Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 4, 1996 / Rules and Regulations 28071

Statistical Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska

(GOA). This adjustment closes the

fishery 12 hours after its scheduled

opening at noon, A.l.t. June 1, 1996, and

is necessary to allow the harvest of the

total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in

Statistical Area 620.

DATES: Fishery will be closed midnight,

A.l.t., June 1, 1996, until 12 noon, A.l.t.,

July 1, 1996. Comments must be

received at the following address no

later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., June 14,

1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to

Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries

Management Division, Alaska Region,

NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK

99802, Attn: Lori Gravel, or be delivered

to the fourth floor of the Federal

Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau,

AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael L. Sloan, 907–581–2062.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive

economic zone is managed by the 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 (Magnuson Act). Fishing by U.S.

vessels is governed by regulations

implementing the FMP at 50 CFR parts

620 and 672.

As of May 11, 1996, 2,891 metric tons

(mt) of pollock remain in the second

quarterly allowance of the inshore

allocation of Statistical Area 620 of the

GOA pollock TAC. In accordance with

§ 672.23(e), directed fishing for pollock

in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA is

scheduled from 12 noon, A.l.t., June 1

until 12 noon, A.l.t., July 1, 1996, or

until the TAC is reached, whichever

occurs first.

Section 672.23(b) specifies that the

time of all openings and closures of

fishing seasons other than the beginning

and end of the calendar fishing year is

12:00 noon, A.l.t. A fishery opening,

therefore, normally extends for a

minimum of 24 hours. Current

information shows the catching capacity

of vessels catching pollock for

processing by the inshore component is

in excess of 4,000 mt per day. The

Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has

determined that the remaining portion

of the TAC allocated to the inshore

component would be exceeded if a 24–

hour fishery were allowed to occur.

NMFS intends that the TAC should not

be exceeded, and will not allow a 24–

hour directed fishery.

NMFS in accordance with

§ 672.22(a)(1)(i), is adjusting the season

for pollock by vessels catching pollock

for processing by the inshore

component in Statistical Area 620 of the

GOA by allowing the scheduled opening

of the directed fishery at 12:00 noon,

A.l.t., June 1, 1996. The fishery will

remain open until 12:00 midnight, A.l.t.,

June 1 at which time it will be closed.

This action has the effect of opening the

fishery for 12 hours. NMFS is taking this

action to allow a controlled fishery to

occur, thereby preventing either the

underharvest or overharvest of the

pollock TAC allocated to the inshore

component as authorized by

§ 672.22(a)(2)(iii). In accordance with

672.22(a)(4), NMFS has determined that

closing the season at midnight, A.l.t.,

June 1 after a 12–hour opening is the

least restrictive management adjustment

to achieve the second quarterly

allowance of the pollock TAC allocated

to the inshore component and will

allow other fisheries to continue in

noncritical areas and time periods.

Classification

The Assistant Administrator for

Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good cause

that providing prior notice and public

comment or delaying the effective date

of this action is impracticable and

contrary to the public interest. Without

this inseason adjustment, NMFS could

not allow this fishery, and the second

quarterly allowance of the pollock TAC

in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA

would not be harvested in accordance

with the regulatory schedule, resulting

in a seasonal loss of more than 500

thousand dollars. Under § 672.22(c)(2),

interested persons are invited to submit

written comments on this action to the

above address until June 14, 1996.

This action is taken under § 672.22

and is exempt from review under E.O.

12866.

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

Dated: May 29, 1996.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries

Conservation and Development, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96–13950 Filed 5–30–96; 4:21 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019–6019–01; I.D.

052896H]

Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands Area; Aggregate

Species in the Rock Sole/Flathead

Sole/‘‘Other Flatfish’’ Fishery Category

by Vessels Using Trawl Gear

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed

fishing for aggregate species in the rock

sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’

fishery category by vessels using trawl

gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian

Islands management area (BSAI). This

action is necessary to fully utilize the

second seasonal bycatch allowance of

Pacific halibut apportioned to the trawl

rock sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’

fishery category in the BSAI.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), June 3, 1996, until 12

midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew N. Smoker, 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.

In accordance with § 675.21(c)(1)(iii),

the Director, Alaska Region, NMFS

(Regional Director), determined that the

second seasonal bycatch allowance of

Pacific halibut apportioned to the trawl

rock sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’

fishery in the BSAI had been caught.

Therefore, NMFS prohibited directed

fishing for species in the rock sole/

flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’ fishery

category by vessels using trawl gear in

the BSAI effective April 13, 1996 (61 FR

16883, April 18, 1996) to prevent

exceeding the second seasonal bycatch

allowance of Pacific halibut apportioned

to that fishery.

The Regional Director has determined

that as of May 11, 1996, 50 metric tons

of halibut mortality remain in the

second seasonal bycatch allowance.

Therefore, NMFS is terminating the

previous closure and is opening

directed fishing for species in the rock
28072 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 4, 1996 / Rules and Regulations

sole/flathead sole/‘‘other flatfish’’

fishery category by vessels using trawl

gear in the BSAI.

All other closures remain in full force

and effect.

Classification

This action is taken under 50 CFR

675.20 and is exempt from review under

E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: May 29, 1996.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries

Conservation and Management, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96–13843 Filed 5–30–96; 11:39 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 960129019–6019–01; I.D.

052996B]

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands Area; Sharpchin/

Northern Rockfish Species Category in

the Aleutian Islands Subarea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Closure.

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the directed

fishery for the sharpchin/northern

rockfish species category in the Aleutian

Islands subarea (AI) of the Bering Sea

and Aleutian Islands management area

(BSAI). This action is necessary to

prevent exceeding the sharpchin/

northern rockfish species category total

allowable catch (TAC) in the AI.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local

time (A.l.t.), May 30, 1996, until 12

midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 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 (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.

In accordance with § 675.20(a)(7)(ii),

the sharpchin/ northern rockfish species

category initial TAC for the AI was

established by the Final 1996 Harvest

Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR

4311, February 5, 1996) as 4,445 metric

tons (mt).

The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS

(Regional Director), has determined, in

accordance with § 675.20(a)(8), that the

sharpchin/northern rockfish species

category initial TAC in the AI soon will

be reached. Therefore, the Regional

Director has established a directed

fishing allowance of 4,145 mt, with

consideration that 300 mt will be taken

as incidental catch in directed fishing

for other species in the AI. The Regional

Director has determined that the

directed fishing allowance has been

reached. Consequently, NMFS is

prohibiting directed fishing for the

sharpchin/northern rockfish species

category in the AI.

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

675.20 and is exempt from review under

E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: May 30, 1996.

Richard W. Surdi,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries

Conservation and Management, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96–13949 Filed 5–30–96; 4:21 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F