Amendment 34 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 080597F]

RIN: 0648-AK14

Amendment 34 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish

Fishery 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 34 to the Fishery Management Plan for the

Groundfish Fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP)

for Secretarial review. Amendment 34 would authorize an allocation of

Atka mackerel to vessels using jig gear. Annually, up to 2 percent of

the total allowable catch (TAC) specified for this species in the

Eastern Aleutian Islands District (AI)/Bering Sea subarea (BS) could be

allocated to the jig gear fleet fishing in this area. This action is

necessary to provide an opportunity to a localized, small-vessel jig

gear fleet to fish for Atka mackerel in summer months. The large-scale

trawl fisheries typically harvest the available TAC for this species

early in the fishing year, which does not allow the jig gear fishermen

an opportunity for a summer fishery. Comments from the public are

requested.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 34 must be submitted on or before October

14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments on Amendment 34 should be submitted to 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 34 and

the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis prepared for the amendment are

available from NMFS at the above

[[Page 43690]]

address, or by calling the Alaska Region, NMFS at 907-586-7228.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Salveson, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation

and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens 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 approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also

requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, immediately

publish a document 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 34 was adopted by the North Pacific Fishery Management

Council at its June 1997 meeting and would authorize an allocation of

Atka mackerel to vessels using jig gear. Annually, up to 2 percent of

the annual TAC specified for Atka mackerel in the Eastern AI/BS could

be allocated to vessels using jig gear as part of the annual groundfish

specifications process. The percent allocation, up to the 2 percent

ceiling, would be based on recent and anticipated harvest capacity of

the jig gear fleet. This amendment is being proposed to respond to

concerns that the developing small vessel jig gear fishery for Atka

mackerel during spring and summer months routinely is precluded by the

fast-paced trawl fisheries for this species that typically harvest the

available TAC in the Eastern AI/BS early in the fishing year.

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 34 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.

Dated: August 11, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 97-21596 Filed 8-14-97; 8:45 am]

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