Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, 59407-59409 [E6-16674]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 10, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
mt and to vessels using jig gear is 1,514
mt after three reallocations (71 FR
14825, March 24, 2006, 71 FR 25508
May 1, 2006, and 71 FR 44230, August
4, 2006).
As of October 02, 2006, the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), has
determined that catcher processors
using trawl gear will not be able to
harvest 5,406 mt and catcher vessels
using trawl gear will not be able to
harvest 7,427 mt of Pacific cod allocated
to those vessels under
§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B). Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(C)(2),
NMFS apportions 12,833 mt of Pacific
cod from trawl gear to catcher processor
vessels using hook-and-line gear and
vessels using pot gear.
The Regional Administrator has also
determined that vessels using jig gear
will not harvest 1,300 mt of their Pacific
cod allocation by the end of the year.
Also, catcher vessels less than 60 feet
(18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or
pot gear will not be able to harvest any
additional Pacific cod. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(C)(1)
and § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B), NMFS is
reallocating the unused amount of 1,300
mt of Pacific cod allocated to vessels
using jig gear to catcher processor
vessels using hook-and-line gear and
vessels using pot gear.
The harvest specifications for Pacific
cod included in the harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006) and
adjustments (71 FR 13777, March 17,
2006 and 71 FR 55347, September 22,
2006) are revised as follows: 214 mt to
vessels using jig gear, 84,709 mt to
catcher processor vessels using hookand-line gear, 13,880 mt to catcher
vessels using pot gear, 3,053 mt to
catcher processor vessels using pot gear,
35,845 mt to catcher processor vessels
using trawl gear, and 33,824 mt to
catcher vessels using trawl gear.
Classification
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with RULES
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
(AA) finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such a requirement
is impracticable and contrary to the
public interest. This requirement is
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:57 Oct 06, 2006
Jkt 211001
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay the reallocation of projected
unused amounts of Pacific cod in the
BSAI. NMFS was unable to publish a
notice providing time for public
comment because the most recent,
relevant data only became available as
of October 2, 2006.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30–day delay in the effective
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
This action is required by § 679.20
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 03, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–16675 Filed 10–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060216045–6045–01; I.D.
100306D]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of
Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amounts of the Aleut
Corporation’s pollock directed fishing
allowance (DFA) and the Aleutian
Islands pollock incidental catch
allowance (ICA) from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the Bering Sea
subarea directed fisheries. These actions
are necessary to provide opportunity for
harvest of the 2006 total allowable catch
(TAC) of pollock, consistent with the
goals and objectives of the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
59407
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (FMP).
DATES: Effective October 6, 2006,
through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Hogan, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (BSAI) according to
the FMP prepared by the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council under
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act. Regulations governing fishing by
U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
and 50 CFR part 679.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the
portion of the 2006 pollock TAC
allocated to the Aleut Corporation’s
DFA is 5,500 metric tons (mt) and the
ICA is 1,800 mt as established by the
2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006) and
the reallocation on March 3, 2006 (71
FR 11541, March 8, 2006) and on
August 16, 2006 (71 FR 48483, August
21, 2006).
As of October 2, 2006, the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has
determined that 4,603 mt of Aleut
Corporation’s DFA and 700 mt of ICA
pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea
will not be harvested. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4),
NMFS proportionally reallocates 4,603
mt of Aleut Corporation’s DFA and 700
mt of ICA pollock from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the 2006 Bering Sea
subarea B season allocations.
As a result, the harvest specifications
for pollock in the Aleutian Islands
subarea included in the harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (71 FR 48483, August 21, 2006)
are revised as follows: 897 mt to Aleut
Corporation’s DFA and 1,100 mt to ICA
pollock. Furthermore, pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5), Tables 3 and 10 of the
2006 and 2007 final harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (71 FR 48483, August 21, 2006)
are revised for 2006 pollock allocations
consistent with this reallocation. This
reallocation results in proportional
adjustments to the 2006 B season Aleut
Corporation and ICA pollock allocations
established at § 679.20(a)(5).
