Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 199 / Wednesday, October 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 53579

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

Dated: October 9, 1997.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27296 Filed 10–9–97; 4:24 pm]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312–7021–02; I.D.

100797A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; ‘‘Other Rockfish’’

Species Group in the Bering Sea

Subarea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention

of the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in

the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI). NMFS is requiring that catch of

‘‘other 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 ‘‘other rockfish’’

species group 1997 total allowable catch

(TAC) in this area has been reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), October 8, 1997, until 2400

hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive

economic zone is managed by NMFS

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

(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.

The 1997 TAC of the ‘‘other rockfish’’

species group in the Bering Sea subarea

was established as 317 metric tons by

the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168,

February 18, 1997). See

§ 679.20(c)(3)(iii).

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

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined that the 1997 TAC for

the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in

the Bering Sea subarea has been

reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring

that further catches of ‘‘other rockfish’’

in the Bering Sea subarea 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 the

‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in the

Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.

Providing prior notice and opportunity

for public comment is impracticable and

contrary to public interest. The fleet has

taken the directed fishing allowance for

the ‘‘other rockfish’’ species group in

the Bering Sea subarea. 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 § 679.20

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

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

Dated: October 8, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27160 Filed 10–8–97; 4:51 pm]

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