Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 13, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 31849

(iv) Nontrawl gear. Subject to other

provisions of this part, directed fishing

for Pacific cod with non-trawl gear is

authorized as follows:

(A) Vessels using jig gear and vessels

less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA using pot

or hook-and-line gear. From 0001 hours

A.l.t., January 1, through 2400 hours,

A.l.t., July 17.

(B) Vessels equal to or greater than 60

ft (18.3 m) and using pot or hook-andline gear. Directed fishing is prohibited.

[FR Doc. 01–14894 Filed 6–8–01; 4:20 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.

060801A]

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic

Zone Off Alaska; Yellowfin Sole by

Vessels Using Trawl Gear in Bering

Sea and Aleutian Islands Management

Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing directed

fishing for yellowfin sole by vessels

using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI). This action is necessary to

prevent exceeding the third seasonal

apportionment of the 2001 Pacific

halibut bycatch allowance specified for

the trawl yellowfin sole fishery

category.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), June 11, 2001, until 1200

hrs, A.l.t., July 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS

manages the groundfish fishery in the

BSAI exclusive economic zone

according to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

(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 third seasonal apportionment of

the 2001 halibut bycatch allowance

specified for the BSAI trawl yellowfin

sole fishery category, which is defined

at § 679.21 (e)(3)(iv)(B)(1), is 49 metric

tons (66 FR 7276, January 22, 2001).

In accordance with § 679.21 (e)(7)(v),

the Administrator, Alaska Region,

NMFS (Regional Administrator), has

determined that the third seasonal

apportionment of the 2001 halibut

bycatch allowance specified for the

trawl yellowfin sole fishery in the BSAI

has been caught. Consequently, the

Regional Administrator is closing

directed fishing for yellowfin sole by

vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI.

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 avoid

exceeding the halibut bycatch allowance

for the yellowfin sole fishery category

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 avoid exceeding the halibut

bycatch allowance for the yellowfin sole

fishery category 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 50 CFR

679.21 and is exempt from review under

Executive Order 12866.

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

Dated: June 8, 2001.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 01–14892 Filed 6–8–01; 4:20 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S