INFORMATION BULLETIN (01-32)         March 22, 2001     
 Sustainable Fisheries Division       3:30 P.M.               
 907-586-7228                           

                                
              NMFS CLOSES THE PACIFIC COD FISHERY
     FOR CATCHER PROCESSOR VESSELS USING HOOK-AND-LINE GEAR
             IN THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting
directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processor vessels
using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI), effective 12 noon, Alaska local time,
March 25, 2001, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator,
Alaska Region, NMFS. 
               
This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season
apportionment of the 2001 Pacific cod total allowable catch
allocated to catcher processor vessels using hook-and-line gear
in this area and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.20(d)(1)(iii).  

After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable
bycatch amounts at 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a trip.

This information bulletin only provides notice of a regulatory
change.  For the purposes of complying with the regulatory
change, you are advised to see the actual text in the Code of
Federal Regulations.