E:\FR\FM\10OCR1.SGM
10OCR1
59408
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 10, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 3 – 2006 AND 2007 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES
AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2006 A season1
Area and sector
2006 B season1
2006 Allocations
SCA harvest limit2
A season DFA
Bering Sea subarea
CDQ DFA
ICA
AFA Inshore
AFA Catcher/Processors3
Catch by C/Ps
Catch by CVs3
Unlisted C/P Limit4
AFA Motherships
Excessive Harvesting Limit5
Excessive Processing Limit6
Total Bering Sea DFA
B season DFA
1,502,003
150,400
30,967
660,318
528,254
483,353
44,902
2,641
132,064
231,111
396,191
1,471,636
n/a
60,160
n/a
261,148
208,918
191,160
17,758
1,045
52,230
n/a
n/a
582,456
n/a
41,793
n/a
181,626
145,301
n/a
n/a
n/a
36,325
n/a
n/a
405,045
n/a
90,240
n/a
399,170
319,336
292,193
27,144
1,597
79,834
n/a
n/a
888,580
1,997
0
1,100
897
n/a
n/a
400
359
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
0
600
538
10
n/a
n/a
n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea1
CDQ DFA
ICA
Aleut Corporation
Bogoslof District ICA7
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock, after subtraction for the CDQ DFA - 10 percent and the ICA - 3.35 percent,
is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component - 50 percent, catcher/processor component - 40 percent, and mothership component - 10
percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, the A season, January 20 - June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B season, June 10 - November 1, is allocated 60 percent of the DFA. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for
the CDQ directed fishing allowance - 10 percent and second the ICA - 1,800 mt, is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
2 In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining
12 percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent
of the annual DFA is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the pollock
DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the pollock
DFAs.
7 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only, and
are not apportioned by season or sector.
TABLE 10 – 2006 AND 2007 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
Sum of member vessel’s official catch histories 1(mt)
Percentage of inshore
sector allocation
2006 Annual cooperative allocation (mt)
2007 Annual cooperative allocation (mt)
31,145
31.145
205,656
203,186
Arctic Enterprise Association
1,146
1.146
7,566
7,476
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative
8,412
8.412
55,548
54,879
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative
2,876
2.876
18,992
18,763
Unalaska Cooperative
12,191
12.191
80,497
79,533
UniSea Fleet Cooperative
25,324
25.324
167,220
165,211
Westward Fleet Cooperative
18,906
18.906
124,838
123,340
0
0
0
0
875,572
100
660,318
652,388
Cooperative name and member vessels
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Open access AFA vessels
Total inshore allocation
1According
to regulations at § 679.62(e)(1), the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel’s best 2 of 3 years inshore pollock landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes landings to catcher/processors for vessels that made 500 or more mt of landings to catcher/
processors from 1995 through 1997.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:29 Oct 06, 2006
Jkt 211001
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10OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 10, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with RULES
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:29 Oct 06, 2006
Jkt 211001
delay the reallocation of BSAI pollock.
Since the pollock fishery is currently
open, it is important to immediately
inform the industry as to the final
Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to
allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery; allow
the industry to plan for the fishing
season and avoid potential disruption to
the fishing fleet as well as processors;
and provide opportunity to harvest
increased B season pollock allocations
while value is optimum.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30–day delay in the effective
PO 00000
Frm 00047
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
59409
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
This action is required by § 679.20
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 3, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–16674 Filed 10–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
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10OCR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 10, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 59407-59409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16674]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 060216045-6045-01; I.D. 100306D]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut
Corporation's pollock directed fishing allowance (DFA) and the Aleutian
Islands pollock incidental catch allowance (ICA) from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea directed fisheries. These
actions are necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2006
total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock, consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP).
DATES: Effective October 6, 2006, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hogan, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) according to the
FMP prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with
the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2006 pollock
TAC allocated to the Aleut Corporation's DFA is 5,500 metric tons (mt)
and the ICA is 1,800 mt as established by the 2006 and 2007 final
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (71 FR 10894, March
3, 2006) and the reallocation on March 3, 2006 (71 FR 11541, March 8,
2006) and on August 16, 2006 (71 FR 48483, August 21, 2006).
