34332 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 121 /Wednesday, June 24, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115,

30117, and 30166; delegation of authority at

49 CFR 1.50.

Issued on: June 18, 1998.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Performance

Standards.

[FR Doc. 98–16824 Filed 6–23–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297–8054–02; I.D.

061898A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical

Area 610

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed

fishing for pollock inStatistical Area 610

in 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 19, 1998, until 1200

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Smoker, 907–486-6919.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the GOAexclusive

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 second seasonal apportionment

of pollock TAC has been changed to 35

percent of the annual TAC (63 FR

31939, June 11, 1998) plus a

proportionate amount of any

unharvested first seasonal

apportionment of TAC or minus a

proportionate amount of TAC harvested

in excess of the first seasonal

apportionment (§ 679.20 (a)(5)(ii)(B)).

This action was taken to limit potential

impacts of pollock fishing on Stellar sea

lions and their critical habitat during

the fall months. The notice of Final

1998 Harvest Specifications (63 FR

12027, March 12, 1998) established a

pollock TAC of 29,790 metric tons (mt)

in Statistical Area 610 for the entire

1998 fishing year and apportioned 7,978

mt of that pollock TAC as the second

seasonal apportionment. The

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS

(Regional Administrator), established a

directed fishing allowance of 7,478 mt

and set aside the remaining 500 mt as

bycatch in support of other anticipated

groundfish fisheries. In accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional

Administrator found that the directed

fishing allowance would soon be

reached and NMFS closed the directed

fishery for pollock in Statistical Area

610 of the GOA on June 3, 1998 (63 FR

30644, June 5, 1998). The fishery was

reopened on June 8, 1998 (63 FR 31938,

June 11, 1998) to fully utilize a revised

second seasonal apportionment equal to

35 percent of the annual of pollock

TAC. The revised second seasonal

apportionment of the pollock TAC in

Statistical Area 610 is now 10,605 mt.

The Regional Administrator is

establishing a directed fishing

allowance of 10,105 mt and setting aside

the remaining 500 mt as bycatch to

support other anticipated groundfish

fisheries. In accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional

Administrator has determined that the

second seasonal apportionment of

pollock TAC in Statistical Area 610 will

be reached. In accordance with

§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional

Administrator finds that the directed

fishing allowance has been reached.

Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting

directed fishing for pollock in Statistical

Area 610 until 1200 hrs, A.l.t.,

September 1, 1998.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

for applicable gear types may 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. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the second seasonal

apportionment of pollock TAC in

Statistical Area 610 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 19, 1998.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–16833 Filed 6–19–98; 4:51 pm]

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