Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 147 / Friday, July 31, 1998 /Rules and Regulations 40839

section pertaining to removal of

identification from equipment.

[FR Doc. 98–20519 Filed 7–30–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297–8054–02; I.D.

072498D]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; ‘‘Other Rockfish’’ in

the Western Regulatory Area of the

Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention

of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Western

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA). NMFS is requiring that catch of

‘‘other rockfish’’ in this area be treated

in the same manner as prohibited

species and discarded at sea with a

minimum of injury. This action is

necessary because the amount of the

‘‘other rockfish’’ 1998 total allowable

catch (TAC) in this area has been

reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), July 27, 1998, until 2400

hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS

manages the groundfish fishery in the

GOA exclusive economic zone

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Groundfish Fishery 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.

Regulations governing fishing by U.S.

vessels in accordance with the FMP

appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600

and 50 CFR part 679.

In accordance with § 679.20(c)(3)(ii),

the Final 1998 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish for the GOA (63 FR 12027,

March 12, 1998) established the amount

of the 1998 ‘‘other rockfish’’ TAC in the

Western Regulatory Area of the GOA as

20 metric tons (mt).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined that the amount of the

‘‘other rockfish’’ TAC in the Western

Regulatory Area of the GOA has been

reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring

that further catches of ‘‘other rockfish’’

in the Western Regulatory Area of the

GOA be treated as prohibited species in

accordance with § 679.21(b).

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the amount of the ‘‘other

rockfish’’ TAC in the Western

Regulatory Area of the GOA. A delay in

the effective date is impracticable and

contrary to the public interest. The fleet

has taken the amount of the ‘‘other

rockfish’’ TAC in the Western

Regulatory Area. Further delay would

only result in overharvest. NMFS finds

for good cause that the implementation

of this action cannot 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: July 27, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–20445 Filed 7–27–98; 4:53 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297–8054–02; I.D.

072498F]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

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.

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 third seasonal bycatch allowance of

Pacific halibut apportioned to the deepwater species fishery in the GOA has

been caught.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), July 28, 1998, until 1200

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228.

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 prohibited species bycatch

mortality allowance of Pacific halibut

for the GOA trawl deep-water species

fishery, which is defined at

§ 679.21(d)(3)(iii)(B), was established by

the Final 1998 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish for the GOA (63 FR 12027,

March 12, 1998) for the third season, the

period July 1, 1998 through September

30, 1998, as 400 mt.

In accordance with § 679.21(d)(7)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the third seasonal

apportionment of the 1998 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 rockfish, deep water flatfish, Rex

sole, arrowtooth flounder, and sablefish.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

may be found in the regulations at

§ 679.20(e) and (f).

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately in order to

prevent overharvesting the third

seasonal apportionment of the 1998

Pacific halibut bycatch mortality

allowance specified for the trawl deepwater species fishery in the GOA. A

delay in the effective date is

impracticable and contrary to the public

interest. The third seasonal bycatch

allowance of Pacific halibut apportioned

to the deep-water species fishery in the

GOA has been caught. Further delay

would only result in overharvest. NMFS

finds for good cause that the

implementation of this action can not be

delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under
40840 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 147 / Friday, July 31, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

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

date is hereby waived.

This action is required by § 679.21

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

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

Dated: July 24, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–20444 Filed 7–27–98; 4:53 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297–8054–02; I.D.

072498G]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish by Vessels

Using Trawl Gear 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.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention

of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear

in the Central Regulatory Area of the

Gulf of Alaska (GOA). NMFS is

requiring that catch of sablefish by

vessels using trawl gear in this area be

treated in the same manner as

prohibited species and discarded at sea

with a minimum of injury. This action

is necessary because the allocation of

the sablefish 1998 total allowable catch

(TAC) assigned to trawl gear in this area

has been reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), July 28, 1998, until 2400

hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS

manages the groundfish fishery in the

GOA exclusive economic zone

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Groundfish Fishery 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.

Regulations governing fishing by U.S.

vessels in accordance with the FMP

appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600

and 50 CFR part 679.

In accordance with

§ 679.20(a)(4)(ii)(B), the Final 1998

Harvest Specifications of Groundfish for

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

established the allocation of the 1998

sablefish TAC assigned to trawl gear in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

as 1,264 metric tons (mt).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined that the allocation of the

sablefish TAC assigned to trawl gear in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

has been reached. Therefore, NMFS is

requiring that further catches of

sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

be treated as prohibited species in

accordance with § 679.21(b).

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the allocation of the

sablefish TAC assigned to trawl gear in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

A delay in the effective date is

impracticable and contrary to the public

interest. The fleet has taken the

allocation of the sablefish TAC assigned

to trawl gear in the Central Regulatory

Area. Further delay would only result in

overharvest. NMFS finds for good cause

that the implementation of this action

cannot 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: July 24, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–20443 Filed 7–27–98; 4:53 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 971208297–8054–02; I.D.

072498E]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch

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.

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention

of Pacific ocean perch in the Central

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA). NMFS is requiring that catch of

Pacific ocean perch in this area be

treated in the same manner as

prohibited species and discarded at sea

with a minimum of injury. This action

is necessary because the amount of the

Pacific ocean perch 1998 total allowable

catch (TAC) in this area has been

reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), July 27, 1998, until 2400

hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS

manages the groundfish fishery in the

GOA exclusive economic zone

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Groundfish Fishery 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.

Regulations governing fishing by U.S.

vessels in accordance with the FMP

appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600

and 50 CFR part 679.

In accordance with § 679.20(c)(3)(ii),

the Final 1998 Harvest Specifications of

Groundfish for the GOA (63 FR 12027,

March 12, 1998) established the amount

of the 1998 Pacific ocean perch TAC in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

as 6,600 metric tons (mt).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined that the amount of the

Pacific ocean perch TAC in the Central

Regulatory Area of the GOA has been

reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring

that further catches of Pacific ocean

perch in the Central Regulatory Area of

the GOA be treated as prohibited

species in accordance with § 679.21(b).

Classification

This action responds to the best

available information recently obtained

from the fishery. It must be

implemented immediately to prevent

overharvesting the amount of the Pacific

ocean perch TAC in the Central

Regulatory Area of the GOA. A delay in

the effective date is impracticable and

contrary to the public interest. The fleet

has taken the amount of the Pacific

ocean perch TAC in the Central

Regulatory Area. Further delay would

only result in overharvest. NMFS finds