Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 675

[Docket No. 931100-4043; I.D. 032194G]

Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Apportionment of reserve.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is apportioning reserve to certain target species in the

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is

necessary to allow for ongoing harvest and account for previous harvest

of the total allowable catch (TAC).

EFFECTIVE DATE: 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April 20, 1994,

through 12 midnight, A.l.t., December 31, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin Loefflad, Resource Management

Specialist, Fisheries Management Division, NMFS, (907) 586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The groundfish fishery in the U.S. BSAI

exclusive economic zone is managed by the Secretary of Commerce

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 Director of the Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the

initial TACs specified for pollock and Greenland turbot in the Bering

Sea subarea (BS), for Pacific ocean perch, Greenland turbot, and

pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), for Atka mackerel in the

combined Eastern Aleutian District and BS, and for Pacific cod in the

BSAI, need to be supplemented from the nonspecific reserve to continue

operations and account for prior harvest. Therefore, in accordance with

Sec. 675.20(b), NMFS is apportioning from the reserve to TACs for the

following species: (1) for the BS--99,750 metric tons (mt) to pollock

and 700 mt to Greenland turbot; (2) for the AI--1,635 mt to Pacific

ocean perch, 350 mt to Greenland turbot, and 4,245 mt to pollock; (3)

for the combined Eastern Aleutian District and BS--2,021 mt to Atka

mackerel; and (4) for the BSAI--28,650 mt to Pacific cod.

These apportionments are consistent with Sec. 675.20(a)(2)(i) and

do not result in overfishing of a target species or the ``other

species'' category because the revised TACs are equal to or less than

specifications of acceptable biological catch.

Pursuant to Sec. 675.20(a)(3)(i), the apportionments of pollock are

allocated between the inshore and offshore components: (1) for the BS--

34,913 mt to vessels catching pollock for processing by the inshore

component and 64,837 mt to vessels catching pollock for processing by

the offshore component; (2) for the AI--1,486 mt to vessels catching

pollock for processing by the inshore component and 2,759 to vessels

catching pollock for processing by the offshore component.

Pursuant to Sec. 675.20(a)(3)(iv), the apportionment of the BSAI

Pacific cod TAC is allocated 573 mt to vessels using jig gear, 12,606

mt to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, and 15,471 mt to vessels

using trawl gear.

This apportionment was proposed in the Federal Register (59 FR

14383, March 28, 1994), requesting public comment. The public comment

period ended on April 7, 1994. No comments were received.

Classification

This action is taken under 50 CFR 675.20.

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, has determined,

under section 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure Act, that good

cause exists for waiving the 30-day delayed effectiveness period for

this action. Fisheries are currently taking place that will be

supplemented by this apportionment. Delaying the effective date would

be disruptive and costly to these ongoing operations.

This action is exempt from OMB review under E.O. 12866.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 675

Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

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

Dated: April 20, 1994.

David S. Crestin,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 94-9979 Filed 4-20-94; 4:52 pm]

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