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 allowance of the 2006 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl yellowfin sole fishery category in the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the C season allowance of the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for Statistical Area 620 of the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS publishes IFQ standard prices for the individual fishing quota (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 IFQ permits with the 2006 standard prices and fee percentage to calculate the required payment for IFQ cost recovery fees

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is opening 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 A season allowance of the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 610 of the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to amend regulations for excluding tagged halibut and tagged sablefish catches from deduction from fishermen's Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and from Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) accounts. This action is necessary to ensure that only halibut and sablefish that are tagged with an external research tag are excluded

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 Pacific ocean perch total allowable catch (TAC) in the Western Aleutian District of the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is adjusting the 2006 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) amount in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow harvest of Pacific cod that will not be harvested under the State of Alaska's guideline harvest level (GHL) for the Aleutian Islands subarea state waters Pacific cod fishery.

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 offshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allocation of the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod apportioned to vessels catching

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deepwater species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the second seasonal apportionment of the 2006 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deepwater species fishery in the GOA has been reached.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting retention of northern rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). NMFS is requiring that catch of northern 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 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is closing directed fishing for groundfish by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), except for directed fishing for pollock by vessels using pelagic trawl gear in those portions of the GOA open to directed fishing for pollock. This action is necessary because the 2006 Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 first seasonal allowance of the Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) specified for catcher vessels using trawl gear in the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a proposed rule to Amendment 68 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). This action would implement statutory provisions for the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Pilot Program (hereinafter referred to as the Program). This proposed action is necessary to increase resource conservation and improve

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Treasury Department

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallowwater species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), effective 2400 hrs, Alaska local time, September 1, 2006. This adjustment is necessary to allow a 12hour fishery for species that comprise the shallowwater species fishery without exceeding the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendments 78 and 65 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI), Amendments 73 and 65 to the FMP for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), Amendments 16 and 12 to the FMP for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to implement a groundfish retention standard (GRS) program in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island management area (BSAI) for trawl catcher/processor vessels (C/Ps) that are 125 ft (38.1 m) length overall (LOA) or greater and that are not listed American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processors referred to throughout this rule

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pelagic shelf rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of pelagic shelf rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

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 2006 Atka mackerel total allowable catch (TAC) in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI.

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 offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 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 opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using pot or hookandline gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod specified for catcher vessels less than

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). 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 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to nonAFA crab vessels

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a proposed rule to modify the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the fixedgear commercial Pacific halibut fishery and sablefish fishery by revising regulations specific to those fisheries. This action is intended to improve the effectiveness of the Halibut and Sablefish IFQ Program (IFQ Program) and is necessary to promote the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule that implements Amendment 69 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). Amendment 69 amends the manner in which the total allowable catch (TAC) for the ``other species'' complex is annually determined in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The amendment allows the TAC amount for the ``other species''

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to close the Chiniak Gully Research Area on the east side of Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to all commercial trawl fishing and testing of trawl gear from August 1 to a date no later than September 20 from 2006 through 2010. NMFS plans to conduct controlled experiments on the effects of commercial fishing on

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration