INFORMATION BULLETIN (01-40)         April 25, 2001     
 Sustainable Fisheries Division       3:15 P.M.                       
 907-586-7228                           

                                
                                
         NMFS CLOSES DIRECTED FISHING FOR YELLOWFIN SOLE
                 BY VESSELS USING TRAWL GEAR IN 
              THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS 

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting
directed fishing for yellowfin sole by vessels using trawl
gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI) effective 12 noon, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), April
26, 2001 until 12 noon A.l.t., May 21, 2001, according to
James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.

This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the second
seasonal apportionment of the 2001 halibut bycatch allowance
specified for the trawl yellowfin sole 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.