Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 68229

specified for the Eastern Aleutian

Islands District and Bering Sea subarea

that is allocated annually to vessels

using jig gear will be published in the

Federal Register as part of the proposed

and final annual specifications under

paragraph (c) of this section. The jig gear

allocation will be based on the

following criteria:

(A) The amount of Atka mackerel

harvested by vessels using jig gear

during recent fishing years;

(B) The anticipated harvest of Atka

mackerel by vessels using jig gear

during the upcoming fishing year; and

(C) The extent to which the jig gear

allocation will support the development

of a jig gear fishery for Atka mackerel

while minimizing the amount of Atka

mackerel TAC annually allocated to

vessels using jig gear that remains

unharvested at the end of the fishing

year.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

(6) BSAI Atka mackerel allocations.

The proposed, interim, and final

specifications will specify the allocation

of BSAI Atka mackerel among gear types

as authorized under paragraph (a)(8) of

this section.

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 97–33975 Filed 12–30–97; 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.

122297A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Closures of Specified

Groundfish Fisheries in the Gulf of

Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing specified

groundfish fisheries in the Gulf of

Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary

to prevent exceeding the directed

fishing allowances specified for the

1998 interim total allowable catch

(TAC) amounts for the GOA.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), January 1, 1998, until

superseded by the Final 1998 Harvest

Specification for Groundfish, which will

be published in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the exclusive

economic zone of the GOA 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

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(d), if the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS

(Regional Administrator), determines

that the amount of a target species or

‘‘other species’’ category apportioned to

a fishery or, with respect to pollock and

Pacific cod, to an inshore or offshore

component allocation, will be reached,

the Regional Administrator may

establish a directed fishing allowance

for that species or species group. If the

Regional Administrator establishes a

directed fishing allowance, and that

allowance is or will be reached before

the end of the fishing year, NMFS will

prohibit directed fishing for that species

or species group in the specified GOA

Regulatory Area or district (see

697.20(d)(1)(iii)).

NMFS has published interim 1998

harvest specifications for these

groundfish fisheries (62 FR 65622,

December 15, 1997). The Regional

Administrator has determined that the

following interim TAC amounts will be

reached and are necessary as incidental

catch to support other anticipated

groundfish fisheries prior to the time

that final specifications for groundfish

are likely to be in effect for the 1998

fishing year:

Thornyhead rockfish entire GOA.

Atka mackerel ........... entire GOA.

Sablefish ................... entire GOA.

‘‘Other rockfish’’ ....... entire GOA.

Shortraker/rougheye

rockfish.

entire GOA.

Pacific cod ................ offshore component,

entire GOA.

Pollock ...................... offshore component,

entire GOA.

Deep-water flatfish ... Western Regulatory

Area.

Northern rockfish ..... Eastern Regulatory

Area.

Consequently, in accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(i), the Regional

Administrator establishes these interim

TAC amounts as directed fishing

allowances.

Further, The Regional Administrator

finds that these directed fishing

allowances will be reached before the

end of 1998. Therefore, in accordance

with § 679.20(d) NMFS is prohibiting

directed fishing for these species in the

specified areas.

These closures will be in effect

beginning at 0001 hours, A.l.t., January

1, 1998, until superseded by the Final

1998 Initial Harvest Specifications for

Groundfish.

While these closures are in effect, the

maximum retainable bycatch amounts at

§ 679.20 (e) and (f) apply at any time

during a fishing trip. Additional

closures and restrictions may be found

in existing regulations at 50 CFR part

679. These closures to directed fishing

are in addition to closures and

prohibitions found in regulations at 50

CFR part 679. Refer to § 679.2 for

definitions of areas. The definitions of

GOA deep-water flatfish and ‘‘Other

rockfish’’ species categories are

provided in the Federal Register

publication of the interim 1998 harvest

specifications (62 FR 65622, December

15, 1997).

NMFS may implement other closures

at the time the Final 1998 Initial Harvest

Specifications are implemented or

during the 1998 fishing year, as

necessary for effective conservation and

management.

Classification

This action is required by § 679.20

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

This action responds to the interim

TAC limitations and other restrictions

on the fisheries established in the

interim 1998 harvest specifications for

groundfish for the GOA. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the 1998 interim TAC of

several groundfish species in the GOA.

A delay in the effective date is

impracticable and contrary to the public

interest. The fleet will begin to harvest

groundfish on January 1, 1998. Further

delay would only result in overharvest.

NMFS finds for good cause that the

implementation of this action should

not be delayed for 30 days. Accordingly,

under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the

effective date is hereby waived.

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

Dated: December 23, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–33974 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P