52046 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 193 / Monday, October 6, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

that the annual commercial quota of

4.65 m lb (2.34 m kg) for red snapper

will be reached on October 6, 1997.

Accordingly, the commercial fishery in

the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico for red

snapper is closed effective noon, local

time, October 6, 1997, through

December 31, 1997. The operator of a

vessel with a valid reef fish permit

having red snapper on board must land

and sell such red snapper prior to noon,

local time, October 6, 1997.

During the closure, the bag limit

applies to all harvest of red snapper in

or from the EEZ in the Gulf of Mexico.

The daily bag limit for red snapper is

five per person. From noon, local time,

October 6, 1997, through December 31,

1997, the sale or purchase of red

snapper taken from the EEZ is

prohibited. This prohibition does not

apply to sale or purchase of red snapper

that were harvested, landed ashore, and

sold prior to noon, local time, October

6, 1997, and were held in cold storage

by a dealer or processor.

Classification

This action is taken under 50 CFR

622.43(a) and is exempt from review

under E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: September 30, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–26383 Filed 10–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334–7052–02; I.D.

092997A]

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 inshore 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:

Andrew N. Smoker, 907–587–7228.

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

regulations implementing the FMP at

subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50

CFR part 679.

In accordance with § 679.20(a)(6)(iii),

the allowance for the Pacific cod TAC

apportioned to vessels catching Pacific

cod for processing by the inshore

component in the Central Regulatory

Area was established by the Final 1997

Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for

the GOA and subsequent reserve

apportionment (62 FR 8179, February

24, 1997; 62 FR 19062, April 18, 1997)

as 39,321 metric tons (mt).

The Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS, has established a directed

fishing allowance of 38,321 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 inshore component in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

was closed to directed fishing under

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on March 11, 1997 (62

FR 11770, March 13, 1997), in order to

reserve amounts anticipated to be

needed for incidental catch in other

fisheries.

NMFS has determined that as of

September 20, 1997, 930 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 inshore component in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

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

1997.

Classification

All 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. Further delay would only disrupt

the FMP’s objective of providing a

portion of the Pacific cod TAC for

processing by the inshore component in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Without this action, the Pacific cod

allocation for vessels catching Pacific

cod for processing by the inshore

component in the Central Regulatory

Area of the GOA would be

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

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

hereby waived.

This action is required by § 679.20

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

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

Dated: September 30, 1997.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–26429 Filed 10–1–97; 1:36 pm]

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