[Federal Register: March 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 51)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 13121]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17mr99-22]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 030999C]

 
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish 
Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Fishing season dates.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear 
managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. The season 
will open on 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 1999, and 
will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 15, 1999. This period is the same 
as the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced by the International 
Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The IFQ halibut season is announced 
by publication in the Federal Register.

DATES: Effective March 15, 1999, 1200 hrs, A.l.t., until 1200 hrs, 
A.l.t., November 15, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Hale, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1995, NMFS has managed fishing for 
Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) and sablefish (Anoplopoma 
fimbria) with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in 
Sec. 679.2 under the IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a regulatory 
regime designed to promote the conservation and management of these 
fisheries and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. 
Persons holding quota share receive an annual allocation of IFQ. 
Persons receiving an annual allocation of IFQ are authorized to harvest 
IFQ species within specified limitations. Further information on the 
implementation of the IFQ Program, and the rationale supporting it, are 
contained in the preamble to the final rule implementing the IFQ 
Program published in the Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 FR 
59375) and subsequent amendments.
    This announcement is consistent with Sec. 679.23(g)(1), which 
requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under 
the IFQ program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and 
announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season 
announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the 
sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the 
halibut season, chosen by the IPHC. The directed fishing season for 
sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ program will open at 
1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 15, 1999, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., 
November 15, 1999. This period runs concurrently with the IFQ season 
for Pacific halibut announced by the IPHC. The IFQ halibut season is 
announced by publication in the Federal Register.

Classification

    This action is taken under Sec. 679.23(g)(1) and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq. and 1801 et seq.

    Dated: March 11, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-6483 Filed 3-12-99; 3:28 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F