Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Allocation Among Nontribal Sectors

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 970403076-7114-02; I.D. 030397B]

RIN 0648-AI80

Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific;

Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Whiting Allocation Among Nontribal

Sectors

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule implements: Allocation of the commercial harvest

guideline of Pacific whiting (whiting) among nontribal sectors of the

Pacific groundfish fishery; a framework procedure for annually choosing

the starting dates of the primary whiting seasons for the nontribal

sectors; and allowing the processing of fish waste at sea when at-sea

processing of whiting is otherwise prohibited. This rule also

implements starting dates for the 1997 primary seasons under the

framework. These actions are intended to provide equitable allocation

of the whiting resource and to provide flexibility in harvesting and

processing opportunities.

DATES: Effective May 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the information collection requirements imposed

by this rule should be sent to William Stelle, Jr., Administrator,

Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115, and

to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of

Management and Budget, Washington DC, 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Robinson at 206-526-6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is issuing this rule to allocate

whiting, establish a framework for setting season dates, and to provide

for at-sea processing of whiting waste under the authority of the

Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP) and the

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-

Stevens Act). These actions were recommended by the Pacific Fishery

Management Council (Council) at its October 1996 meeting in San

Francisco, CA and at meetings of its ad hoc whiting allocation

subcommittee that were held in 1996. At the same time, NMFS is

announcing the starting dates for the primary whiting seasons in 1997

and addressing several housekeeping measures. These actions were

proposed in the Federal Register at 62 FR 18572, April 16, 1996. No

comments were received during the 20-day public comment period which

ended April 30, 1997. This final rule is substantively the same as

proposed; the minor changes are explained in this preamble.

The background for these actions appears in the proposed rule and

in the environmental assessment/regulatory impact review prepared by

the Council for this action. The actions taken are summarized below.

Background

Whiting allocation

The most recent allocation of whiting among nontribal sectors in

the whiting

[[Page 27520]]

fishery was in effect from 1994-96. Its expiration left no allocation

in place for 1997 and beyond. The 1994-96 allocation was based on an

industry agreement to provide 40 percent of the whiting harvest

guideline to catcher vessels delivering to shore-based processors, plus

any additional whiting taken while all sectors competed for the first

60 percent.

The allocations for 1997 and beyond also were derived by industry

agreement in a series of public meetings sponsored by the Council. The

allocations, which are within a few percent of the proportions actually

harvested in 1994-96, are: 42 percent for the shoreside sector (catcher

vessels delivering to shoreside processors), 24 percent for the

mothership sector (motherships and catcher vessels delivering to

motherships), and 34 percent for the catcher/processor sector (catcher/

processor vessels). When applied to the 1997 commercial harvest

guideline of 207,000 metric tons (mt), these percentages result in

whiting allocations of 86,900 mt for the shoreside sector, 49,700 mt

for the mothership sector, and 70,400 mt for the catcher/processor

sector. Surplus whiting from one sector may be reallocated (via notice

in the Federal Register) to the other sectors, in proportion to their

initial allocations, near September 15. As in 1994-96, only the

framework process for calculating the allocations is codified. The

allocations will be calculated and announced annually, generally with

the annual cycle for announcing specifications and management measures

for the groundfish fishery in January each year. Because the shoreside

fishery in California (which is south of 42 deg. N. lat.) may start

earlier than in Washington and Oregon, a 5-percent cap (4,345 mt in

1997) is placed on the amount of the shoreside allocation that may be

taken south of 42 deg. N. lat. before the start of the shoreside

primary season north of 42 deg. N. lat. This cap will discourage effort

shifts into California early in the year and is not expected or

intended to constrain traditional operations. If the 5-percent cap is

reached, the routine trip limit under Sec. 660.323(b) is resumed until

the northern season begins, at which time the southern primary season

also would resume.

Additional constraints were agreed to by the industry to assure

that each sector has the opportunity to take its allocation and is not

preempted by the high-capacity catcher/processors participating in more

than one sector in a given year.

