This document corrects the final rule that was published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2002, which extended the applicability date of the existing regulations for the interim North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is reopening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 24 hours. This action is necessary to fully use the B season allowance of the total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 610.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the
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Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2003 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues regulatory changes to implement the partial approval of Amendment 75 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP). As partially approved, this amendment eliminates all reference to the requirements for 100percent retention and utilization of rock sole and yellowfin sole in

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to apportion amounts of the reserve to certain target species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to account for previous harvest of the total allowable catch (TAC). It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to implement Amendment 69 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutians Area (FMP). This final rule will allow an American Fisheries Act (AFA) inshore cooperative to contract with a nonmember vessel to harvest a portion of the cooperative's pollock allocation. The North Pacific

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 75 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP). This amendment would delay the effective date of requirements for 100 percent retention and utilization of rock sole and yellowfin sole from January 1, 2003,

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 2003 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl rock sole/flathead sole/ ``other

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is closing directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2003 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl Pacific cod fishery category in the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is rescinding a previous action reallocating Pacific cod and is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using trawl and jig gear to catcher/processor vessels using hookandline gear and vessels using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area ( BSAI). These actions are necessary to allow the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces final 2003 harvest specifications for groundfish, reserves and apportionments thereof, Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, and associated management measures for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and associated management measures for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to allow use of pot gear in waters around Cape Barnabas and Caton Island located in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for directed fishing for Pacific cod. Waters within 3 nautical miles (nm) of these sites currently are closed to Pacific cod fishing by vessels using pot gear and named on a Federal fisheries permit. This action is

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS intends to evaluate alternative approaches for HAPC designation in the EFH Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) NMFS is preparing in conjunction with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Although NMFS' notice of intent to prepare the North Pacific EFH EIS implied that specific new HAPCs would be evaluated in the EIS, NMFS' current

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is reopening directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for 48 hours. This action is necessary to fully use the total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel with gears other than jig in the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the interim 2003 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in these areas. NMFS is also

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 75 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP). This amendment would delay the effective date of requirements for 100percent retention and utilization requirements of rock sole and yellowfin sole from January 1, 2003, until June 1,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Central Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2003 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 66 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). This amendment would modify the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program by revising the definition of an eligible quota share holder to allow eligible communities in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted for Secretarial review
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Amendment 17 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (FMP). This amendment would implement a rebuilding plan for the overfished stock of Pribilof Islands blue king crab. This action is intended to

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to increase the percentage of pollock roe that may be retained by operators of catcher/processors and motherships processing pollock harvested in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The proposed increase is from 7 to 9 percent. This action is necessary because catcher/processors and motherships have been able to increase their

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 second seasonal apportionment of the halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl yellowfin sole fishery category in the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to amend eligibility criteria for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab species licenses issued under the License Limitation Program (LLP) and required for participation in the BSAI crab fisheries. This action is necessary to allow participation in the BSAI crab fisheries in a manner intended by the North Pacific

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 2003 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl yellowfin sole fishery category in the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 63 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). If approved, Amendment 63 would move skates from the ``other species'' list to the ``target species'' list in the FMP. By listing skates as a target species, a directed fishery for skates in

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processor vessels using pot gear and catcher vessels 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) and longer using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2003 interim total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration