[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28069-28070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13952]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 672

[Docket No. 960129018-6018-01; I.D. 052896E]


Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Pollock in the Western 
Regulatory Area

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

ACTION: Closure; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment closing directed fishing 
for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore 
component in the Western Regulatory Area 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 the Western Regulatory 
Area.

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 GOA (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, 5,704 metric tons (mt) of pollock remain in the 
second quarterly allowance of the inshore allocation of the Western 
Regulatory Area of the GOA pollock TAC. In accordance with 
Sec. 672.23(e), directed fishing for pollock in the Western Regulatory 
Area 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 9,600 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 Sec. 672.22(a)(1)(i), is adjusting the 
season for pollock by vessels catching pollock for processing by the 
inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area 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

[[Page 28070]]

underharvest or overharvest of the pollock TAC allocated to the inshore 
component as authorized by Sec. 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 
the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA would not be harvested in 
accordance with the regulatory schedule, resulting in a seasonal loss 
of more than 1.0 million dollars. Under Sec. 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 Sec. 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 Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-13952 Filed 5-30-96; 4:21 pm]
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