29512 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 105 / Thursday, May 31, 2001 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 010112013–1013-01; I.D.

052501F]

Fisheries of the Economic Exclusive

Zone Off Alaska; Shallow-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

shallow-water species fishery by vessels

using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA), except for vessels fishing for

pollock using pelagic trawl gear in those

portions of the GOA open to directed

fishing for pollock. This action is

necessary because the second seasonal

apportionment of the 2001 halibut

bycatch allowance specified for the

trawl shallow-water species fishery in

the GOA has been caught.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), May 26, 2001, until 1200

hrs, A.l.t., June 10, 2001.

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 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. 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.

The Pacific halibut bycatch allowance

for the GOA trawl shallow-water species

fishery, which is defined at §

679.21(d)(3)(iii)(A), was established by

the Final 2001 Harvest Specifications

and Associated Management Measures

for the Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska

(66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001) for the

second season, the period April 1, 2001,

through June 10, 2001, as 100 metric

tons. The GOA trawl shallow-water

species fishery was closed under §

679.20(d)(7)(i) on March 27, 2001 (66 FR

21886, May 2, 2001) and reopened on

May 21, 2001 (66 FR 28679, May 24,

2001).

In accordance with § 679.21(d)(7)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS, has determined that the second

seasonal apportionment of the 2001

Pacific halibut bycatch allowance

specified for the trawl shallow-water

species fishery in the GOA has been

caught. Consequently, NMFS is

prohibiting directed fishing for species

included in the shallow-water species

fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the

GOA, except for vessels fishing for

pollock using pelagic trawl gear in those

portions of the GOA open to directed

fishing for pollock. The species and

species groups that comprise the

shallow-water species fishery are:

Pollock, Pacific cod, shallow-water

flatfish, flathead sole, Atka mackerel,

and ‘‘other species’’.

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. The Assistant

Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,

finds that the need to immediately

implement this action to prevent

exceeding the second seasonal

apportionment of the 2001 Pacific

halibut bycatch allowance specified for

the trawl shallow-water species fishery

in the GOA constitutes good cause to

waive the requirement to provide prior

notice opportunity for public comment

pursuant to the authority set forth at 5

U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 50 CFR

679.20(b)(3)(iii)(A), as such procedures

would be unnecessary and contrary to

the public interest. Similarly, the need

to implement these measures in a timely

fashion to prevent exceeding the second

seasonal apportionment of the 2001

Pacific halibut bycatch allowance

specified for the trawl shallow-water

species fishery in the GOA constitutes

good cause to find that the effective date

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 § 679.21

and is exempt from review under

Executive Order 12866.

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

Dated: May 25, 2001.

Richard W. Surdi.

Acting Office Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–13660 Filed 5–25–01; 3:33 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 010112013–1013–01; I.D.

052501B]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by

Vessels Catching Pacific Cod for

Processing by the Offshore

Component 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 directed

fishing for Pacific cod by vessels

catching Pacific cod for processing by

the offshore component in the Central

Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA). This action is necessary to

prevent exceeding the A season amount

of the Pacific cod total allowable catch

(TAC) apportioned to vessels catching

Pacific cod for processing by the

offshore component of the Central

Regulatory Area of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), May 25, 2001, until 1200

hrs, A.l.t., June 10, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Smoker, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS

manages the groundfish fishery in the

GOA exclusive economic zone

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. 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.

The 2001 A season Pacific cod TAC

apportioned to vessels catching Pacific

cod for processing by the offshore

component in the Central Regulatory

Area is 1,815 metric tons (mt) as

established by the Final 2001 Harvest

Specifications and Associated

Management Measures for the

Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska (66 FR

7276, January 22, 2001).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the A season amount of

the Pacific cod TAC apportioned to

vessels catching Pacific cod for

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 105 / Thursday, May 31, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 29513

processing by the offshore component of

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA

will be reached. Therefore, the Regional

Administrator is establishing a directed

fishing allowance of 1,565 mt, and is

setting aside the remaining 250 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 Pacific cod by

vessels catching Pacific cod for

processing by the offshore component in

the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

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. The Assistant

Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,

finds that the need to immediately

implement this action to prevent

exceeding the amount of the 2001 A

season Pacific cod TAC specified for the

offshore component constitutes good

cause to waive the requirement to

provide prior notice and opportunity for

public comment pursuant to the

authority set forth at 5 U.S.C.

553(b)(3)(B) and 50 CFR

679.20(b)(3)(iii)(A), as such procedures

would be unnecessary and contrary to

the public interest. Similarly, the need

to implement these measures in a timely

fashion to prevent exceeding the 2001 A

season Pacific cod TAC specified for the

offshore component in the Central

Regulatory Area constitutes good cause

to find that the effective date 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: May 25, 2001.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–13659 Filed 5–25–01; 3:33 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S