Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 13351

Assuming a discard rate of 14.7 percent,

the estimate of dead discards should be

revised from 195.2 mt to 341.6 mt, or an

increase of 146.4 mt.

The total reduction in the 1996

fishing year landings quota for the

longline fishery is 168.3 mt plus 146.4

mt, or 314.7 mt. This leaves a total

directed landing quota of 749.7 mt for

the Atlantic swordfish fishery.

Closure of the Fishery

The landings of swordfish in the

longline fishery in the second

semiannual season reached 610 mt by

March 1, 1997, leaving 139.7 mt in the

landings quota. Additional quota

remaining for the second half includes

90 mt from the bridge period quota

(January 1–May 31, 1996) and 96 mt

from the bycatch quota for 1996. Thus,

the total quota remaining as of March 1,

1997, is 325.7 mt (139.7 + 90 + 96 mt).

In 1996, landings of swordfish by

longliners reached 213 mt in March. If

the same rate occurs in March of 1997,

this would leave 113 mt for both April

and May.

During a two month closure of the

directed fishery in 1995, with a bycatch

limit of 15 fish per trip for November

and 6 fish per trip in December, the

bycatch of swordfish was estimated to

be 64 mt. Under a bycatch limit of 5 fish

per trip during the proposed closure,

NMFS estimates that 50 mt could be

landed during the two month closure,

leaving 63 mt available for the directed

fishery during April. At the rate of

landings which occurred during April

1996 (43 mt per week), 63 mt would

allow 11 days of directed fishing prior

to the closure. Thus, NMFS estimates

that the directed quota for swordfish

will be taken on or before April 12,

1997.

Therefore, NMFS announces that the

directed fishery for swordfish is closed

at 12 noon on April 12, 1997. All vessels

must be in port with their swordfish

offloaded on or before this closing date.

This notice provides more than a four

week period during which swordfish

vessel owners can plan their fishing and

sale of landings prior to the closure

deadline. During the closure of the

directed fishery, a person may not fish

for swordfish from the North Atlantic

stock, and no more than 5 swordfish per

vessel per trip may be possessed or

landed incidental to longline fishing for

other species. As previously stated, no

harpoon fishery set-aside has been

established for this semi-annual period.

Therefore, a person fishing aboard a

vessel using or having aboard harpoon

gear may not fish for swordfish from the

North Atlantic swordfish stock, and no

swordfish may be possessed in the

North Atlantic Ocean, including the

Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, north

of 5° N. latitude, or landed in an

Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, or Caribbean

state.

Classification

This action is required by 50 CFR

630.24(d) and is exempt from review

under E.O. 12866.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.

Dated: March 14, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–6979 Filed 3–14–97; 4:49 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 031497A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Season Opening

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of fishing season dates.

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening the directed

fishery for sablefish with fixed gear

managed under the Individual Fishing

Quota (IFQ) program. The season will

open on 12:00 noon, Alaska local time

(A.l.t.), March 15, 1997, and will close

12:00 noon, A.l.t., November 15, 1997.

This period runs concurrently with the

IFQ season for Pacific halibut

announced by the International Pacific

Halibut Commission (IPHC).

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 15, 1997, 12:00

noon, A.l.t., through November 15,

1997, 12:00 noon, A.l.t.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

Lepore, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning

in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut

(Hippoglossus stenolepis) and sablefish

(Anoplopoma fimbria) with fixed gear

in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in 50

CFR 679.2 has been managed under the

IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a

regulatory regime designed to promote

the conservation and management of

these fisheries and to further the

objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management

Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut

Act. Persons holding quota share receive

an annual allocation of IFQ. Persons

receiving an annual allocation of IFQ

are authorized to harvest IFQ species

within specified limitations. Further

information on the implementation of

the IFQ Program, and the rationale

supporting it, is contained in the

preamble to the final rule implementing

the IFQ Program published in the

Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58

FR 59375) and subsequent amendments.

