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