65626 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

U.S.C. 553(b)(B) that the need to

establish interim harvest specifications

for the fisheries in the GOA, effective on

January 1, 1998, makes it impracticable

and contrary to the public interest to

provide prior notice and opportunity for

public comment on this rule. Section

679.20(c)(2) requires NMFS to specify

interim harvest specifications that are

effective on January 1 and that will

remain in effect until superseded by

final specifications established by notice

and comment rulemaking in order for

the GOA groundfish fishing season to

begin on January 1 (see § 679.23).

Without interim specifications in effect

on January 1, the groundfish fisheries

would not be able to open on January

1, which would result in unnecessary

closures and disruption within the

fishing industry. Because the stock

assessment reports and other

information concerning the fisheries in

the GOA became available only

recently, NMFS is not able to provide an

opportunity for comment on the interim

specifications. It is anticipated that the

interim specifications will be in effect

for only a short period of time before

they are superseded by the final

specifications. Proposed specifications

are published as a proposed rule in this

issue of the Federal Register and

provide the opportunity for public

comment.

These interim specifications are

exempt from the requirements of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act to prepare a

regulatory flexibility analysis because

they are not required to be issued with

prior notice and opportunity for public

comment.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq. and 1801

et seq.

Dated: December 9, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–32680 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208296–7296–01; I.D.

111997A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands Area; Interim 1998

Harvest Specifications

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Interim 1998 harvest

specifications for groundfish; associated

management measures.

SUMMARY: NMFS issues interim 1998

total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for

each category of groundfish, pollock

Community Development Quota (CDQ)

amounts, and prohibited species

bycatch allowances for the groundfish

fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian

Islands management area (BSAI). The

intended effect is to conserve and

manage the groundfish resources in the

BSAI.

DATES: 0001 hours, Alaska local time

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

effective date of the final 1998 harvest

specifications for BSAI groundfish,

which will be published in the Federal

Register.

ADDRESSES: The preliminary 1998 Stock

Assessment and Fishery Evaluation

(SAFE) Report, dated September 1997,

is available from the North Pacific

Fishery Management Council, 605 West

4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK

99501–2252, telephone 907–271–2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Kinsolving, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Groundfish fisheries in the BSAI are

governed by Federal regulations at 50

CFR part 679 that implement the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands area (FMP). The

FMP was prepared by the North Pacific

Fishery Management Council (Council)

and approved by NMFS under the

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act. The

FMP is implemented by regulations at

50 CFR part 679. General regulations

that also pertain to the U.S. fisheries

appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600.

The Council met September 22–29,

1997, to review scientific information

concerning groundfish stocks. The

Council adopted for public review the

preliminary SAFE Report for the 1998

BSAI groundfish fisheries. The

preliminary SAFE Report, dated

September 1997, provides an update on

the status of stocks. Copies of the SAFE

Report are available from the Council

(see ADDRESSEES). The preliminary TAC

amounts for each species are based on

the best available biological and

socioeconomic information. The

Council recommended a preliminary

total TAC of 2,000,000 metric tons (mt)

and a preliminary total acceptable

biological catch (ABC) of 2,440,430 mt

for the 1998 fishing year.

Under § 679.20(c)(1), NMFS is

publishing in the Proposed Rules

section of this issue of the Federal

Register for review and comment

proposed harvest specifications for

groundfish and associated management

measures in the BSAI for the 1998

fishing year. That document contains a

detailed discussion of the proposed

1998 annual TACs, initial TACs (ITACs)

and related apportionments, ABC

amounts and overfishing levels,

prohibited species bycatch allowances,

and associated management measures

for the BSAI groundfish fishery.

This action establishes interim

harvest specifications and

apportionments thereof for the 1998

fishing year effective January 1, 1998,

that will remain in effect until

superseded by the final 1998 harvest

specifications. Background information

concerning the 1998 groundfish harvest

specification process upon which this

interim action is based is provided in

the above mentioned proposed initial

specification document appearing in the

above mentioned 1998 proposed harvest

specifications document appearing in

this Federal Register issue.

Establishment of Interim TACs

Except for the hook-and-line and pot

gear allocation of sablefish, each

species’ TAC initially is reduced by 15

percent to establish the ITAC for each

species (§ 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The sum of

the 15-percent amounts is the reserve.

One half of the pollock TACs placed in

the reserve are designated as a CDQ

reserve for use by CDQ participants

(§ 679.31(a)(1)). The remainder of the

reserve is not designated by species or

species group, and any amount of the

reserve may be reapportioned to a target

species or the ‘‘other species’’ category

during the year, providing that such

reapportionments do not result in

overfishing of a target species or the

‘‘other species’’ category. The ITAC

amount for each species, except for the

hook-and-line and pot gear allocation

for sablefish, is the remainder of the

TAC amount after subtraction of the

reserve.

Section 679.20(c)(2)(ii) requires that

one-fourth of each proposed ITAC

amount and apportionment thereof (not

including the first seasonal allowance of

pollock), one-fourth of each prohibited

species catch (PSC) allowance

established under § 679.21, and the first

seasonal allowance of pollock TAC be

established effective 0001 hours, A.l.t.,

January 1, that will remain in effect

until superseded by the final harvest

specifications.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 65627

Interim 1998 BSAI Groundfish Harvest

Specifications

Table 1 sets forth interim TAC

amounts and apportionments thereof,

interim TAC allocations of pollock to

the inshore and offshore components,

first seasonal allowances of pollock TAC

and pollock CDQ, an interim sablefish

apportionment to trawl gear, and Pacific

cod TAC apportionments to gear types.

Section 679.20(c)(2)(ii) do not provide

for an interim specification either for

sablefish CDQ reserve or for sablefish

managed under the Individual Fishing

Quota management plan. As a result,

fishing for CDQ sablefish and sablefish

harvested with fixed gear is prohibited

until the effective date of the final 1998

groundfish specifications.

TABLE 1. INTERIM 1998 TAC AMOUNTS1 FOR GROUNDFISH AND APPORTIONMENTS THEREOF FOR THE BERING SEA AND

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS MANAGEMENT AREA 2

Species and component (if applicable) Area and Gear (if

applicable)

Interim TAC

and CDQ

Pollock: 3 4 5

Inshore ........................................................................................................................................................ BS ........................... 151,279

Offshore ....................................................................................................................................................... BS ........................... 280,946

Inshore ........................................................................................................................................................ AI ............................. 8,330

Offshore ....................................................................................................................................................... AI ............................. 15,470

Inshore ........................................................................................................................................................ BogDist ................... 298

Offshore ....................................................................................................................................................... BogDist ................... 553

CDQ ............................................................................................................................................................ BS ........................... 38,137

CDQ ............................................................................................................................................................ AI ............................. 2,100

CDQ ............................................................................................................................................................ BogDist ................... 75

Total Pollock ............................................................................................................................................ .............................. 497,187

Pacific Cod 6 ....................................................................................................................................................... Jig ........................... 1,148

H/L & Pot ................ 29,261

TRW catcher ........... 13,483

TRW C/Ps ............... 13,483

Total P cod .............................................................................................................................................. ............................ 57,375

Sablefish 7 8 ........................................................................................................................................................ BS-TRW .................. 117

BS-H/L & Pot .......... N/A

AI-TRW ................... 63

AI-H/L & Pot ............ N/A

Total Sablefish ......................................................................................................................................... ............................ 180

Atka mackerel ..................................................................................................................................................... Western AI .............. 6,842

Central AI ................ 4,143

Eastern AI/BS ......... 3,187

Total Atka mackerel ................................................................................................................................. ............................ 14,172

Yellowfin sole ..................................................................................................................................................... BSAI ........................ 48,875

Rock sole ............................................................................................................................................................ BSAI ........................ 20,651

Greenland turbot ................................................................................................................................................ BS ........................... 1,281

AI ............................. 631

Total Greenland turbot ............................................................................................................................ ............................ 1,912

Arrowtooth flounder ............................................................................................................................................ BSAI ........................ 4,411

Flathead sole ...................................................................................................................................................... BSAI ........................ 9,243

Other flatfish 9 ..................................................................................................................................................... BSAI ........................ 10,784

Pacific ocean perch ............................................................................................................................................ BS ........................... 595

Western AI .............. 1,357

Central AI ................ 673

Eastern AI ............... 688

Total Pacific ocean perch ........................................................................................................................ ............................ 3,313

Other Rockfish 11 ................................................................................................................................................ BS ........................... 79

AI ............................. 151

Total Other Rockfish ................................................................................................................................ ............................ 230

Other red rockfish 10 ........................................................................................................................................... BS ........................... 223

Sharpchin/Northern ............................................................................................................................................ AI ............................. 926

Shortraker/Rougheye ......................................................................................................................................... AI ............................. 199

Squid .................................................................................................................................................................. BSAI ........................ 418

Other Species 12 ................................................................................................................................................. BSAI ........................ 5,482
65628 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

TABLE 1. INTERIM 1998 TAC AMOUNTS1 FOR GROUNDFISH AND APPORTIONMENTS THEREOF FOR THE BERING SEA AND

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS MANAGEMENT AREA 2—Continued

Species and component (if applicable) Area and Gear (if

applicable)

Interim TAC

and CDQ

Total interim TAC .................................................................................................................................... ............................ 675,581

1 Interim TAC amounts are in metric tons and have been rounded downwards to the nearest whole ton.

2Amounts apply to the entire Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Bering Sea (BS), or Aleutian Islands (AI), as indicated. With the exception of pollock, and for purposes of these specifications, the BS includes the Bogoslof District (BogDist). 3After subtraction of reserves, the ITAC amounts of pollock for each subarea or district are divided into roe and non-roe seasonal allowances.

