Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Allocations of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 081296A]

RIN 0648-AI70

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Allocations

of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management

plan; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has

submitted Amendment 46 to the Fishery Management Plan for the

Groundfish Fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area for

Secretarial review. Amendment 46 would allocate the Bering Sea and

Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) Pacific cod total allowable

catch (TAC) among vessels using trawl gear, fixed gear (hook-and-line

and pot), and jig gear and would provide authority for the fixed gear

allocation to be divided into seasonal allowances.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to Ronald J. Berg, Chief,

Fisheries Management Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,

Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Lori Gravel, or delivered to the Federal

Building, 709 West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. Copies of Amendment 46 and

the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review prepared for the

amendment are available from the Council, 605 West Fourth Avenue,

Anchorage, AK 99501-2252; telephone 907-271-2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Lind, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that each Regional Fishery

Management Council submit any fishery management plan (FMP) or plan

amendment it prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or

partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires that NMFS, upon

receiving an FMP or amendment, immediately publish a notice that the

FMP or amendment is available for public review and comment. NMFS will

consider the public comments received during the comment period in

determining whether to approve the FMP or amendment.

Amendment 46 would allocate the BSAI TAC among vessels using trawl

gear, fixed gear, and jig gear. This amendment also would provide

authority for the fixed gear allocation of Pacific cod to be divided

into seasonal allowances, and would allow any unused portion of one

gear's allocation to be reallocated to other gear types. This amendment

is necessary to respond to socioeconomic needs of the fishing industry

that have been identified by the Council and is intended to further the

goals and objectives of the FMP.

NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment

period in determining whether to approve the proposed amendment. A

proposed rule to implement Amendment 46 has been submitted for

Secretarial review and approval. The proposed rule to implement this

amendment is scheduled to be published within 15 days of this document.

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

Dated: August 14, 1996.

Richard H. Schaefer,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96-21124 Filed 8-15-96; 9:10 am]

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