Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Reallocation of Pacific Sardine

NMFS announces the reallocation of the remaining Pacific sardine harvest guideline in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the Pacific coast. The Coastal Pelagics Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP) requires that NMFS conduct a review of the fishery 9 months after the beginning of the fishing season on January 1, and reallocate any unharvested portion of the harvest guideline, with 50 percent allocated north and south of Pt. Piedras Blancas, California. The allocation north of Pt. Piedras Blancas was reached on September 14, 2002, and the fishery was closed until the scheduled time for reallocation on October 1, 2002. This action reallocates the remainder of the harvest guideline earlier than the date specified in the FMP in order to minimize the negative economic effects on fishing and processing, primarily in the Pacific northwest, that would result from delaying the reallocation.