ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1989
• Subjects: Bering Sea; Gulf of Alaska; Pacific; Walrus Islands; Kodiak; Alaska; Aleutian Islands; walrus*
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.411.5050; http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/prules/54fr36333.pdf

(Secretary) proposes a rule that would implement Amendment 13 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI) and Amendment 18 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). These regulations would implement the following measures specific to both Amendments 13 and 18: (1) Specific seasons would be deleted from the FMPs and all future seasons would be established by regulatory amendment; (2) a comprehensive data collection program would be implemented, which would consist of augmented recordkeeping and reporting requirements and a mandatory observer program; and (3) the Secretary's authority to separate or combine species within the target species category would be clarified. Proposed regulations specific to Amendment 13 would (1) close an area in the vicinity of the Walrus Islands to fishing for groundfish and (2) allocate fixed percentages of the allowable harvest amount of sablefish to trawl gear and fixed gear. Proposed regulations specific to Amendment 18 would: (1) Establish Shelikof Strait area as a management district; (2) Close areas around Kodiak Island to bottom trawl gear and (3) Establish for one year interim Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for fixed gear and trawl gear. This action is necessary to promote management and conservation of groundfish and other fish resources. It is intended to further the goals and objectives contained in both fishery management plans that govern these fisheries. DATE: Comments are invited until