An emergency rule issued today by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service implements changes to the 2001 Alaska groundfish fisheries that become effective January 20, 2001. The rule extends regulations establishing Steller sea lion protection measures for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock and Atka mackerel fisheries and the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery. It also implements new protection measures deemed necessary by the agency for the Bering Sea pollock fishery, and for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod fisheries.

"With this emergency rule, the agency has fulfilled the intent of Congress' mandate to protect Steller sea lions and fishing communities," said Jim Balsiger, Alaska regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries. "We've met the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act, and additional requirements imposed by Congress in Public Law 106-554, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2001."

The emergency rule also establishes the 2001 harvest specifications for the federally managed groundfish fisheries off Alaska. Complete text of the emergency rule is available on NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region website at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov.

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