[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29728-29729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14927]



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[[Page 29729]]


DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 676

[I.D. 060496A]
RIN 0648-AI57


Limited Access Management of Federal Fisheries In and Off of 
Alaska; Quota Shares and Individual Fishing Quota

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of amendments to fishery management 
plans; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted Amendment 42 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the 
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish and Amendment 42 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fishery. The Council 
recommended these amendments to alleviate certain restrictions in the 
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program. If approved, these FMP 
amendments would allow quota shares (QS) and IFQ assigned to vessels in 
larger size categories to be used on smaller vessels. The Council 
intends these amendments to increase the flexibility of QS use and 
transfer while maintaining the management goals of the IFQ Program and, 
thus, provide small boat fishermen with more opportunities to improve 
the profitability of their operations. Comments are requested from the 
public.

DATES: Comments on the proposed FMP amendments must be received by 
August 6, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries Management 
Division, Attn: Lori Gravel, Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802. Copies of the proposed 
Amendments, and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for this action may be obtained 
from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Suite 306, 605 West 
4th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Hale, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act) 
requires that each Regional Fishery Management Council submit any 
fishery management plan or plan amendment it prepares to NMFS for 
review and approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson 
Act also requires that NMFS, upon reviewing the plan or amendment, must 
immediately publish a notice that the plan or amendment is available 
for public review and comment.
    Amendment 42 to each of the FMPs governing Federal fisheries in and 
off of Alaska would redefine IFQ vessel categories to allow QS and IFQ 
assigned to larger vessel categories to be used on smaller vessels. An 
exception to this change would prohibit QS or IFQ assigned to vessel 
category B in regulatory areas 2C (for halibut) and east of 140 deg. W. 
long. (for sablefish) to be used on vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m) 
length overall except in QS blocks equivalent to less than 5,000 lb 
(2.3 mt).
    NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment 
period in determining whether to approve the proposed amendments. The 
proposed regulations are scheduled to be published within 15 days of 
this document.

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

    Dated: June 6, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-14927 Filed 6-7-96; 3:52 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F