only disrupt the FMP’s objective of

providing a portion of the Pacific cod

TAC for processing by the offshore

component in the Central Regulatory

Area of the GOA. Without this action,