IB 01-22: NMFS Closes the Atka Mackerel Fishery in the Western Aleutian District and Opens Some Critical Habitat to Fishing with Trawl Gear for Species open to Directed Fishing

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Western Aleutian District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area.

NMFS is also opening fishing with trawl gear for species open to directed fishing in that portion of critical habitat in the Western Aleutian District not closed to fishing with trawl gear year round or closed to transiting.

These actions are effective 12 noon, Alaska local time, March 7, 2001, according to James W. Balsiger, Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS.

For closed areas see Table 21 to 50 CFR Part 679 Steller Sea Lion Protection Areas in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska.

This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of Atka mackerel total allowable catch specified for the Western Aleutian District and is issued pursuant to 50 CFR 679.20(d)(1)(iii) and 50 CFR 679.22(a)(12)(iii)(C).

After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable bycatch amounts at 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.

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 of the regulation in the Code of Federal Regulations.