1. Within the same calendar year, a catcher/processor may not also

act as a catcher vessel that delivers shoreside or to another at-sea

processor.

2. A catcher/processor may operate solely as a mothership for that

calendar year, but only if this has been requested and so designated on

renewal of its limited entry permit for the Pacific coast groundfish

fishery (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0648-0203). NMFS has

made a slight change to the final rule at Sec. 660.323 regarding

recision of a declaration to act as a mothership for the entire

calendar year. The modification clarifies that any recision of that

declaration can only be made before the vessel has harvested or

received any unprocessed whiting during that calendar year.

3. A catcher/processor (that has not declared itself as a

mothership for the year) may receive codends over-the-side from a

catcher vessel, but any such catch would be counted toward the catcher/

processor allocation and would end when the catcher/processor

allocation is taken. Catcher vessels that do not process may deliver to

any or all of the processing sectors as long as the season for that

sector is open.

The Council intends this allocation to remain in effect for at

least 5 years, at which time it will be reevaluated.

Seasons

A framework is established for annually setting separate starting

dates for each sector's primary season, and the starting dates for 1997

also are announced. The primary seasons for the whiting fishery are:

For the shore-based sector, the period(s) when the large-scale target

fishery is conducted (when trip limits under Sec. 660.323(b) are not in

effect); for catcher/processors, the period(s) when at-sea processing

is allowed and the fishery is open for the catcher/processor sector;

and for vessels delivering to motherships, the period(s) when at-sea

processing is allowed and the fishery is open for the mothership

sector. The framework provides for setting separate starting dates for

each sector to accommodate operational needs. However, other factors

also must be considered during the Council's two-meeting process, which

generally would coincide with the setting of the annual management

measures in the fall.

These factors are: The size of the harvest guidelines for whiting

and bycatch species; status of whiting and bycatch stocks; age/size

structure of the whiting population; expected harvest of bycatch and

prohibited species; availability and stock status of prohibited

species; expected participation by catchers and processors;

environmental conditions; timing of alternate or competing fisheries;

industry agreement; fishing or processing rates; and other relevant

information.

The starting dates also are constrained by the incidental take

statement dated May 14, 1996, issued pursuant to section 7 (b)(4) of

the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to protect threatened or endangered

species of salmon. The incidental take statement requires that the

fishery north of 42 deg. N. lat. not begin before May 15. This

constraint remains in effect unless changed in a subsequent incidental

take statement.

In 1997, the starting dates are May 15 for the catcher/processor

and mothership sectors and June 15 for the shore-based sector north of

42 deg. N. lat. The shore-based fleet operating in California between

42 deg. and 40 deg. 30' N. lat. began fishing in April 1997, but will

be able to use the framework to set the starting date for 1998. The

season south of 40 deg. 30' N. lat. remains unchanged at April 15 as

stated at Sec. 660.323(a)(3)(i), and is not subject to the framework

provisions for changing the starting date primarily due to concerns

over potential salmon bycatch and harvest of juvenile whiting. However,

the whiting fishery in California is subject to the 5-percent cap in

1997, as discussed above.

A slight change was made to Sec. 660.323(a)(3)(i) to clarify that

the routine trip limit before and after the primary season potentially

could apply to all sectors, as currently is the case, not just the

shore-based sector as stated in the proposed rule. The trip limits

before and after the primary season currently are designated routine to

accommodate small bait and fresh fish markets and bycatch in non-

whiting fisheries.

NMFS Action--Starting Dates for the 1997 Primary Whiting Seasons: The

primary season for each sector begins at 0001 hours (local time) on the

following dates: (1) Catcher/processor sector--May 15, 1997; (2)

mothership sector--May 15, 1997; (3) shore-based sector north of

42 deg. N. lat.--June 15, 1997.

