Fishery conservation and management: West Coast States and Western Pacific fisheries— West coast salmon,

[Federal Register: November 19, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 223)]

[Rules and Regulations]

[Page 63259]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr19no99-20]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 99040113-01; I.D. 093099B]

Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Commercial Reopening from Cape Flattery to Leadbetter Point, WA

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

ACTION: Reopening; request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the commercial salmon fishery in the area between Cape Alava to Leadbetter Point, WA for all salmon except chinook reopened on September 22, 1999, with the suspension of certain gear restrictions and the coho trip limit. The fishery closed as scheduled on September 30, 1999, and will not reopen. There were 12,027 coho remaining in the quota when the fishery opened. This action was necessary to conform to the 1999 management measures and is intended to ensure conservation of chinook salmon.

DATES: Reopening the commercial salmon fishery effective 0001 hours local time (l.t.), September 22, 1999, from the area between Cape Alava to Leadbetter Point, WA. Comments will be accepted through December 6, 1999. ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to William Stelle, Jr., Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070. Information relevant to this document is available for public review during business hours at the Office of the Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Robinson, 206-526-6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In the 1999 management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (64 FR 24078, May 5, 1999), NMFS announced that the commercial fishery for all salmon from Cape Flattery (48 deg.23'00'' N. lat.) to Cape Alava (48 deg.10'00'' N. lat.) West of 125 deg.05'00'' W. long. and Cape Alava to Leadbetter Point, WA, would open July 10, 1999, through the earliest of September 30, 1999, or attainment of the overall chinook quota (preseason 4,500 chinook guideline) or 20,000 coho quota. NMFS also made several other earlier inseason adjustments to this fishery which can be found in the Federal Register at [64 FR 42856, August 6, 1999], [64 FR October 18, 1999], and [64 FR 62127, November 16, 1999].

Salmon Inseason Actions

On September 20, 1999, the Regional Administrator consulted with representatives of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFD), and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to discuss the status of catch in the commercial salmon fisheries north of Cape Falcon. During the recent 9-day opener for all salmon except chinook, from September 5, 1999, until September 13, 1999, only 337 coho were landed. With a landed catch so low, primarily caused by rough weather conditions and low fishing effort, the chinook hooking mortality impacts were also low. Therefore, a majority of the 770 chinook previously set aside to compensate for mortalities related to chinook hooked and released during the 9-day commercial opener targeting coho still remained. The States, therefore, recommended that the fishery reopen on September 22, 1999, and close as scheduled on September 30, 1999, with the continued suspension of certain gear restrictions (no more than 4 spreads per line; gear restricted to plugs 6 in (15.2 cm) or longer; flashers without hooks may be used if installed below the second spread from the top and will not be counted as a spread; and no more than one flasher per line), and the coho trip limit (where each vessel may possess, land and deliver no more than 100 coho per open period). As recommended, NMFS reopened the commercial salmon fishery in the area between Cape Alava to Leadbetter Point, WA, for all salmon except chinook on September 22, 1999, through the end of the season on September 30, 1999, with the continued suspension of certain gear restrictions and also the suspension of the coho trip limit.

Modification of fishing seasons is authorized by regulations at 50 CFR 660.409(b)(1). All other restrictions applicable to this fishery remained in effect as announced in the annual management measures.

In making these decisions, the Regional Administrator consulted with representatives of the Council, WDFW, and ODFW. The States of Washington and Oregon will manage the commercial fisheries in State waters adjacent to this area of the EEZ in accordance with this Federal action. As provided by the inseason notification procedures of 50 CFR 660.411, actual notification to fishermen of this action was given prior the effective date by telephone hotline numbers 206-526-6667 and 800-662-9825, and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz. Because of the need for immediate action to make inseason adjustments to allow harvest, NMFS has determined that good cause exists for this action to be issued without affording a prior opportunity for public comment. This action does not apply to other fisheries that may be operating in other areas.

Classification

This action is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 and 660.411 and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

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

Dated: November 8, 1999. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-30271Filed11-18-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F