INFORMATION BULLETIN (03-87)                                                        October 1, 2003    
 Sustainable Fisheries Division                                                      12:00 p.m.             
 907-586-7228                         


             NMFS CLOSES THE ATKA MACKEREL FISHERY
                IN THE WESTERN ALEUTIAN DISTRICT

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel
in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area,
effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, October 2, 2003, according to James W. Balsiger,
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.

This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2003 total allowable catch of Atka mackerel
specified for the Western Aleutian District and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.20(d)(1)(iii).

After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable 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 of the regulation in
the Code of Federal Regulations.