6 Domestic Fishery Development Zone (disapproved)
Purpose and Need
The purpose of the amendment was to provide a sanctuary for U.S. fishing vessels in a productive fishing area of the Bering Sea and to encourage the expansion of the U.S. groundfish fishery. It was felt that by setting aside a very productive area in relatively close proximity to the only three developed harbors in the Bering Sea (Unalaska, Akutan, and Sand Point); the domestic fisheries would gain a competitive advantage. Creation of the FDZ would have had the effect of eliminating a 6 month foreign fishery from areas near the three harbors, because the nearby Winter Halibut Savings Area is closed to foreign trawling from December 1 through May 31.
Analysis
A 79 page RIR/IRFA (final draft dated November 1983) was prepared for this amendment. Two alternatives to the status quo were examined. The other alternative would have defined a larger area as the FDZ.
Regulation Summary
Amendment 6 would have established a fishery development zone (FDZ). The proposed FDZ was located north and west of Unimak Pass and was bounded by the following coordinates:
55o16' N Latitude, 166o10' W Longitude; 54o00' N Latitude, 166o10' W Longitude; 54o35' N Latitude, 164o55'42'= W Longitude
The FDZ would have been reserved for use by domestic fishing vessels B including those delivering to shore-based processors, U.S. catcher/processors, and foreign processing vessels involved in U.S. joint venture operations. All foreign harvest operations would have been excluded year-round from the FDZ.
Results
The amendment was disapproved by the Secretary of Commerce under Section 304(b)(2) of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act on December 8, 1983. Instead of resubmitting the proposed amendment, the Council agreed to a voluntary foreign industry abstention from fishing in the local areas of importance to U.S. fishermen and processors.
Amendment 6 was adopted by the Council in September, 1982. NMFS published a proposed rule on October 7, 1983, (48 FR 45806) and a notice of withdrawal on February 9, 1984 (49 FR 4956).