[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 18542-18543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9853]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961107312-7021-02; I.D. 041097E]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Species in 
the Rock Sole/Flathead Sole/``Other Flatfish'' Fishery Category by 
Vessels Using Trawl Gear in Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

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 species in the rock sole/
flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category by
    vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding 
the second seasonal apportionment of the 1997 Pacific halibut bycatch 
allowance specified for the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/``other 
flatfish'' fishery category.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 12, 1997, 
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., July 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 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

[[Page 18543]]

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 second seasonal apportionment of the 1997 halibut bycatch 
allowance specified for the BSAI trawl rock sole/flathead sole/``other 
flatfish'' fishery category, which is defined at 
Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(B)(2), was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish for the BSAI (62 FR 7168, February 18, 
1997) as 130 mt.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7)(iv), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS, has determined that the second seasonal apportionment of 
the 1997 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl rock sole/
flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery in the BSAI has been caught. 
Consequently, NMFS is closing directed fishing for species in the rock 
sole/flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category by vessels using 
trawl gear in the BSAI for the remainder of the season.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations 
at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR 679.21 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: April 11, 1997.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-9853 Filed 4-11-97; 4:34 pm]
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