60788 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 219 / Thursday, November 13, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 970429101–7101–01; I.D.

103097A]

Fisheries Off West Coast States and in

the Western Pacific; West Coast

Salmon Fisheries; Inseason

Adjustment From Sisters Rocks to

Mack Arch, OR

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the

commercial salmon fishery in the area

from Sisters Rocks to Mack Arch, OR,

opened for 7 days per week beginning

August 13, 1997. This adjustment was

intended to provide commercial

fishermen with additional opportunity

to harvest chinook salmon without

exceeding the ocean share allocated to

the commercial fishery in this area.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours local time,

August 13, through 2400 hours local

time, August 31, 1997. Comments will

be accepted through November 28,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to

William Stelle, Jr., Regional

Administrator, Northwest Region,

NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE.,

Seattle, WA 98115–0070. Information

relevant to this action is available for

public review during business hours at

the office of the Regional Administrator,

Northwest Region, NMFS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William Robinson, 206–526–6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the

annual management measures for ocean

salmon fisheries (62 FR 24355, May 5,

1997), NMFS announced that the

commercial fishery in the area from

Sisters Rocks to Mack Arch, OR, would

open August 1 and continue through the

earlier of August 31 or attainment of the

3,000 chinook salmon quota. The season

was scheduled to follow a cycle of 2

days open/2 days closed for the purpose

of dampening catch rates and extending

the fishing season.

The best available information on

August 11 indicated that a sufficient

number of chinook salmon remained in

the quota to rescind the catch

dampening measure. Hence, effective

0001 hours local time, August 13, the

commercial salmon fishery in this area

opened 7 days per week. This fishery

operated through August 31.

Modification of fishing seasons is

authorized by regulations at 50 CFR

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

that applied to this fishery remained in

effect as announced in the annual

management measures.

The Regional Administrator consulted

with representatives of the Pacific

Fishery Management Council and the

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

regarding this adjustment. The State of

Oregon managed the commercial fishery

in state waters adjacent to this area of

the exclusive economic zone in

accordance with this Federal action. As

provided by the inseason notice

procedures of 50 CFR 660.411, actual

notice to fishermen of this action was

given prior to 0001 hours local time,

August 13, 1997 by telephone hotline

numbers (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 take

advantage of the opportunity to harvest

the available quota, 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: November 6, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–29878 Filed 11–12–97; 8:45 am]

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