24730 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 96 / Thursday, May 16, 1996 / Rules and Regulations

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

bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut

apportioned to the shallow-water

species fishery in the GOA has been

caught.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), May 13, 1996, until 12

noon, A.l.t., July 1, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas Pearson, 907–486-6919.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive

economic zone is managed by NMFS

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

Fishery Conservation and Management

Act. Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed

by regulations implementing the FMP at

50 CFR parts 620 and 672.

In accordance with § 672.20(f)(1)(i)

the shallow-water species fishery,

which is defined at § 672.20(f)(1)(i)(B)(1)

was apportioned 100 mt of Pacific

halibut prohibited species catch for the

second season, the period April 1, 1996,

through June 30, 1996 (61 FR 4304,

February 5, 1996).

The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined, in accordance with

§ 672.20(f)(3)(i), that vessels

participating in the trawl shallow-water

species fishery in the GOA have caught

the first seasonal bycatch allowance of

Pacific halibut apportioned to that

fishery. Therefore, NMFS is prohibiting

directed fishing for each species and

species group that comprise 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.’’

After the effective date of this closure

the maximum retainable bycatch

amounts, calculated using the retainable

percentages at § 672.20(g), apply at any

time during a trip.

Classification

This action is taken under 50 CFR

672.20 and is exempt from review under

E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: May 13, 1996.

Donald J. Leedy,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries

Conservation and Management, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96–12338 Filed 5–13–96; 3:38 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019–6019–01, I.D.

051396A]

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands Area; Pacific Cod by

Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Bering

Sea and Aleutian Islands Management

Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration,

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed

fishery for Pacific cod by vessels using

trawl gear in the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI). This action is necessary to

prevent exceeding the first seasonal

bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut

apportioned to the trawl Pacific cod

fishery in the BSAI.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), May 14, 1996, until 12

noon, A.l.t., October 25, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907–586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive

economic zone is managed by NMFS

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 Fishery

Conservation and Management Act.

Fishing by U.S. vessels is governed by

regulations implementing the FMP at 50

CFR parts 620 and 675.

The first seasonal bycatch allowance

of Pacific halibut for the BSAI trawl

Pacific cod fishery category, which is

defined at § 675.21(b)(1)(iii)(E), was

established by the Final 1996 Harvest

Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR

4311, February 5, 1996) as 1,585 metric

tons.

The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS,

has determined, in accordance with

§ 675.21(c)(1)(iii), that the first seasonal

bycatch allowance of Pacific halibut

apportioned to the trawl Pacific cod

fishery in the BSAI has been caught.

Therefore, NMFS is prohibiting directed

fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using

trawl gear in the BSAI.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts

for applicable gear types may be found

in the regulations at § 675.20(h).

Classification

This action is taken under 50 CFR

675.21 and is exempt from review under

E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: May 13, 1996.

Donald J. Leedy,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries

Conservation and Management, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96–12339 Filed 5–13–96; 3:38 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F