Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Seasonal Adjustment of Closure Areas to Trawl Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska; Withdrawal of Proposed Rule

Zusammenfassung

NMFS withdraws the July 3, 2000, proposed regulatory amendment that would implement a seasonal closure of a portion of the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to vessels using trawl gear and that would implement an inseason action to open directed fishing for pollock within 10 nautical miles of the Steller sea lion haulouts located at Gull Point and Cape Barnabas for research purposes. The proposed rule is withdrawn because of current litigation on the existing Steller sea lion protection measures.