Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 26 / Friday, February 7, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 5781

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961114318–6318–01; I.D.

020397F]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the

Eastern Aleutian District and Bering

Sea Subarea of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed

fishing for Atka mackerel in the Eastern

Aleutian District and the Bering Sea

Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian

Islands management area (BSAI). This

action is necessary to prevent exceeding

the 1997 interim specifications of Atka

mackerel in these areas.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), February 4, 1997, until

2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Smoker, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive

economic zone is managed by the 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 parts 600 and 679.

The 1997 interim specifications of

Atka mackerel total allowable catch for

the Eastern Aleutian District and the

Bering Sea Subarea was established by

Interim 1997 Harvest Specifications (61

FR 60044, November 26, 1996) for the

BSAI as 3,187 metric tons (mt). See

§ 679.20(c)(2)(ii).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1), the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS

(Regional Administrator), has

determined that the 1997 interim

specification for Atka mackerel in the

Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering

Sea Subarea soon will be reached.

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is

establishing a directed fishing

allowance of 2,587 mt, and is setting

aside the remaining 600 mt as bycatch

to support other anticipated groundfish

fisheries. In accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional

Administrator finds that this directed

fishing allowance soon will be reached.

Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting

directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the

Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering

Sea Subarea.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

for applicable gear types may be found

in the regulations at § 679.20(e).

Classification

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: February 3, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–3089 Filed 2–4–97; 3:52 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126333–6333–01; I.D.

020397D]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical

Area 630

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting the

directed fishery for pollock in Statistical

Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA).

This action is necessary to prevent

exceeding the interim specification for

pollock in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), February 4, 1997, until

superseded by the Final 1997 Harvest

Specifications for groundfish.

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 600 and 50 CFR part 679.

The interim specification of pollock

total allowable catch in Statistical Area

630 was established by Interim 1997

Harvest Specifications (61 FR 64299,

December 4, 1996) as 4,875 metric tons

(mt), determined in accordance with

§ 679.20(c)(2)(i).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the 1997 interim

specification of pollock in Statistical

Area 630 soon will be reached.

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is

establishing a directed fishing

allowance of 4,675 mt, and is setting

aside the remaining 200 mt as bycatch

to support other anticipated groundfish

fisheries. In accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional

Administrator finds that this directed

fishing allowance will soon be reached.

Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting

directed fishing for pollock in Statistical

Area 630 until superseded by the Final

1997 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

for applicable gear types may be found

in the regulations at § 679.20(e).

Classification

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: February 3, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–3088 Filed 2–4–97; 3:52 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F