NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted the Atlantic DeepSea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Secretarial review and is requesting comments from the public. The FMP is intended to prevent overfishing and maintain fleet capacity appropriate to the resource abundance.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS restores 10,000 lb (4,534 kg) of unused research set- aside to the 2002 black sea bass TAL, and makes corresponding adjustments to the 2002 black sea bass recreational harvest limit and the 2002 Quarter 4 commercial quota. This action complies with Framework Adjustment 1 to Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan

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 2002 Quarter 3 quota period (through September 30, 2002).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the scup commercial quota available in the 2002 Winter II period (November December) to the coastal states from Maine to North Carolina has been harvested. Federally permitted commercial vessels may not land scup in these states for the remainder of the 2002 Winter II quota period (through December 31, 2002). Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues 2002 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery, including total allowable harvest levels (TAL), statebystate commercial quotas, and a recreational harvest limit and possession limit for Atlantic bluefish off the east coast of the United States. The intent of the specifications is to conserve and manage the bluefish resource and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 2day Council meeting on February 26 and 27, 2002, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will be closed effective November 2, 2002. Vessels issued a Federal permit to harvest Loligo squid may not retain or land more than 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of Loligo squid per trip for the remainder of the year. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this interim final rule to implement restrictions under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This interim final rule reduces overfishing on Northeast groundfish stocks through reductions in fishing mortality achieved from measures that include temporal extension of existing area closures, new area closures, new

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Veterans Employment and Training Service

NMFS announces its decision to deny the rulemaking requested in a Petition for Rulemaking submitted by Mr. William R. Palombo, Nippert Fishing Corporation (Petitioner). On January 18, 2002, the Petitioner submitted a Petition requesting that NMFS immediately implement emergency measures to limit entry into the Atlantic hagfish fishery. At present,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this final rule to implement recreational measures for the 2002 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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1A (Area 1A) for fishing year 2002 has been harvested. Therefore, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring harvested from Area 1A per trip or

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the black sea bass commercial quota available in the Quarter 2 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 2002 Quarter 2 quota period (through June 30, 2002). Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this final rule to 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 will enable NMFS to establish final adjusted quotas before the beginning of each fishing year on January

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 13 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Secretarial review and is requesting comments from the public. Amendment 13 is intended to revise the quota management program for the black sea bass commercial

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1A (Area 1A) for the first seasonal period of the fishing year 2002 has been harvested. Therefore, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring harvested

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3day Council meeting from September 10 through September 12, 2002, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS (NOAA Fisheries) adjusts the 2002 Winter II commercial scup quota. This action complies with a provision of the commercial quota management program established by the Fishery Management Plan for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries (FMP). Scup landings in excess of the quota allocated for the prior year's Winter II quota

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes specifications for the 2003 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 of the species and to provide an opportunity for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS publishes this interim final rule to amend the regulations governing the Northeast multispecies fishery to bring them into compliance with a Court Order. On May 23, 2002, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Court) issued an Order in Conservation Law Foundation, et al. v. Evans, et al., which granted the motions for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 2day Council meeting on March 19 and 20, 2002, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes quotas for the Atlantic surfclam, ocean quahog, and Maine mahogany ocean quahog fisheries for 2003. Regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for Surf Clams and Ocean Quahog Fisheries require NMFS to propose for public comment specifications for the 2003 fishing year. The intent of this action is to propose allowable

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues final quotas for the Atlantic surf clam, ocean quahog, and Maine mahogany ocean quahog fisheries for 2002. These quotas specify allowable harvest levels of Atlantic surf clams and ocean quahogs from the exclusive economic zone and an allowable harvest level of Maine mahogany ocean quahogs from the waters north of 43 deg. 50'N. lat. in

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 2002, unless additional quota becomes available through a

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is suspending the haddock daily trip limit for the groundfish fishery. The Regional Administrator has projected that less than 75 percent of the haddock target total allowable catch (TAC) will be harvested for the 2002 fishing year under the restrictive daily

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that commercial quota is available to allow the directed fishery for Loligo squid to reopen. Vessels issued a Federal moratorium permit to harvest Loligo squid in excess of the incidental catch allowance may resume landing of Loligo squid effective 0001 hours, December 2, 2002, through 0001 hours, December 12, 2002. The intent of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration