Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 232 / Wednesday, December 3, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 63877

Department of Fish and Wildlife

(ODFW), and the California Department

of Fish and Game regarding this

adjustment. The states of Washington,

Oregon, and California have been

managing the recreational 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 July 1,

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 modify the limited

retention regulations before the July 1,

1997, opening of the season between

Point Reyes and Pigeon Point, CA,

NMFS determined that good cause

existed for the action to be taken

without affording a prior opportunity

for public comment.

Inseason Adjustment From the Queets

River to Leadbetter Point, WA

In the annual management measures

for ocean salmon fisheries, NMFS

announced that the recreational fishery

in the subarea between the Queets River

and Leadbetter Point, WA, would open

July 21 and continue through the earlier

of September 25 or attainment of the

14,000 coho subarea quota. Inseason

management would be used to sustain

season length and keep harvest within

a guideline of 3,000 chinook. The

recreational bag limit would be two fish

per day, and the area from 0 to 3 miles

off shore would be closed.

Concern was expressed that this

year’s relative abundance of coho to

chinook might be lower and that the

chinook guideline could be achieved

first, thus leaving a large portion of the

coho quota unharvested. To optimize

angler opportunity to fish on the

available coho stocks, it was necessary

to dampen the harvest of chinook at the

beginning of the season by setting an

area closure of 0 to 3 miles off shore and

changing the bag limit to two fish, only

one of which may be a chinook (62 FR

43484, August 14, 1997).

The best available information on

August 11 indicated that there were a

sufficient number of fish in the overall

chinook quota north of Cape Falcon,

OR, such that the above measures were

no longer needed. Hence, beginning at

0001 hours l.t., August 13, 1997, the

daily bag limit for the recreational

fishery in the subarea from Queets River

to Leadbetter Point, WA, was

reestablished back to two fish, and this

area closure was rescinded so that the

fishery was open from 0 to 200 miles off

shore.

Modification of recreational bag limits

and closed areas is authorized by

regulations at 50 CFR 660.409(b)(1)(iii)

and (v). The Regional Administrator

consulted with representatives of the

Council and the WDFW regarding this

adjustment. The State of Washington

managed the recreational 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 l.t., 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 liberalize the bag limit and

area closure for this fishery, NMFS

determined that good cause existed for

this action to be taken without affording

a prior opportunity for public comment.

Closures From the U.S.-Canadian

Border to Cape Falcon, OR

Regulations governing the ocean

salmon fisheries at 50 CFR 660.409(a)(1)

state that when a quota for the

commercial or the recreational fishery,

or both, for any salmon species in any

portion of the fishery management area

is projected by the Regional

Administrator to be reached on or by a

certain date, the Secretary will, by an

inseason action issued under 50 CFR

660.411, close the commercial or

recreational fishery, or both, for all

salmon species in the portion of the

fishery management area to which the

quota applies as of the date the quota is

projected to be reached.

In the 1997 management measures for

ocean salmon fisheries, NMFS

announced that the recreational fishery

in the area from the U.S.-Canadian

border to Cape Alava, WA, would open

on July 21 and continue through

September 25, or attainment of the 550

chinook salmon subarea quota,

whichever occurred first. Cape Alava to

the Queets River, WA, would open on

July 21 and continue through September

25, or attainment of the 800 coho

salmon subarea quota, whichever

occurred first. Queets River to

Leadbetter Point, WA, would open on

July 21 and continue through September

25, or attainment of the 14,000 coho

salmon subarea quota, whichever

occurred first. Leadbetter Point, WA, to

Cape Falcon, OR, would open on July 21

and continue through September 25, or

attainment of the 17,500 coho salmon

subarea quota, whichever occurred first.

Throughout the season the best

available information was used to

determine when the salmon quotas had

been reached based on catch and effort

data and projections. To provide for an

orderly shutdown of the recreational

fishery in these areas, closure was made

effective for: U.S.-Canadian border to

Cape Alava, WA, at 2400 hours l.t., July

23; Cape Alava to the Queets River, WA,

at 2400 hours l.t., August 3; Queets

River to Leadbetter Point, WA, at 2400

hours l.t., September 4; and Leadbetter

Point, WA, to Cape Falcon, OR, at 2400

hours l.t., August 7. The Regional

Administrator consulted with

representatives of the Council, the

WDFW, and the ODFW. The states of

Washington and Oregon managed the

recreational fishery in state waters

adjacent to this area of the exclusive

economic zone in accordance with this

Federal action. As provided by the

inseason notification procedures of 50

CFR 660.411, actual notice to fishermen

of this action was given prior to the

actual closure times and dates, by

telephone hotline number 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 stop the fishery

upon achievement of the quota, NMFS

determined that good cause existed for

this action to be taken without affording

a prior opportunity for public comment.

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 26, 1997.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–31679 Filed 12–2–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334–7025–02, I.D.

