[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 26, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33045-33046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16237]



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[[Page 33046]]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 960129019-6019-01; I.D. 061796C]


Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Atka 
Mackerel in the Central and Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering 
Sea Subarea

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

ACTION: Modification of a closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the 
Central and Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is 
necessary to fully utilize the total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka 
mackerel in these areas.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 1, 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 600 and 679.
    The Final 1996 Harvest Specifications of Groundfish (61 FR 4311, 
February 5, 1996) for the BSAI and subsequent reserve apportionment (61 
FR 16085, April 11, 1996) established 33,600 metric tons (mt) and 
26,700 mt as the total allowable catches of Atka mackerel for the 
Central Aleutian District and the Eastern Aleutian District and the 
Bering Sea subarea, respectively. See Sec. 679.20(c)(3)(iii). The 
directed fisheries for Atka mackerel for the Central Aleutian District 
and the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea were 
closed to directed fishing in order to reserve amounts anticipated to 
be needed for incidental catch in other fisheries (61 FR 16883, April 
18, 1996 and 61 FR 6323, February 20,1996; see also Sec. 679.20(d)(1)). 
NMFS has determined that as of June 8, 1996, 1,800 mt in the Central 
Aleutian District and 6,000 mt in the Eastern Aleutian District and 
Bering Sea subarea remain in the respective directed fishing 
allowances.
    The Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the 1996 
directed fishing allowances for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian 
District and Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea have 
not been reached. Therefore, NMFS is terminating the previous closures 
and is reopening directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central 
Aleutian District and Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea 
subarea.
    All other closures remain in full force and effect.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review 
under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: June 20, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-16237 Filed 6-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F