The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting trawling within Steller sea lion protection areas in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area, effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, February 13, until the directed fishery for Atka mackerel closes within the entire Western Aleutian District, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.
This action is necessary because the A season critical habitat limit of the 2001 total allowable catch of Atka mackerel allocated to the Western Aleutian District has been caught and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.22(a)(12)(iii)(A).
The Steller sea lion haulouts and rookeries affected by this action are defined in Table 21 to 50 CFR part 679 including footnotes describing closures associated with the Atka mackerel fishery.
This information bulletin only provides notice of a regulatory change. For the purposes of complying with the regulatory change, you are advised to see the actual text in the Code of Federal Regulations.
IB 01-11: NMFS Prohibiting Trawling within Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas in the Western Aleutian District of the BSAI
February 12, 2001 - 1:15 p.m.
Notice of a fishery management action.
