The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 54 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and Amendment 54 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMPs). These amendments would make three changes to the Individual Fishing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This is action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2001 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This document corrects regulatory text in the final rule that implements a cost recovery program for the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program for fixed gear halibut and sablefish fisheries in waters in and off of Alaska, which was published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2000.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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

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 seasonal allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for Statistical Area 610 of the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Marine Fisheries Service publishes IFQ standard prices and notification of adjustment of the IFQ fee percentage for the IFQ Cost Recovery Program in the halibut and sablefish fisheries of the North Pacific. This action is intended to provide holders of halibut and sablefish IFQs with information to calculate the payments required for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces the opening of directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. The season will open 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 2001, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 15, 2001. This period is the same as the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced by the

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

NMFS announces its intent to prepare an EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) King and Tanner Crabs (FMP). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council proposes to rationalize the BSAI crab fisheries through an Individual Fishing Quota

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces its intent to prepare an SEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the essential fish habitat (EFH) components of the following fishery management plans (FMPs): Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area; Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska; Bering Sea/ Aleutian Islands King and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is closing directed fishing for species in the rock sole/ flathead sole/``other flatfish'' fishery category by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the second seasonal apportionment of the 2001 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2001 total allowable catch (TAC) of northern rockfish in this area.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

MFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This is action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2001 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season amount of the Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues an emergency interim rule to implement Steller sea lion protection measures to avoid the likelihood that the groundfish fisheries off Alaska will jeopardize the continued existence of the western population of Steller sea lions or adversely modify its critical habitat. These management measures will disperse fishing effort over time

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Veterans Affairs Department