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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8406-8407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4589]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 021997A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Offshore 
Component Pollock in the Bering Sea Subarea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by vessels 
catching pollock for processing by the offshore component in the Bering 
Sea subarea (BS) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area 
(BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the first 
seasonal allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) 
apportioned to vessels harvesting pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in the BS.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 20 1997, 
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., April 15, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Ham, 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 part 600 and 
CFR part 679.

[[Page 8407]]

    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii), the first seasonal 
allowance of pollock for vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
offshore component in the BS was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish. The Final 1997 Specifications were 
published in the Federal Register on February 18, 1997 (62 FR 7168).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the first 
allowance of pollock TAC for vessels catching pollock for processing by 
the offshore component in the BS soon will be reached. Therefore, the 
Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of 
278,736 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 27,000 mt as bycatch to 
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. In accordance with 
Sec. 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 by vessels catching pollock 
for processing by the offshore component in the BS. This closure is 
effective from February 20, 1997, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., April 15, 
1997. Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i), the second seasonal allowance of 
pollock TAC will become available for directed fishing at 1200 hrs, 
A.l.t., September 1. Maximum retainable bycatch amounts for applicable 
gear types may be found in the regulations at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

    This action is required by Sec. 679.20, and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: February 19, 1997.
Gary Matlock
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-4589 Filed 2-20-97; 2:27 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
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