As of October 2, 2006, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that 4,603 mt of Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 700 mt of ICA pollock in the Aleutian Islands
subarea will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS proportionally reallocates 4,603 mt of
Aleut Corporation's DFA and 700 mt of ICA pollock from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the 2006 Bering Sea subarea B season allocations.
As a result, the harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian
Islands subarea included in the harvest specifications for groundfish
in the BSAI (71 FR 48483, August 21, 2006) are revised as follows: 897
mt to Aleut Corporation's DFA and 1,100 mt to ICA pollock. Furthermore,
pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5), Tables 3 and 10 of the 2006 and 2007
final harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (71 FR 48483,
August 21, 2006) are revised for 2006 pollock allocations consistent
with this reallocation. This reallocation results in proportional
adjustments to the 2006 B season Aleut Corporation and ICA pollock
allocations established at Sec. 679.20(a)(5).
[[Page 59408]]
TABLE 3 - 2006 AND 2007 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED
POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)\1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 A season\1\ 2006 B
-------------------- season\1\
Area and sector 2006 SCA ----------
Allocations A season harvest B season
DFA limit\2\ DFA
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea 1,502,003 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA 150,400 60,160 41,793 90,240
ICA 30,967 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore 660,318 261,148 181,626 399,170
AFA Catcher/Processors\3\ 528,254 208,918 145,301 319,336
Catch by C/Ps 483,353 191,160 n/a 292,193
Catch by CVs\3\ 44,902 17,758 n/a 27,144
Unlisted C/P Limit\4\ 2,641 1,045 n/a 1,597
AFA Motherships 132,064 52,230 36,325 79,834
Excessive Harvesting 231,111 n/a n/a n/a
Limit\5\
Excessive Processing 396,191 n/a n/a n/a
Limit\6\
Total Bering Sea DFA 1,471,636 582,456 405,045 888,580
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands subarea\1\ 1,997 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA 0 n/a n/a 0
ICA 1,100 400 n/a 600
Aleut Corporation 897 359 n/a 538
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District ICA\7\ 10 n/a n/a n/a
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea
pollock, after subtraction for the CDQ DFA - 10 percent and the ICA -
3.35 percent, is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component - 50
percent, catcher/processor component - 40 percent, and mothership
component - 10 percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, the A season,
January 20 - June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B
season, June 10 - November 1, is allocated 60 percent of the DFA.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI
pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing
allowance - 10 percent and second the ICA - 1,800 mt, is allocated to
the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI
subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B
season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\ In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's
annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12
percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken
outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28
percent of the annual DFA is not taken inside the SCA before April 1,
the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent
of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available
for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed
catcher/processors.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted
catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent
of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an
excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of
the pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an
excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of
the pollock DFAs.
\7\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications
to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA
only, and are not apportioned by season or sector.
TABLE 10 - 2006 AND 2007 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum of member
vessel's Percentage of 2006 Annual 2007 Annual
Cooperative name and member vessels official catch inshore sector cooperative cooperative
histories allocation allocation (mt) allocation (mt)
\1\(mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association 31,145 31.145 205,656 203,186
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Arctic Enterprise Association 1,146 1.146 7,566 7,476
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative 8,412 8.412 55,548 54,879
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative 2,876 2.876 18,992 18,763
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Unalaska Cooperative 12,191 12.191 80,497 79,533
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
UniSea Fleet Cooperative 25,324 25.324 167,220 165,211
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Westward Fleet Cooperative 18,906 18.906 124,838 123,340
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------
Open access AFA vessels 0 0 0 0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total inshore allocation 875,572 100 660,318 652,388
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\According to regulations at Sec. 679.62(e)(1), the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the
vessel's best 2 of 3 years inshore pollock landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes landings to catcher/
processors for vessels that made 500 or more mt of landings to catcher/processors from 1995 through 1997.
[[Page 59409]]
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and
would delay the reallocation of BSAI pollock. Since the pollock fishery
is currently open, it is important to immediately inform the industry
as to the final Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations. Immediate
notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery; allow the industry to plan for the
fishing season and avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet as
well as processors; and provide opportunity to harvest increased B
season pollock allocations while value is optimum.
The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the
effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is
based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and
opportunity for public comment.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 3, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-16674 Filed 10-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