112597C]

Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive

Zone Off Alaska; Trawl Gear in the Gulf

of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.
63878 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 232 / Wednesday, December 3, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed

fishing for groundfish by vessels using

trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA),

except for directed fishing for pollock

by vessels using pelagic trawl gear in

those portions of the GOA open to

directed fishing for pollock. This action

is necessary because the 1997 Pacific

halibut prohibited species catch (PSC)

limit for trawl gear in the GOA has been

caught.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), November 26, 1997, until

1200 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 Final 1997 Harvest Specifications

of Groundfish for the GOA (62 FR 8179,

February 24, 1997) established the 1997

Pacific halibut PSC limit for vessels

using trawl gear at 2,000 metric tons

(mt). The Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined, in accordance with

§ 679.21(d)(7)(i), that vessels engaged in

directed fishing for groundfish with

trawl gear in the GOA have caught the

1997 Pacific halibut PSC limit.

Therefore, NMFS is closing the directed

fishery for groundfish by vessels using

trawl gear in the GOA, except for

directed fishing for pollock by vessels

using pelagic trawl gear in those

portions of the GOA that remain open

to directed fishing for pollock.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

may be found in the regulations at

§ 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

exceeding the 1997 trawl Pacific halibut

PSC limit. Providing prior notice and an

opportunity for public comment on this

action is impracticable and contrary to

public interest. The fleet has taken the

1997 trawl Pacific halibut PSC limit in

the GOA. Further delay would only

result in the 1997 trawl Pacific halibut

PSC limit being exceeded and disrupt

the FMP’s objective of limiting trawl

Pacific halibut mortality. NMFS finds

for good cause that the implementation

of this action cannot be delayed for 30

days. Accordingly, under U.S.C 553(d),

a delay in the effective date is hereby

waived.

This action is required by 50 CFR

679.21 and is exempt from review under

E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: November 26, 1997.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–31595 Filed 11–26–97; 3:13 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312–7021–02; I.D.

112497E]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Bycatch Rate

Standards for the First Half of 1998

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Pacific halibut and red king crab

bycatch rate standards; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces Pacific

halibut and red king crab bycatch rate

standards for the first half of 1998.

Publication of these bycatch rate

standards is necessary under regulations

implementing the vessel incentive

program. This action is necessary to

implement the bycatch rate standards

for trawl vessel operators who

participate in the Alaska groundfish

trawl fisheries. The intent of this action

is to reduce prohibited species bycatch

rates and promote conservation of

groundfish and other fishery resources.

DATES: Effective 1201 hours, Alaska

local time (A.l.t.), January 20, 1998,

through 2400 hours, A.l.t., June 30,

1998. Comments on this action must be

received at the following address no

later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., January 2,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

mailed to the Assistant Regional

Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries

Division, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,

Juneau, AK 99802–1668, Attn: Lori

Gravel; or be delivered to 709 West 9th

Street, Federal Building, Room 401,

Juneau, AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Kinsolving, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

domestic groundfish fisheries in the

exclusive economic zone of the Bering

Sea and Aleutian Islands management

area (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA)

are managed by NMFS according to the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands Area and the

Fishery Management Plan for

Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska

(FMPs). The FMPs were prepared by the

North Pacific Fishery Management

Council (Council) under the authority of

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act

(Magnuson-Stevens Act) and are

implemented by regulations governing

the U.S. groundfish fisheries at 50 CFR

part 679.

Regulations at § 679.21(f) implement a

vessel incentive program to reduce

halibut and red king crab bycatch rates

in the groundfish trawl fisheries. Under

the incentive program, operators of

trawl vessels may not exceed Pacific

halibut bycatch rate standards specified

for the BSAI and GOA midwater pollock

and ‘‘other trawl’’ fisheries, and the

BSAI yellowfin sole and ‘‘bottom

pollock’’ fisheries. Vessel operators also

may not exceed red king crab bycatch

standards specified for the BSAI

yellowfin sole and ‘‘other trawl’’

fisheries in Bycatch Limitation Zone 1

(defined in § 679.2). The fisheries

included under the incentive program

are defined in regulations at

§ 679.21(f)(2).

Regulations at § 679.21(f)(3) require

that halibut and red king crab bycatch

rate standards for each fishery included

under the incentive program be

published in the Federal Register. The

standards are in effect for specified

seasons within the 6-month periods of

January 1 through June 30, and July 1

through December 31. Because the

Alaskan groundfish fisheries are closed

to trawling from January 1 to January 20

of each year (§ 679.23(c)), the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS

(Regional Administrator) is

promulgating bycatch rate standards for

the first half of 1998 effective from

January 20, 1998, through June 30, 1998.

As required by § 679.21(f)(4), bycatch

rate standards are based on the

following information:

(A) Previous years’ average observed

bycatch rates;

(B) Immediately preceding season’s

average observed bycatch rates;