Processing Waste Products At Sea

This rule also allows processing fish waste at sea by a ``waste

processing vessel,'' even at times when at-sea processing of whiting by

catcher/processors or motherships is prohibited. To be considered a

``waste-processing vessel,'' the vessel must make only meal, oil, or

minced product and cannot make or have on board surimi, fillet, or

headed and gutted fish. The following restrictions assure that no

fishing or receipt of whole fish is occurring while at-sea processing

of whiting is prohibited:

[[Page 27521]]

(1) The vessel must be incapable of fishing for whiting; i.e.,

trawl nets and doors must be stowed and made inoperable; (2) receipt of

codends containing any species of fish would be prohibited; (3) the

amount of whole whiting on board must be less than any trip limit for

whiting authorized under 50 CFR 660.323(b); and (4) the vessel could

not operate as a waste-processing vessel within 48 hours immediately

before and after any primary season in which it operates as a catcher/

processor or mothership.

Housekeeping

A current prohibition is revised to enable a mothership to carry

trawl gear while operating in the whiting fishery as long as trawl

gear, clarified to mean trawl nets and doors in this final rule, is

stowed and rendered inoperable. Similarly, the requirement for a waste-

processing vessel to stow trawl gear also is clarified to indicate that

trawl gear means trawl nets and doors.

A regulation issued on June 6, 1996, (61 FR 28786, authorized under

old Sec. 663.24) provided for whiting not needed in the tribal fishery

to be made available to other users. This provision was inadvertently

deleted when the regulations governing the Pacific Coast groundfish

fisheries were consolidated at 61 FR 34570, July 2, 1996, with all

other regulations governing the fisheries off the west coast states and

in the Western Pacific, and therefore is included in this rule. Also in

the consolidation, an error was made in paragraph (b) of Sec. 660.306

regarding the citation for the definition of prohibited species and a

typo exists in paragraph (r) of Sec. 660.306. The corrections are

included in this rule.

As part of the 1996 reorganization of NMFS, Regional Directors were

retitled as Regional Administrators; however, the term Regional

Director is still used in codified text until a universal change is

made to 50 CFR 660.

Paragraphs (s) and (t) in Sec. 660.306 are ``reserved'' for

implementation of Amendment 9 to the PCGFMP which was approved by NMFS

on May 8, 1997. Proposed regulations to implement Amendment 9 were

published on March 21, 1997 (62 FR 13583).

Classification

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), has

determined that this rule is necessary for management of the Pacific

Coast groundfish fishery and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-

Stevens Act and other applicable law.

Without the final rule being in place by May 15, the season north

of 42 deg. N. lat. will open on May 15 (50 CFR 660.323(a)(3)) without

any allocation between competing sectors. A derby fishery would ensue

and a substantial portion of the harvest guideline could be taken

before the final rule was made effective, thereby disrupting 1997

allocations that would be implemented by the final rule. For these

reasons, good cause is found under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) for making the

rule effective without a 30-day delay.

This final rule has been determined to be not significant for

purposes of E.O. 12866.

The Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulation of the

Department of Commerce certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of

the Small Business Administration, when this rule was proposed, that it

would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of

small entities. As a result, a regulatory flexibility analysis was not

prepared. No comments were received regarding this certification.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required

to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to, a penalty for failure

to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements

of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information

displays a currently valid control number.

This rule contains a collection-of-information requirement subject

to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The collection of this information has

been approved by the OMB, OMB Control Number 0648-0203. Public

reporting burden is estimated to be negligible due to this action, as

it involves, concurrent with renewal of a limited entry permit,

checking a box to indicate if a catcher/processor will operate entirely

as a mothership in the whiting fishery during the year covered by the

permit. Fewer than 15 catcher/processors operate in this fishery, and

even fewer are expected to exercise this option. Send comments

regarding burden estimates, or any other aspect of this data

collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to NMFS and

OMB (see ADDRESSES).

