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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 18725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9961]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 961126334-7025-02; I.D. 041497A]

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.

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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 second seasonal 
bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut apportioned to the deep-water 
species fishery in the GOA has been caught.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 14, 1997, 
until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., July 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 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 prohibited species bycatch mortality allowance of Pacific 
halibut for the GOA trawl deep-water species fishery, which is defined 
at Sec. 679.21(d)(3)(iii)(B), was established by the Final 1997 Harvest 
Specifications of Groundfish for the GOA (62 FR 8179, February 24, 
1997) for the second season, the period April 1, 1997, through June 30, 
1997, as 300 mt.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.21(d)(7)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS, has determined that the second seasonal apportionment of 
the 1997 Pacific halibut bycatch mortality allowance specified for the 
trawl deep-water species fishery in the GOA has been caught. 
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the deep-water 
species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the GOA. The species and 
species groups that comprise the deep-water species fishery are: all 
rockfish of the genera Sebastes and Sebastolobus, Greenland turbot, 
Dover sole, Rex sole, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish.
    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 14, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-9961 Filed 4-14-97; 3:29 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
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