This document contains a correction to a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on December 12, 1995.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule that implements Amendment 60 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area, Amendment 58 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and Amendment 10 to the FMP for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting trawling within Steller sea lion protection areas in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season critical habitat limit of the 2001 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel allocated to the Central Aleutian District.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues an inseason adjustment opening the B fishing season for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 12 hours effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 21, 2001, until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., March 21, 2001. This adjustment is necessary to prevent the under harvest of the B seasonal allowance of the pollock

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting retention of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). NMFS is requiring that catch of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in this area be treated in the same manner as prohibited species and discarded at sea with a minimum of injury. This action is necessary because the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting retention of shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). NMFS is requiring that catch of shortraker and rougheye rockfish in this area be treated in the same manner as prohibited species and discarded at sea with a minimum of injury. This action is necessary because the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2001 A season harvest specification of Atka mackerel. NMFS is also opening fishing with trawl gear in Steller sea lion critical habitat in the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 60 ft (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) and longer using hookandline gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season apportionment of the 2001 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This document contains a correction to the final rule for the Halibut Donation Program that was published in the Federal Register on June 12, 1998.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is closing directed fishing for yellowfin sole by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the third seasonal apportionment of the 2001 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl yellowfin sole fishery category.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This document corrects the emergency interim rule that revised certain provisions of the American Fisheries Act for implementation for the 2001 fishing year, which was published January 22, 2001.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the C season allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for Statistical Area 610 of the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific ocean perch in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). NMFS is requiring that catch of Pacific ocean perch in this area be treated in the same manner as prohibited species and discarded at sea with a minimum of injury. This action is necessary because the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 outside the Shelikof Strait conservation area in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for Statistical Area 630 outside the Shelikof Strait conservation area.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the 2001 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes a change in the Community Development Quota (CDQ) regulations for crab to allow the State of Alaska greater flexibility in establishing fishing seasons. This action is proposed to achieve the conservation and management goals for the crab CDQ program and is intended to further the objectives of the MagnusonStevens Fishery

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS amends and corrects the emergency interim rule that implements the 2001 Steller sea lion protection measures and the 2001 harvest specifications and extends its effectiveness through December 31, 2001. These amendments include adjustments to open and closed areas and seasons for important prey species, exemptions for various gear sectors for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to clarify the definition of length overall (LOA) of a vessel. This would provide unambiguous guidance to vessel owners in determining a vessel's LOA for purposes of Federal fisheries management programs and to facilitate NMFS' and the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) enforcement of LOA requirements in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a proposed rule to implement Amendment 60 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area, Amendment 58 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and Amendment 10 to the FMP for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues emergency interim regulations to supersede certain provisions of the American Fisheries Act (AFA). The elements of this emergency interim rule include a revised definition of ``qualified catcher vessel'' for the purpose of determining eligibility for inshore cooperatives, a revised formula to allocate the Bering Sea and Aleutian

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Veterans Affairs Department

On November 27, 2001, NMFS announced its intent to revise the Alaska Groundfish Fisheries draft Programmatic SEIS. After reviewing more than 21,000 comment letters received on the draft Programmatic SEIS, NMFS determined that revisions to the draft Programmatic SEIS are [[Page 66391]]
appropriate and necessary. NMFS also determined that these

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces its intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to modify certain fishery management measures governing the Federally managed groundfish fisheries that are conducted in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (BSAI) and the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to protect the endangered Steller sea lion population.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallowwater species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), except for vessels fishing for pollock using pelagic trawl gear in those portions of the GOA open to directed fishing for pollock. This action is necessary because the fourth seasonal

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This document corrects the July 17, 2001, emergency interim rule and its August 22, 2001, correction by correcting Steller sea lion protection areas for the Pacific cod directed fishery, to clarify closure areas to Tables 22, 23, and 24 to part 679 and by correcting the corresponding regulatory text to be consistent with the changes to the tables.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is closing directed fishing for groundfish with non- pelagic trawl gear in the red king crab savings subarea (RKCSS) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the amount of the 2001 red king crab bycatch limit specified for the RKCSS.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration