This emergency rule would implement, on a temporary basis, management measures required under the statutory January 2000 requirement of the American Fisheries Act. This rule would provide the opportunity for inshore catcher vessels to form cooperatives for the 2000 fishing year. The inshore cooperatives will provide the inshore fishing industry with the ability to meet more effectively the temporal and spatial dispersion objectives of Steller sea lion conservation measures. This rule would implement harvesting and processing restrictions necessary to protect fishing vessels and processors not eligible to participate in the directed pollock fishery. Such restrictions are necessary to prevent adverse economic impacts on the participants of other groundfish and crab fisheries that begin fishing in January 2000.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)