This announcement is consistent with

50 CFR 679.23(g)(1), which requires that

directed fishing for sablefish managed

under the IFQ program be specified by

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), and

announced by publication in the

Federal Register. This method of season

announcement was selected to facilitate

coordination between the sablefish

season, chosen by the Regional

Administrator, and the halibut season,

chosen by the IPHC. The directed

fishing season for sablefish with fixed

gear managed under the IFQ program

will open on 12:00 noon, A.l.t., March

15, 1997, and will close 12:00 noon,

A.l.t., November 15, 1997. This period

runs concurrently with the IFQ season

for Pacific halibut announced by the

IPHC. The IFQ halibut season was

announced by publication in the

Federal Register, March 18, 1997.

Classification

This action is taken under

§ 679.23(g)(1) and is exempt from

review under E.O. 12866.

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

et seq.

Dated: March 14, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–6965 Filed 3–14–97; 4:34 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312–7012–02; I.D.

031297A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Offshore Component

Pollock in the Aleutian Islands Subarea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed

fishing for pollock by vessels catching

pollock for processing by the offshore

component in the Aleutian Islands

subarea (AI) of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI). This action is necessary to fully

utilize the total allowable catch (TAC) of

pollock in that area.
13352 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), March 12, 1997, until 1200

hrs, A.l.t., March 14, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patty Britza, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive

economic zone is managed by NMFS

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for Groundfish 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 50

CFR part 679.

In accordance with § 679.20(c)(3)(iii),

the allowance for the pollock TAC

apportioned for vessels catching pollock

for processing by the offshore

component in the AI was established by

the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications

for Groundfish (62 FR 7168, February

18, 1997) as 16,835 metric tons (mt).

The Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

established a directed fishing allowance

of 14,835 mt, and set aside the

remaining 2,000 mt as bycatch to

support other anticipated groundfish

fisheries. The fishery for pollock by

vessels catching pollock for processing

by the offshore component in the AI of

the BSAI was closed to directed fishing

under § 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on February 27,

1997, in order to reserve amounts

anticipated to be needed for incidental

catch in other fisheries (62 FR 9379,

March 3, 1997).

NMFS has determined that as of

March 10, 1997, 5,257 mt remain in the

directed fishing allowance. Therefore,

NMFS is terminating the previous

closure and is opening directed fishing

for pollock by vessels catching pollock

for processing by the offshore

component in the AI of the BSAI

effective 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 12,

1997.

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

the Regional Administrator finds that

this directed fishing allowance will

soon be reached. Current information

shows the catching capacity of vessels

catching pollock for processing by the

offshore component is in excess of 2,200

mt per day.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing

for pollock by vessels catching pollock

for processing by the offshore

component in the AI of the BSAI at 1200

hrs, A.l.t., March 14, 1997.

All other closures remain in full force

and effect.

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: March 13, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–6966 Filed 3–14–97; 4:34 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312–7021–02; I.D.

031497C]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the

Central Aleutian District 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 Central

Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI). This action is necessary to

prevent exceeding the 1997 total

allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel

in this area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), March 15, 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 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 50

CFR part 679.

In accordance with § 679.20(c)(3)(iii),

the TAC of Atka mackerel for the

Central Aleutian District was

established by the Final 1997 Harvest

Specifications of Groundfish for the

BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18, 1997) as

19,500 metric tons (mt).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the TAC for Atka

mackerel specified for the Central

Aleutian District will soon be reached.

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is

establishing a directed fishing

allowance of 18,500 mt and is setting

aside the remaining 1,000 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 Atka mackerel in the

Central Aleutian District.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

may be found in the regulations at

§ 679.20(e) and (f).

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: March 14, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–7028 Filed 3–17–97; 2:51 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334–7025–02; I.D.

031497D]

Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive

Zone Off Alaska; Deep-Water Species

Fishery by Vessels Using Trawl Gear in

the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed

fishing for species that comprise the

deep-water species fishery by vessels

using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA). This action is necessary because

the first seasonal bycatch allowance of

Pacific halibut apportioned to the deepwater species fishery in the GOA has

been caught.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), March 15, 1997, until 1200

hrs, A.l.t., April 1, 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