(See § 679.20(a)(5)(i).) For the BS subarea, the roe and non-roe seasonal allowances are 45 and 55 percent of the pollock ITAC amounts, respectively. The AI subarea and the Bogoslof District receive 100 percent of their respective ITAC seasonal allowances during the roe-season

with the remainder of the respective ITAC seasonal allowance during the non-roe season. 4 Inshore and offshore component allocations are 35 and 65 percent of the ITAC amounts, respectively. (See § 679.20(a)(6)(i).) The first seasonal allowance of the inshore/offshore component allocations are in effect on January 1 as an interim TAC. 5One-half of the pollock TAC (7.5 percent of each TAC) placed in the reserve for each subarea or district will be assigned to the Community

Development Quota (CDQ) program. (See § 679.31(a)(1).) For the BS subarea, the roe seasonal allowance is 45 percent of the CDQ pollock reserve. The AI subarea and the Bogoslof District receive 100 percent of their respective CDQ reserve allocations during the roe season with the

remainder of the respective reserve becoming available after the end of the roe season. The first seasonal allowance of the CDQ reserve is

available on January 1 as an interim TAC. 6After subtraction of the reserves, the ITAC amount for Pacific cod, is allocated 2 percent to vessels using jig gear, 51 percent to H/L gear,

and 47 percent to TRW. The Pacific cod allocation to trawl gear is split evenly between catcher vessels and catcher/processor vessels (See

§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)). Pacific cod ITAC seasonal apportionments to vessels using H/L or pot gear are not reflected in the interim TAC amounts. Onefourth of the ITAC gear apportionments are in effect on January 1 as an interim TAC. 7Sablefish gear allocations are as follows: In the BS subarea, TRW gear is allocated 50 percent and H/L and pot gear is allocated 50 percent

of the TAC. In the AI subarea, TRW gear is allocated 25 percent and H/L and pot gear is allocated 75 percent of the TAC (See § 679.20(a)(4)

(iii) and (iv)). Fifteen percent of the sablefish TRW gear allocation is placed in the nonspecific reserve. One-fourth of the ITAC amount for TRW

gear is in effect January 1 as an interim TAC amount. 8The sablefish H/L gear fishery is managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program and subject to regulations contained in subpart

D of 50 CFR part 679. Annual IFQ amounts are based on the final TAC amount specified for the sablefish H/L gear fishery as contained in the

final specifications for groundfish. Twenty percent of the sablefish H/L and pot gear final TAC amount will be reserved for use by CDQ participants. (See § 679.31(c).) Existing regulations at § 679.20(c)(2)(ii) do not provide for an interim specification for the CDQ sablefish reserve or an

interim specification for sablefish managed under the IFQ program. In addition, in accordance with § 679.7(f)(3), retention of sablefish caught with

fixed gear is prohibited unless the harvest is authorized under a valid IFQ permit and IFQ card. In 1998, IFQ permits and IFQ cards will not be

valid prior to the effective date of the 1998 final specifications. Thus, fishing for sablefish with fixed gear is not authorized under these interim

specifications. See subpart D of 50 CFR part 679 and § 679.23(g) for guidance on the annual allocation of IFQ and the sablefish fishing season. 9 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species except for Pacific halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole,

arrowtooth flounder and yellowfin sole. 10 ‘‘Other red rockfish’’ includes shortraker, rougheye, sharpchin, and northern. 11 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, sharpchin, northern, shortraker, and

rougheye. 12 ‘‘Other species’’ includes sculpins, sharks, skates, eulachon, smelts, capelin, and octopus.

Interim Allocation of PSC Limits for

Crab, Halibut, and Herring

Under § 679.21(e), annual PSC limits

are specified for red king crab and

Chionoecetes bairdi Tanner crab in

applicable Bycatch Limitation Zones

(see § 679.2) of the BS subarea, and for

Pacific halibut and Pacific herring

throughout the BSAI.

