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 continue landing Loligo squid as of April 27, 2006 effective date of this notice. The intent of this action is to allow for

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the semiannual quota period, May 1, 2006 October 31, 2006, has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, September 25, 2006, federally permitted commercial vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues 2006 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery, including statebystate commercial quotas, a recreational harvest limit, and recreational possession limits for Atlantic bluefish off the east coast of the United States. The intent of these specifications is to establish the allowable 2006 harvest levels and possession limits to

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to modify the regulations implementing the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to allow vessels issued either a General Category Atlantic sea scallop permit or a limited access sea scallop permit, when not fishing under a scallop daysatsea (DAS) limitation, to fish for scallops with small dredges (combined width

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS withdraws the proposed rule published on September 6, 2006, which proposed an increase in the annual tilefish total allowable landings (TAL) for the remainder of the 10year stock rebuilding period. Thus, the previously established annual tilefish TAL of 1.995 million lb (905 mt) remains in effect.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that it is considering, and is seeking public comment on, proposed rulemaking to control future access to the open access charter and party boat (charter/party) fishery in the NE multispecies fishery if a management regime is developed and implemented under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MagnusonStevens

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS implements Framework Adjustment 43 (Framework 43) to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which addresses the incidental catch of NE multispecies by vessels fishing for Atlantic herring by establishing a Herring Exempted Fishery. Vessels issued a Category 1 Atlantic herring fishing permit (Category 1 vessels) are authorized to

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2007 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. This final rule specifies allowed harvest limits for both commercial and recreational fisheries, including commercial scup possession limits. This action prohibits federally permitted commercial vessels from
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landing summer flounder in

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

On April 13, 2006, an interim final rule to implement an emergency action for the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was published in the Federal Register. The interim final rule was published with several inadvertent errors and unclear language, including the omission of the observer notice requirement for vessels

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to amend the regulations governing how fishing net mesh size is measured in the Northeast. This proposed change would increase the weight used to measure mesh larger than 120 mm (4.72 inches) in all fisheries. The intent of this proposed rule is to ensure consistent and accurate measurements of fishing net mesh size.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is modifying the Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder trip limit from 1,500 lb (680.4 kg) per day up to a maximum of 15,000 lb (6,804.1 kg) per trip, to 15,000 lb (6,804.1 kg) per trip with no daily limit, for NE multispecies daysatsea (DAS) vessels

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the 577 allowed trips for general category scallop vessels into the Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Area (NLCA) are projected to be taken by 0001 hr local time, July 13, 2006. The area will be closed to general category vessels until it reopens on June 15, 2007. This action is being taken to prevent the allocation of general

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the quota for the tilefish Parttime permit category has been exceeded for fishing year (FY) 2006, requiring an adjustment of the Parttime permit category quota for FY 2007. This
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action complies with the Fishery Management Plan

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS implements this interim final rule pursuant to its authority to issue emergency measures under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MagnusonStevens Act). This emergency action implements measures intended to reduce immediately the fishing mortality rate (F) on certain groundfish species to prevent overfishing and

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Veterans Affairs Department

NMFS announces that the summer flounder commercial quota available to Connecticut has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in Connecticut for the remainder of calendar year 2006, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer. Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is developing Amendment 14 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP to implement a rebuilding plan to rebuild the scup stock to the stock level associated with maximum sustainable yield (BMSY) and make the scup Gear Restricted Areas (GRAs) currently addressed and modified through

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The following 2006 fishing year (FY) Total Allowable Catches (TACs) are implemented for the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Hard (i.e., the fishery or area closes when a TAC is reached) TACs for Eastern Georges Bank (GB) cod, Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder in the U.S./Canada Management Area; target TACs

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes regulations to implement measures in Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 1 was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to establish a limited access program, and to make other changes in the management of the Atlantic herring fishery. The Amendment 1 measures being

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes a temporary emergency rule under the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MagnusonStevens Act) to implement measures intended to immediately reduce the fishing mortality rate (F) on specific groundfish species to prevent overfishing and maintain the rebuilding program of the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

NMFS announces final specifications for the 2006-2008 fishing years, which is May 1, 2006, through April 30, 2009. NMFS is also establishing possession limits for dogfish at 600 lb (272 kg) for both quota periods 1 and 2 of the fishery.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils) will convene public hearings and seek public comment on a draft amendment to all the fishery management plans (FMPs) under their purview. The omnibus amendment would establish standardized bycatch reporting methodology (SBRM) for each FMP, as required under the MagnusonStevens

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 0001 hours, May 23, 2006. Vessels issued a Federal permit to harvest Loligo squid may not retain or land more than 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of Loligo squid per trip for the remainder of the quarter (through June 30, 2006). This

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Framework Adjustment (FW) 42 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and FW 3 to the Monkfish FMP propose creation of the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Fixed Gear Sector (Fixed Gear Sector). If approved in FW 42/FW 3, the Fixed Gear Sector would be eligible for an annual allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual GB cod total

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the semiannual quota period, November 1, 2006 April 30 , 2007, has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, December 19, 2006, federally permitted commercial vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the annual quota for the Maine mahogany quahog fishery has been harvested. Commercial vessels operating under a limited access Maine mahogany quahog permit may not harvest Maine mahogany quahogs from the Maine mahogany quahog zone for the remainder of the fishing year (through December 31, 2006). Regulations governing the Maine

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration