INFORMATION BULLETIN (01-28)                March 19, 2001     
 Sustainable Fisheries Division              11:00 A.M.         
 907-586-7228                           

                                
                                
         NMFS CLOSES DIRECTED FISHING FOR SPECIES IN THE 
   ROCK SOLE/FLATHEAD SOLE/"OTHER FLATFISH" FISHERY CATEGORY
                 BY VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN 
              THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS 

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting
directed fishing for rock sole, flathead sole, and "other
flatfish" by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) effective 12 noon, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), March 20, 2001 until 12 noon A.l.t., April
1, 2001, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS.

This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the first seasonal
apportionment of the 2001 halibut bycatch allowance specified for
the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/"other flatfish" fishery
category and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.21(e)(7)(v).

Maximum retainable bycatch amounts may be found in the
regulations at 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f).

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.