[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 150 (Wednesday, August 5, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 41782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20888]



[[Page 41782]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 072898A]
RIN 0648-AL22 


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Western 
Alaska Community Development Quota Program

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability, request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted Amendment 45 to the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP) 
for Secretarial review. This amendment would reauthorize the allocation 
of pollock to the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) 
Program and would reorganize the FMP so that all text addressing the 
CDQ Program is in a single section. This action is necessary to further 
the objectives of the FMP. Comments from the public are requested.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 45 must be submitted by October 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the FMP amendment should be submitted to Sue 
Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: 
Lori Gravel, or delivered to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street, 
Juneau, AK. Copies of Amendment 45, the environmental assessment and 
the regulatory impact review prepared for the proposed action are 
available from NMFS, at the above address, or by calling the Alaska 
Region, NMFS at 907-586-7228.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally Bibb, NMFS, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that each Regional 
Fishery Management Council submit any fishery management plan amendment 
it prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial 
approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, after 
receiving a fishery management plan or amendment, immediately publish a 
document in the Federal Register that the fishery management plan or 
amendment is available for public review and comment. This action 
constitutes such notice for Amendment 45 to the FMP.
    Amendment 45 was adopted by the Council at its June 1998 meeting. 
If approved by NMFS, this amendment would allocate 7.5 percent of the 
total allowable catch of pollock in the BSAI to the CDQ Program. This 
action is necessary to continue the annual allocation of pollock to the 
CDQ program that was initially approved by NMFS in 1992.
    NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment 
period in determining whether to approve the proposed amendment. A 
proposed rule to implement Amendment 45 has been submitted for 
Secretarial review and approval. The proposed rule to implement this 
amendment is scheduled to be published within 15 days of this document.

    Dated: July 30, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-20888 Filed 8-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F