A formal section 7 consultation under the ESA was concluded for the

PCGFMP. In a biological opinion dated August 28, 1993, and subsequent

reinitiations of consultation dated September 27, 1993, and May 15,

1996, the Assistant Administrator determined that fishing activities

conducted under the PCGFMP and its implementing regulations are not

likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or

threatened species under the jurisdiction of NMFS or result in the

destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. This rule is

within the scope of those consultations. In addition, coho salmon south

of Cape Blanco, Oregon, recently have been listed as threatened

(Northern California/Southern Oregon) and endangered (Central

California) under the ESA. This action will not affect coho salmon.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660

Administrative practice and procedure, Fisheries, Fishing,

Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: May 14, 1997.

Nancy Foster,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is amended

as follows:

PART 660--FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES AND IN THE WESTERN

PACIFIC

l. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as

follows:

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

2. In Sec. 660.306, in paragraph (b), the reference to

``Sec. 660.302'' is changed to ``Sec. 660.323(c)'', paragraphs (j),

(k), (m), (q), and (r) are revised, paragraphs (s) and (t) are

reserved, and paragraphs (u), (v), and (w) are added, to read as

follows:

Sec. 660.306 Prohibitions.

* * * * *

(j) Process whiting in the fishery management area during times or

in areas where at-sea processing is prohibited for the sector in which

the vessel participates, unless:

(1) The fish are received from a member of a Pacific Coast treaty

Indian tribe fishing under Sec. 660.324;

(2) The fish are processed by a waste-processing vessel according

to Sec. 660.323(a)(4)(vii); or

(3) The vessel is completing processing of whiting taken on board

during that vessel's primary season.

(k) Take and retain or receive, except as cargo or fish waste,

whiting on a vessel in the fishery management area that already

possesses processed whiting on board, during times or in areas where

at-sea processing is prohibited for the sector in which the vessel

participates, unless the fish are received from a member of a Pacific

Coast treaty Indian tribe fishing under Sec. 660.324.

* * * * *

(m) Fish with groundfish trawl gear, or carry groundfish trawl gear

on board

[[Page 27522]]

a vessel that also has groundfish on board, without having a limited

entry permit valid for that vessel affixed with a gear endorsement for

trawl gear, with the following exception. A vessel with groundfish on

board may carry groundfish trawl gear if:

(1) The vessel is in continuous transit from outside the fishery

management area to a port in Washington, Oregon, or California; or

(2) The vessel is a mothership, in which case trawl nets and doors

must be stowed in a secured and covered manner, and detached from all

towing lines, so as to be rendered unusable for fishing.

* * * * *

(q) Carry on board a vessel, or deploy, limited entry gear when the

limited entry fishery for that gear is closed, except a vessel may

carry on board limited entry gear as provided in paragraph (m) of this

section.

(r) Refuse to submit fishing gear or fish subject to such person's

control to inspection by an authorized officer, or to interfere with or

prevent, by any means, such an inspection.

(s) [Reserved.]

(t) [Reserved.]

(u) Participate in the mothership or shoreside sector as a catcher

vessel that does not process fish, if that vessel operates in the same

calendar year as a catcher/processor in the whiting fishery, according

to Sec. 660.323(a)(4)(ii)(B).

(v) Operate as a waste-processing vessel within 48 hours of a

primary season for whiting in which that vessel operates as a catcher/

processor or mothership, according to Sec. 660.323(a)(4)(vii).

(w) Fail to keep the trawl doors on board the vessel and attached

to the trawls on a vessel used to fish for whiting, when taking and

retention is prohibited under Sec. 660.323(a)(3)(v).

3. In Sec. 660.323, paragraphs (a)(3)(i), (a)(3)(iv), and (a)(4)

are revised to read as follows:

Sec. 660.323 Catch restrictions.

* * * * *

(a) * * *

(3) Pacific whiting (whiting)--(i) Seasons. The primary seasons for

the whiting fishery are: For the shore-based sector, the period(s) when

the large-scale target fishery is conducted (when trip limits under

paragraph (b) of this section are not in effect); for catcher/

processors, the period(s) when at-sea processing is allowed and the

fishery is open for the catcher/processor sector; and for vessels

delivering to motherships, the period(s) when at-sea processing is

allowed and the fishery is open for the mothership sector. Before and

after the primary seasons, trip landing or frequency limits may be

imposed under paragraph (b) of this section. The sectors are defined at

paragraph (a)(4) of this section.

