[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11770-11771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6457]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334-7012-02; I.D. 031097A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska, Pacific Cod 
in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels 
catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the 
Central Regulatory Area in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is 
necessary to prevent exceeding the allocation of Pacific cod for 
processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area.


[[Page 11771]]


EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 11, 1997, 
until 2400 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 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.
    The final specification of the allocation of Pacific cod for 
processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of 
the GOA was established by the Final 1997 Harvest Specifications of 
Groundfish for the GOA (62 FR 8179, February 24, 1997) as 31,457 metric 
tons (mt), determined in accordance with Sec. 679.20(a)(6)(iii).
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 
allocation for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for 
processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area will 
soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing 
a directed fishing allowance of 26,457 mt, and is setting aside the 
remaining 5,000 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 Pacific 
cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore 
component in the Central Regulatory Area.
    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 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: March 10, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-6457 Filed 3-11-97; 9:45 am]
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