[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 30, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29241-29242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13517]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 010112013-1013-01; I.D. 052301F]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod 
by the Offshore Component in the Western Regulatory Area in the Gulf of 
Alaska

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by the 
offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 
(GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the Pacific cod A 
season allowance specified for the offshore component in the Western 
Regulatory Area.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), May 24, 2001, 
until 2400 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 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.
    The 2001 A season Pacific cod TAC apportioned to vessels catching 
Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Western 
Regulatory Area of the GOA is 1,098 metric tons

[[Page 29242]]

(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). The fishery by vessels catching Pacific 
cod for processing by the offshore component in the Western Regulatory 
Area was closed under Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i) on April 26, 2001 (66 FR 
21691, May 1, 2001) and reopened on May 18, 2001 (66 FR 28132, May 22, 
2001).
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2001 A 
season Pacific cod TAC apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for 
processing by the offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of 
the GOA will soon be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is 
establishing a directed fishing allowance of 1,088 mt, and is setting 
aside the remaining 10 mt as bycatch to support other anticipated 
groundfish fisheries. In accordance with Sec.  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 
the Pacific cod TAC apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for 
processing by the offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of 
the GOA.
    Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations 
at Sec.  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 Pacific cod A season allowance specified for the 
offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of 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 Pacific cod A season allowance in the Western Regulatory 
Area of 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 Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: May 24, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service
[FR Doc. 01-13517 Filed 5-24-01; 3:13 pm]
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