(A) North of 40 deg.30' N. lat. Different starting dates may be

established for the catcher/processor sector, the mothership sector,

catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors north of 42 deg. N.

lat., and catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors between

42 deg.-40 deg.30' N. lat.

(1) Procedures. The primary seasons for the whiting fishery north

of 40 deg.30' N. lat. generally will be established according to the

procedures in the PCGFMP for developing and implementing annual

specifications and apportionments. The season opening dates remain in

effect unless changed, but will be announced annually, generally with

the annual specifications and management measures.

(2) Criteria. The start of a primary season may be changed based on

a recommendation from the Council and consideration of the following

factors, if applicable: Size of the harvest guidelines for whiting and

bycatch species; age/size structure of the whiting population; expected

harvest of bycatch and prohibited species; availability and stock

status of prohibited species; expected participation by catchers and

processors; environmental conditions; timing of alternate or competing

fisheries; industry agreement; fishing or processing rates; and other

relevant information.

(B) South of 40 deg.30' N. lat. The primary season starts on April

15 south of 40 deg.30' N. lat.

* * * * *

(iv) At-sea processing. Whiting may not be processed at sea south

of 42 deg.00' N. lat. (Oregon-California border), unless by a waste-

processing vessel as authorized under paragraph (a)(4)(vii) of this

section.

* * * * *

(4) Whiting--allocation--(i) Sectors and allocations. The

commercial harvest guideline for whiting is allocated among three

sectors, as follows.

(A) Sectors. The catcher/processor sector is composed of catcher/

processors, which are vessels that harvest and process whiting during a

calendar year. The mothership sector is composed of motherships and

catcher vessels that harvest whiting for delivery to motherships.

Motherships are vessels that process, but do not harvest, whiting

during a calendar year. The shoreside sector is composed of vessels

that harvest whiting for delivery to shore-based processors.

(B) Allocations. The allocations are: 34 percent for the catcher/

processor sector; 24 percent for the mothership sector; and 42 percent

for the shoreside sector. No more than 5 percent of the shoreside

allocation may be taken and retained south of 42 deg. N. lat. before

the start of the primary season north of 42 deg. N. lat. These

allocations are harvest guidelines unless otherwise announced in the

Federal Register.

(ii) Additional restrictions on catcher/processors.

(A) A catcher/processor may receive fish from a catcher vessel, but

that catch is counted against the catcher/processor allocation unless

the catcher/processor has been declared as a mothership under paragraph

(a)(4)(ii)(C) of this section.

(B) A catcher/processor may not also act as a catcher vessel

delivering unprocessed whiting to another processor in the same

calendar year.

(C) When renewing its limited entry permit each year under

Sec. 660.333, the owner of a catcher/processor used to take and retain

whiting must declare if the vessel will operate solely as a mothership

in the whiting fishery during the calendar year to which its limited

entry permit applies. Any such declaration is binding on the vessel for

the calendar year, even if the permit is transferred during the year,

unless it is rescinded in response to a written request from the permit

holder. Any request to rescind a declaration must made by the permit

holder and granted in writing by the Regional Director before any

unprocessed whiting has been taken on board the vessel that calendar

year.

(iii) Reaching an allocation. If the whiting harvest guideline,

commercial harvest guideline, or a sector's allocation is reached, or

is projected to be reached, the following action(s) for the applicable

sector(s) may be taken as provided under paragraph (a)(4)(vi) of this

section and will remain in effect until additional amounts are made

available the next fishing year or under paragraph (a)(4)(iv) of this

section.

(A) Catcher/processor sector. Further taking and retaining,

receiving, or at-sea processing of whiting by a catcher/processor is

prohibited. No additional unprocessed whiting may be brought on board

after at-sea processing is prohibited, but a catcher/processor may

continue to process whiting that was on board before at-sea processing

was prohibited.

(B) Mothership sector. (1) Further receiving or at-sea processing

of whiting by a mothership is prohibited. No

[[Page 27523]]

additional unprocessed whiting may be brought on board after at-sea

processing is prohibited, but a mothership may continue to process

whiting that was on board before at-sea processing was prohibited.

(2) Whiting may not be taken and retained, possessed, or landed by

a catcher vessel participating in the mothership sector.

(C) Shoreside sector. Whiting may not be taken and retained,

possessed, or landed by a catcher vessel participating in the shoreside

sector except as authorized under a trip limit specified under

Sec. 660.323(b).

(D) Shoreside south of 42 deg. N. lat. If 5 percent of the

shoreside allocation for whiting is taken and retained south of 42 deg.

N. lat. before the primary season for the shoreside sector begins north

of 42 deg. N. lat., then a trip limit specified under paragraph (b) of

this section may be implemented south of 42 deg. N. lat. until the

northern primary season begins, at which time the southern primary

season would resume.

(iv) Reapportionments. That portion of a sector's allocation that

the Regional Director determines will not be used by the end of the

fishing year shall be made available for harvest by the other sectors,

if needed, in proportion to their initial allocations, on September 15

or as soon as practicable thereafter. NMFS may release whiting again at

a later date to ensure full utilization of the resource. Whiting not

needed in the fishery authorized under Sec. 660.324 also may be made

available.

(v) Estimates. Estimates of the amount of whiting harvested will be

based on actual amounts harvested, projections of amounts that will be

harvested, or a combination of the two. Estimates of the amount of

whiting that will be used by shoreside processors by the end of the

fishing year will be based on the best information available to the

Regional Director from state catch and landings data, the survey of

domestic processing capacity and intent, testimony received at Council

meetings, and/or other relevant information.

(vi) Announcements. The Assistant Administrator will announce in

the Federal Register when a harvest guideline, commercial harvest

guideline, or an allocation of whiting is reached, or is projected to

be reached, specifying the appropriate action being taken under

paragraph (a)(4)(iii) of this section. The Regional Director will

announce in the Federal Register any reapportionment of surplus whiting

to other sectors on September 15, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

In order to prevent exceeding the limits or to avoid underutilizing the

resource, prohibitions against further taking and retaining, receiving,

or at-sea processing of whiting, or reapportionment of surplus whiting

may be made effective immediately by actual notice to fishermen and

processors, by phone, fax, Northwest Region computerized bulletin board

(contact 206-526-6128), letter, press release, and/or U.S. Coast Guard

Notice to Mariners (monitor channel 16 VHF), followed by publication in

the Federal Register, in which instance public comment will be sought

for a reasonable period of time thereafter. If insufficient time exists

to consult with the Council, the Regional Director will inform the

Council in writing of actions taken.

(vii) Processing fish waste at sea. A vessel that processes only

fish waste (a ``waste-processing vessel'') is not considered a whiting

processor and therefore is not subject to the allocations, seasons, or

restrictions for catcher/processors or motherships while it operates as

a waste-processing vessel. However, no vessel may operate as a waste-

processing vessel 48 hours immediately before and after a primary

season for whiting in which the vessel operates as a catcher/processor

or mothership. A vessel must meet the following conditions to qualify

as a waste-processing vessel:

(A) The vessel makes meal (ground dried fish), oil, or minced

(ground flesh) product, but does not make, and does not have on board,

surimi (fish paste with additives), fillets (meat from the side of the

fish, behind the head and in front of the tail), or headed and gutted

fish (head and viscera removed).

(B) The amount of whole whiting on board does not exceed the trip

limit (if any) allowed under paragraph (b) of this section.

(C) Any trawl net and doors on board are stowed in a secured and

covered manner, and detached from all towing lines, so as to be

rendered unusable for fishing.

(D) The vessel does not receive codends containing fish.

(E) The vessel's operations are consistent with applicable state

and Federal law, including those governing disposal of fish waste at

sea.

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 97-13120 Filed 5-14-97; 4:59 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F