Section 679.21(e) authorizes the

apportionment of each PSC limit into

PSC allowances for specified fishery

categories. NMFS has approved

Amendment 40 to the FMP that

establishes a C. opilio PSC limit. NMFS

anticipates that regulations

implementing the C. opilio PSC limit

will not be published in the Federal

Register and effective before midDecember 1997. Thus, regulatory

authority does not exist to establish an

interim 1998 PSC limit for this species.

NMFS anticipates that the final 1998

specifications will include a C. opilio

PSC limit apportioned among specific

trawl fisheries.

Section 679.20(c)(2)(ii) requires that

one-fourth of each proposed PSC

allowance be made available on an

interim basis for harvest at the

beginning of the fishing year, until

superseded by the final harvest

specifications. The interim PSC

allowances are specified in Table 2 and

are in effect at 0001 hours, A.l.t.,

January 1, 1998.

TABLE 2.—INTERIM 1998 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL AND NON-TRAWL

FISHERIES.

Trawl fisheries

Prohibited species and zone C. bairdi (animals)

Halibut (mt)

BSAI

Herring (mt)

BSAI

Red King

Crab (animals) Zone

1 1

Zone 1 1 Zone 2 1

Yellowfin sole ............................................................................................ 233 67 2,500 69,079 267,750

Rock sole/oth.flat/flat sole 2 ...................................................................... 199 .................... 18,750 74,013 89,250

Turbot/arrow./sable 3 ................................................................................. 0 .................... .................... .................... 0

Rockfish .................................................................................................... 0 2 .................... .................... 1,750

Pacific cod ................................................................................................ 400 5 1,875 33,306 48,750

Midwater pollock ....................................................................................... .................... 286 .................... .................... ....................

Pollock/Atka/other 4 ................................................................................... 88 36 1,875 11,102 117,500
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 240 / Monday, December 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 65629

TABLE 2.—INTERIM 1998 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL AND NON-TRAWL

FISHERIES.—Continued

Trawl fisheries

Prohibited species and zone C. bairdi (animals)

Halibut (mt)

BSAI

Herring (mt)

BSAI

Red King

Crab (animals) Zone

1 1

Zone 1 1 Zone 2 1

Total Trawl ..................................................................................... 919 395 25,000 187,500 525,000

Non Trawl Fisheries

Pacific Cod ................................................................................................ 210 .................... .................... .................... ....................

Other Non-Trawl ....................................................................................... 15 .................... .................... .................... ....................

Groundfish pot & jig .................................................................................. ( 5) .................... .................... .................... ....................

Sablefish hook & line ................................................................................ ( 5) .................... .................... .................... ....................

Total non-Trawl .............................................................................. 225 .................... .................... .................... ....................

1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas. 2 Rock sole, flathead sole, and other flatfish fishery category.

3Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish fishery category.

4Pollock other than midwater pollock, Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ fishery category.

Prior to the beginning of the 1998

fishing year, NMFS will issue fishery

closures based on these interim

specifications if the Administrator,

Alaska Region, NMFS determines that

interim TAC amounts are required as

incidental catch to support other

anticipated groundfish fisheries or if the

PSC allowance for a fishery has been

reached.

After consideration of public

comments on the proposed 1998

specifications for BSAI groundfish and

additional scientific information

presented at its December 1997 meeting,

the Council may recommend other

closures to directed fishing. NMFS may

implement other closures at the time the

final 1998 harvest specifications are

implemented or during the 1998 fishing

year, as necessary for effective

management.

Classification

This action is authorized under 50

CFR part 679 and is exempt from review

under E.O. 12866.

The Assistant Administrator for

Fisheries finds for good cause under 5

U.S.C. 553(b)(B) that the need to

establish interim harvest specifications

for the fisheries in the BSAI, effective

January 1, 1998, makes it impractical

and contrary to the public interest to

provide prior notice and opportunity for

public comment on this rule. Section

679.20(c)(2) requires NMFS to specify

interim harvest specifications that are

effective on January 1 and that will

remain in effect until superseded by

final specifications established by notice

and comment rulemaking in order for

the BSAI groundfish fishing season to

begin on January 1 (see § 679.23).

Without interim specifications in effect

on January 1, the groundfish fisheries

would not be able to open on January

1, which would result in unnecessary

closures and disruption within the

fishing industry. Because stock

assessment reports and other

information concerning the fisheries in

the BSAI became available only

recently, NMFS is not able to provide an

opportunity for comment on the interim

specifications. It is anticipated that the

interim specifications will be in effect

for only a short period of time before

they are superseded by the final

specifications. Proposed specifications

are published as a proposed rule in this

issue of the Federal Register and

provide the opportunity for public

comment.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et

seq., and 3631 et seq.

Dated: December 9, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–32683 Filed 12–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P