The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3day Council meeting on September 25 through 27, 2001, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the summer flounder commercial quota available to the State of Rhode Island has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in Rhode Island for the remainder of calendar year 2001, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes specifications for the spiny dogfish fishery for the 2001 fishing year, which is May 1, 2001, through April 30, 2002. To enhance atsea enforcement, this rule also proposes a revision to the current trip limits that would specify them as possession limits with the provision that these levels be the maximum amount of spiny dogfish that

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the black sea bass commercial quota available in the quarter 4 period to the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina has been harvested. Commercial vessels may not land black sea bass in these states north of 35 deg.15.3' N. lat. for the remainder of the 2001 quarter 4 quota period (through December 31, 2001).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the period 2 spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida has been harvested. Federally permitted commercial vessels may no longer land spiny dogfish for the duration of period 2 (through April 30, 2002). Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this interim final rule to amend regulations implemented through emergency interim rule for the Atlantic deepsea red crab (Chaceon quinquedens) (red crab) fishery. This interim final rule revises the conversion factor for determining equivalent live weight of landings where red crab are landed in a butchered state. The intent of this

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for the second quarter of the year is closed. Vessels issued a Federal permit to harvest Loligo squid may not retain or land more than 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) per trip per calendar day of Loligo squid for the remainder of the quarter. This action is necessary

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the State of Florida have transferred a total of 700,000 lb (317,515 kg) of commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina from their respective 2001 quotas. NMFS has adjusted the quotas and announces the revised commercial quotas of Atlantic bluefish for each

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this interim final rule to establish a voluntary fishing capacity reduction program (FCRP) for the Northeast multispecies fishery that permanently removes multispecies limited access fishing permits. Permit holders who would like to participate may submit bids, which will be ranked based on the amount of the bid and an estimate of the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes regulations to implement the Fishery Management Plan for Tilefish (FMP). The FMP was developed by the MidAtlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and would initiate management of golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) pursuant to the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Stevens Act). The

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold several public meetings, including a 3day Council meeting, on January 23, 24, and 25, 2001, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). During this period, the Council's Enforcement, Red Crab and MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes specifications for the 2002 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The implementing regulations for the Fishery Management Plan for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries (FMP) require NMFS to publish specifications for the upcoming fishing year for each fishery and to provide an opportunity for public

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the black sea bass commercial quota available in the quarter 3 period to the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina has been harvested. Commercial vessels may not land black sea bass in these states north of 35 deg.15.3' N. lat. for the remainder of the 2001 quarter 3 quota period (through September 30, 2001).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS recently announced its intention to prepare SEISs in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for the EFH components for both the Northeast Multispecies FMP and Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP. NMFS will accept written comments to determine the range of management alternatives to be addressed in the SEISs to describe and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

On May 11, 2001, NMFS published final regulations implementing Framework 14 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). One of the measures implemented in the final rule was the continuation of the Hudson Canyon South and Virginia Beach Area closures originally implemented in 1998 and extended through August 8, 2001, through an

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes a regulatory amendment that would establish cut- off dates for using landings data from the commercial summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries to calculate quota overages. The establishment of landings cutoff dates for these fisheries would enable NMFS to establish final adjusted quotas before the beginning of the fishing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 2day Council meeting, on May 2 and May 3, 2001, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS suspends the minimum size limit of 4.75 inches (12.07 cm) for Atlantic surf clams for the 2002 fishing year. This action is taken under the authority of the implementing regulations for this fishery, which allow for the annual suspension of the minimum size limit based upon set criteria. The intended effect is to relieve the industry from a

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia has transferred a total of 100,000 lb (45,372 kg) of commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York for 2001. NMFS has adjusted the quotas and announces the revised commercial quotas for Virginia and New York. This action is permitted under the regulations implementing the Fishery Management

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this final rule to implement measures contained in Framework Adjustment 2 to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This final rule modifies the mechanism for specifying the annual management measures for the summer flounder recreational fishery by implementing a management system that will either

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes recreational measures for the 2001 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The implementing regulations for these fisheries require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the upcoming fishing year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of these measures is to prevent overfishing of the summer

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the summer flounder commercial quota available to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in Massachusetts for the remainder of calendar year 2001, unless additional quota becomes available through a

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) announce their intent to prepare Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and to prepare an SEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to analyze the impacts of any proposed management measures on the human environment. The Councils,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3day Council meeting on November 6 through 8, 2001, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes 2001 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery, including a total allowable harvest level (TAL), stateby state commercial quotas, and recreational harvest limits and possession limits for Atlantic bluefish off the east coast of the United States. The intent of the specifications is to conserve and manage the bluefish resource

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration