INFORMATION BULLETIN (02-29)         April 18, 2002     
 Sustainable Fisheries Division        3:00 P.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.), April 20, 2002 until 12 noon
A.l.t., June 30, 2002, according to James W. Balsiger,
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.

This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the second
seasonal apportionment of the 2002 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).  "Other flatfish" includes Alaska plaice.

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.