NMFS is implementing approved measures contained in Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 13 was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to end overfishing and rebuild NE multispecies (groundfish) stocks managed under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Veterans Affairs Department

NMFS responds to a NMFS announces its decision not to undertake the rulemaking requested in a Petition for Rulemaking (Petition) submitted by the Fisheries Survival Fund (FSF) and the Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) (Petitioners) , that requesteding that that NMFS develop and implement an emergency rule pursuant to the MagnusonStevens

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes measures contained in a regulatory amendment to modify the existing reporting and recordkeeping regulations for federally permitted seafood dealers participating in the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, Atlantic sea scallop, Northeast (NE) multispecies, monkfish, Atlantic mackerel, squid, butterfish, Atlantic surfclam, ocean

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces receipt of a petition for rulemaking from the Fisheries Survival Fund (FSF) and the Garden State Seafood Association (GSSA) (Petitioners), both of which represent participants in the commercial fishing industry. The Petitioners request that NMFS develop and implement an emergency rule pursuant to the MagnusonStevens Fishery

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 March 5, 2004. 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 quarter (through March 31, 2004). This action is

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Illex squid in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be closed effective 0001 hours, September 21, 2004. Vessels issued a Federal permit to harvest Illex squid may not retain or land more than 10,000 lb (4.54 mt) of Illex squid per trip for the remainder of the year (through December 31, 2004). This

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces final specifications for the 2004-2005 spiny dogfish fishery. These measures are specified to rebuild the spiny dogfish resource. The intent of this action is to specify the commercial quota for the spiny dogfish fishery to achieve the annual target fishing mortality rate (F) specified in the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan

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 2004 is projected to be harvested by November 19, 2004. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, November 19, 2004, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes measures contained in Framework Adjustment 4 (Framework 4) to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) that would allow for the transfer at sea of scup between commercial fishing vessels, and clarify the circumstances under which a vessel must operate with the specified mesh. Regulations regarding

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues this final rule to implement recreational measures for the 2004 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The intent of these measures is to prevent overfishing of the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass resources.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS publishes revised 2004 commercial quotas for summer flounder. This action is necessary to comply with the regulatory provision that requires the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) to correct erroneous landings data that factored into an overage deduction. The intent of this action is to provide fishermen the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual total allowable landing (TAL) available to the Parttime category has been harvested. Commercial vessels fishing under the Parttime tilefish category may not harvest tilefish from within the golden tilefish management unit for the remainder of the 2004 fishing year (through October 31,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This document contains a correction to the final rule implementing Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) published on April 27, 2004. Because publication of the Amendment 13 final rule followed publication of the Electronic Dealer Reporting (EDR) final rule, Sec. 648.7 of Amendment 13 unintentionally superceded Sec.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes quotas for the Atlantic surfclam, ocean quahog, and Maine mahogany ocean quahog fisheries for 20052007. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to publish the proposed specifications for the 20052007 fishing years and seek public comment on such proposed measures. The intent of this action is to propose allowable harvest

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes regulations to implement measures in Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 13 was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to end overfishing and rebuild NE multispecies (groundfish) stocks managed under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Treasury Department

NMFS announces approval of an Operations Plan and Sector Contract titled ``Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Operations Plan and Agreement'' (Sector Agreement), and the associated allocation of GB cod, consistent with regulations implementing Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery
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Management Plan (FMP). The intent is to allow

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes specifications for the spiny dogfish fishery for the 2004 fishing year, which is May 1, 2004, through April 30, 2005. The implementing regulations for the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) require NMFS to publish specifications for the upcoming fishing year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS suspends the minimum size limit of 4.75 inches (12.07 cm) for Atlantic surfclams for the 2005 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