Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 115 /Tuesday, June 16, 1998 /Rules and Regulations 32765

all parties agreed to use a conservative

approach. This conservative approach

concluded that adding another day of

fishing to capture the estimated 200 to

300 chinook salmon remaining in the

quota was not warranted because of the

potential for fishing above the 6,500

quota. Therefore, the fishery was closed

at midnight, May 12.

After the closure, the updated catch

and effort data and projections were reanalyzed, and the estimated number of

chinook salmon caught was 5,600, with

900 chinook salmon left in the season’s

quota. The higher number of chinook

salmon left in the quota was due to

harsh weather conditions on May 11

and 12, which limited the catch of fish.

Therefore, the 900 chinook salmon left

in the quota allowed for the season to

reopen on May 20 through May 23, with

each vessel allowed to possess, land,

and deliver no more than 75 salmon for

the open period.

After the first reopening, the updated

catch and effort data and projections

were re-analyzed, and the estimated

number of chinook salmon caught was

5,940, with 560 chinook salmon left in

the season’s quota. The higher number

of chinook salmon left in the quota was

due to harsh weather conditions on May

20 through May 23, which limited the

catch of fish. Therefore, the 560 chinook

salmon left in the quota allowed for the

season to reopen on June 2 through June

4, with each vessel allowed to possess,

land, and deliver no more than 50

salmon for the open period.

Reopenings of the fishery are

authorized by 50 CFR 660.409(a)(2). The

Regional Administrator consulted with

representatives of the Pacific Fishery

Management Council, the Washington

Department of Fish and Wildlife, and

the Oregon Department of Fish and

Wildlife to ensure that these actions are

consistent with Council policy and state

regulations. The States of Washington

and Oregon manage the commercial

fishery in state waters adjacent to this

area of the exclusive economic zone in

accordance with this Federal action. As

provided by the inseason notice

procedures of 50 CFR 660.411, actual

notice to fishermen of these actions was

given prior to 2400 hours local time,

May 12, 1998, for the initial closure;

prior to 0001 hours local time, May 20,

1998, for the first reopening; and prior

to 0001 hours local time, June 2, 1998,

for the second reopening by telephone

hotline number 206–526–6667 and 800–

662–9825 and by U.S. Coast Guard

Notice to Mariners broadcasts on

Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz.

Because of the need for immediate

action to manage the fishery to achieve

but not exceed the quota, NMFS has

determined that good cause exists for

this notice to be issued without

affording a prior opportunity for public

comment. This notice does not apply to

other fisheries that may be operating in

other areas.

Classification

This action is authorized by 50 CFR

660.409 and 660.411 and is exempt from

review under E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: June 9, 1998.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15995 Filed 6–15–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297–8054–02; I.D.

061198A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical

Area 630

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed

fishing for pollock in Statistical Area

630 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This

action is necessary to prevent exceeding

the second seasonal apportionment of

pollock total allowable catch (TAC) in

this area.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), June 12, 1998, until 1200

hrs, A.l.t., September 1, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom

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

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 pollock TAC in Statistical Area

630 was established by the Final 1998

Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for

the GOA (63 FR 12027, March 12, 1998)

as 39,315 metric tons (mt) for the entire

1998 fishing year. In accordance with

§ 679.20 (a)(5)(ii)(B), the second

seasonal apportionment of pollock TAC

in Statistical Area 630 is 14,040 mt.

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the second seasonal

apportionment of pollock TAC in

Statistical Area 630 will be reached.

Therefore, the Regional Administrator is

establishing a directed fishing

allowance of 13,540 mt and is setting

aside the remaining 500 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 pollock in Statistical

Area 630 of the GOA.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

can be found in the regulations at

§ 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

This action responds to the second

seasonal TAC limitations and other

restrictions on the fisheries established

in the Final 1998 Harvest Specifications

for Groundfish for the GOA as amended

(63 FR 12027, March 12, 1998). It must

be implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the second seasonal

apportionment of pollock TAC in

Statistical Area 630 of the GOA. A delay

in the effective date is impracticable and

contrary to the public interest. Further

delay would only result in overharvest.

NMFS finds for good cause that the

implementation of this action should

not be delayed for 30 days. Accordingly,

under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the

effective date is hereby waived.

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: June 11, 1998.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15996 Filed 6–11–98; 4:06 pm]

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