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AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Closure.

SUMMARY:

NMFS is closing directed fishing for rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” by vessels using trawl gear in Bycatch Limitation Zone 1 (Zone 1) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2002 bycatch allowance of red king crab specified for the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” fishery category in Zone 1.

DATES:

Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 22, 2002, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2002.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive economic zone 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-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.

The 2002 red king crab bycatch allowance specified for Zone 1 of the BSAI trawl rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” fishery category, which is defined at § 679.21 (e)(3)(iv)(B)(2), is 59,782 animals (67 FR 956, January 8, 2002).

In accordance with § 679.21 (e)(7)(ii), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2002 bycatch allowance of red king crab specified for the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” fishery in Zone 1 of the BSAI has been reached. Consequently, the Regional Administrator is closing Start Printed Page 8907directed fishing for rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” by vessels using trawl gear in Zone 1 of the BSAI.

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the regulations at § 679.20 (e) and (f).

Classification

This action responds to the best available information recently obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that the need to immediately implement this action to avoid exceeding the red king crab bycatch allowance for the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” fishery category in Zone 1 of the BSAI constitutes good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553 (b)(3)(B) and 50 CFR 679.20 (b)(3)(iii)(A), as such procedures would be unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Similarly, the need to implement these measures in a timely fashion to avoid exceeding the red king crab bycatch allowance for the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/”other flatfish” fishery category in Zone 1 of the BSAI constitutes good cause to find that the effective date of this action cannot be delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d), a delay in the effective date is hereby waived.

This action is required by 50 CFR 679.21 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

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