NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processor 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 processor vessels using trawl gear in

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Eastern 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 Eastern Aleutian District of the BSAI.

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 to prevent exceeding the 2006 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deepwater species fishery in the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is opening 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 5, 2006, and will close 1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 15, 2006. This period is the same as the 2006 IFQ and Community Development Quota season for Pacific halibut

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to amend regulations supporting the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (Observer Program). This action is necessary to revise requirements facilitating observer data transmission, improve support for observers, and provide consistency with current regulations. The final rule will promote the goals and objectives of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is opening directed fishing for pelagic shelf rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of pelagic shelf rockfish specified for the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is opening directed fishing for shallow-water species by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the shallowwater species fishery in the GOA to resume.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to exclude 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 from IFQ

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is notifying the owners and operators of registered vessels of their assignments for the 2006 B season Atka mackerel fishery in harvest limit area (HLA) 542 and/or 543 of the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the harvest of the 2006 B season HLA limits

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is reopening directed fishing for Greenland turbot for vessels using hookandline gear in the Bering Sea subarea in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of Greenland turbot for vessels using hookandline gear in the Bering Sea subarea in the Bering

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a final rule to open the Cape Sarichef Research Restriction Area in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) to directed fishing for groundfish using trawl, pot, and hook andline gear from March 15, 2006, through March 31, 2006. Because NMFS' Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) will not conduct research in this area

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues a proposed rule that would implement 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 and Tanner Crabs,

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 2006 Pacific ocean perch total allowable catch (TAC) in the Central Aleutian District of the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is rescinding the trawl closure in the Chiniak Gully Research Area. This action is necessary to allow vessels using trawl gear to participate in directed fishing for groundfish in the Chiniak Gully Research Area after the completion of NMFS research on September 6, 2006.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This document announces that anyone entering the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Pacific cod fishery after December 11, 2005 (control date), will not be assured of future access to the Pacific cod resource if a management regime is developed and implemented that limits the number of participants, licenses or vessels in the fishery. This

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is closing directed fishing for rock sole, flathead sole, and ``other flatfish'' 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 allowance of the 2006 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl rock sole, flathead sole, and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pelagic shelf rockfish in the Central 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 Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS 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 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 60 feet (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 first seasonal allowance of the 2006 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 yellowfin sole total allowable catch (TAC) in the BSAI.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel with gears other than jig gear 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 2006 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in these areas. NMFS is also announcing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 85 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) to NMFS for review. If approved, Amendment 85 would revise the current Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) Pacific cod allocations of total

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is notifying the owners and operators of registered vessels of their assignments for the 2006 A season Atka mackerel fishery in harvest limit area (HLA) 542 and/or 543 of the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the harvest of the 2006 A season HLA limits

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is adjusting the Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) amount in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the Pacific cod acceptable biological catch (ABC) in the BSAI and is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration