40538 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 127 / Friday, June 30, 2000 / Rules and Regulations
Amendment 13 was under SUMMARY: NMFS has determined that less than the final Harpoon category development, and the Council expected the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Harpoon quota, NMFS would consider reopening that Amendment 13 would authorize category annual quota for the 2000 the fishery. future use of the emergency provisions fishing year will be attained by June 26, Classification on a permanent basis. Accordingly, an 2000. Therefore, the 2000 Harpoon emergency rule with a request for public category fishery will be closed effective This action is taken under comments was prepared in conjunction at 11:30 p.m. on June 26, 2000. This §§ 635.27(a) and 635.28 (a)(1) and is with the annual specifications and action is being taken to prevent exempt from review under Executive management measures for 2000. It was overharvest of the Harpoon category Order 12866. filed with the Federal Register on quota. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 December 27, 1999, published on DATES: Effective 11:30 p.m. local time et seq. January 4, 2000 (65 FR 221), and became on June 26, 2000, through May 31, 2001. Dated: June 26, 2000. effective on January 1, 2000. A detailed FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: discussion on the management Pat Bruce C. Morehead, measures, rebuilding plans, and Scida or Brad McHale, 978–281–9260. Acting Director, Office of Sustainable rationale for the emergency action is SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. included in the preamble to the Regulations implemented under the [FR Doc. 00–16526 Filed 6–26–00; 4:35 pm] emergency rule/annual management authority of the Atlantic Tunas BILLING CODE 3510±22±F measures (65 FR 221, January 4, 2000) Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and the environmental assessment/ governing the harvest of BFT by persons regulatory impact review for that action, and vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE and is not restated in this extension. are found at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.27(a) subdivides the U.S. quota National Oceanic and Atmospheric Public Comments recommended by the International Administration NMFS received a number of Commission for the Conservation of comments on the emergency rule and Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) among the 50 CFR Part 679 annual specifications and management various domestic fishing categories. [Docket No. 991228352±0012±02; I.D. measures, and already has, or will, Harpoon Category Closure 062100A] respond to those comments individually, with one exception. NMFS NMFS is required, under § 635.28 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic received, as a comment, a copy of the (a)(1), to file with the Office of the Zone Off Alaska; Rockfish and Pacific complaint that was filed in Federal Federal Register for publication Ocean Perch in the Central and District Court in the Northern District of notification of closure when a BFT Eastern Regulatory Areas of the Gulf California, in the case of Solomon v. quota is reached or is projected to be of Alaska reached. On and after the effective date Daley, Civil No. 00–0383. NMFS will AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries respond to this comment in the context and time of such notification, for the remainder of the fishing year or for a Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and of that lawsuit rather than in the Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), extension to the emergency rule. specified period as indicated in the notice, fishing for, retaining, possessing, Commerce. Classification or landing BFT under that quota ACTION: Modification of a closure. This emergency rule has been category is prohibited until the opening SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed determined to be not significant for of the subsequent quota period or until fishing for Pacific ocean perch and purposes of Executive Order 12866. such date as specified in the notice. northern rockfish in the Central The proposed 2000 BFT quota Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulatory Area, and Pacific ocean specifications issued pursuant to 50 perch in the Eastern Regulatory Area of Dated: June 27, 2000. CFR 635.27 would set a quota of 54.1 mt the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) by catcher Andrew A. Rosenberg, of large medium and giant BFT to be vessels that are non-exempt under the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, harvested from the regulatory area by American Fisheries Act (AFA). This National Marine Fisheries Service. vessels permitted in the Harpoon action is necessary to allow non-exempt [FR Doc. 00–16638 Filed 6–29–00; 8:45 am] category during the 2000 fishing year catcher vessels to participate in these BILLING CODE 3510±22±F (65 FR 33513, May 24, 2000). NMFS fisheries consistent with regulations expects to issue final quota implementing the AFA. specifications by early July 2000, and DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE based on comments received and the DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local international quota mandated by ICCAT, time (A.l.t.), July 4, 2000, until 2400 National Oceanic and Atmospheric does not anticipate changes to the hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2000, or Administration proposed Harpoon category quota. until NMFS publishes further notice in Based on reported landings and effort, the Federal Register. 50 CFR Part 635 NMFS projects that this quota will be FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [I.D. 061500D] reached by June 26, 2000. Therefore, Andrew Smoker, 907–586–7228. fishing for, retaining, possessing, or SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS Atlantic Highly Migratory Species landing large medium or giant BFT by manages the groundfish fishery in the Fisheries; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna vessels in the Harpoon category must GOA exclusive economic zone AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries cease at 11:30 p.m. local time on June according to the Fishery Management Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 26, 2000. Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The intent of this closure is to prevent Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North Commerce. overharvest of the quota proposed for Pacific Fishery Management Council the Harpoon category. In the event the under authority of the Magnuson- ACTION: Harpoon category closure. Harpoon category landings amount to Stevens Fishery Conservation and
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Management Act. Regulations governing 619 mt, and the bycatch amount is 20 best available information recently fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance mt. For the Central Regulatory Area obtained from the fishery. It must be with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 northern rockfish fishery the directed implemented immediately in order to CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. fishing amount is 118 mt, and the allow participation of catcher vessels The amount of the interim 2000 GOA bycatch amount is 20 mt. For the that are non-exempt under the AFA. AFA catcher vessel sideboards in the Eastern Regulatory Area Pacific ocean Providing prior notice and opportunity Central Regulatory Area for Pacific perch fishery, the directed fishing for public comment for this action is ocean perch and northern rockfish are amount is 52 mt and the bycatch impracticable and contrary to the public 639 metric tons (mt) and 138 mt amount is 5 mt. These fisheries were interest. NMFS finds for good cause that closed to directed fishing by non- respectively and for Pacific ocean perch the implementation of this action exempt AFA vessels on January 21, in the Eastern Regulatory Area, 57 mt. cannot be delayed for 30 days. These amounts were established by the 2000 (65 FR 4520, January 28, 2000). NMFS has determined that as of July Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a Emergency Interim Rule to Implement 4, 2000, sufficient amounts remain in delay in the effective date is hereby Major Provisions of the American these directed fishing allowances to waived. Fisheries Act (65 FR 4520, January 28, allow for the fisheries to occur. 2000). This emergency interim rule was This action is required by § 679.20 Therefore, NMFS is terminating the extended through January 16, 2001 (65 and is exempt from review under E.O. previous closures and is opening FR 39107, June 23, 2000), in accordance 12866. directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch with § 679.20(c)(2)(i). in the Central and Eastern Regulatory Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. The Administrator, Alaska Region, Areas, and for northern rockfish in the Dated: June 26, 2000. NMFS (Regional Administrator), has Central Regulatory Area by catcher Bruce C. Morehead, established a directed fishing allowance vessels that are non-exempt under the Acting Director, Office of Sustainable and bycatch amounts to support other AFA. Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. anticipated groundfish fisheries for this component as follows: For the Central Classification [FR Doc. 00–16535 Filed 6–29–00; 8:45 am] Regulatory Area Pacific ocean perch All other closures remain in full force BILLING CODE 3510±22±F fishery, the directed fishing amount is and effect. This action responds to the
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