Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

NMFS issues an inseason adjustment opening the B season for Atka mackerel with gears other than jig in the Eastern Aleutian District (area 541) and the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) for 12 hours, from 2400 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 1, 2003, until 1200 hrs, A.l.t., September 2, 2003. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2003 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in these areas and to allow the harvest limit area (HLA) fisheries in the Central (area 542) and Western (area 543) Aleutian Districts, which are by regulation scheduled to open 48 hours after the closure of the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea fishery, to begin at 1200 hrs. NMFS is also announcing the opening and closure dates of the first and second directed fisheries within the HLA in areas 542 and 543. These actions are necessary to prevent exceeding the B season HLA limits established for area 542 and area 543.