NMFS announces that the 2007 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New York has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New York for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia is transferring 150,000 lb (68,039 kg) of commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2007 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS restores 18,142 lb (8.23 mt) of unused research set-aside (RSA) to the 2007 black sea bass TAL and 151,235 lb (68.60 mt) of unused RSA to the Loligo squid IOY, and makes corresponding adjustments to the 2007 black sea bass commercial quota, the 2007 black sea bass recreational harvest limit, and the 2007 Loligo squid commercial Trimester II

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the 2007 Atlantic bluefish commercial quota allocated to the State of New York has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the Atlantic bluefish fishery may not land bluefish in New York for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from

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, April 13, 2007. 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 trimester (through April 30, 2007). This

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes regulations to implement the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) Omnibus Amendment (SBRM Amendment) to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) of the Northeast Region, developed by the MidAtlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (Councils). The SBRM Amendment would establish an SBRM for all 13 Northeast Region

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes 2008 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 2008 harvest levels and possession limits to

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This action reinstates a temporary final rule published on October 18, 2005. The regulations contained in the temporary rule, emergency action, published on October 18, 2005, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that were subsequently extended on December 28, 2005, and again on June 30, 2006, expire on December 31,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold hearings to allow for public input on Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery (FMP).

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS suspends the minimum size limit of 4.75 inches (120 mm) for Atlantic surfclams for the 2008 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 proposes 2007 fishing year (FY) Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for Georges Bank (GB) cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder in the U.S./Canada Management Area, as recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). These TACs may be adjusted during FY 2007, if NMFS determines that the harvest of these stocks in FY 2006

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Area (NLCA) will close to general category scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2007 scallop fishing year. This action is based on the determination that 394 general category scallop trips into the NLCA are projected to be taken as of 0001 hr local time, July 8, 2007. This action is

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the State of Delaware is transferring commercial bluefish quota to the State of Rhode Island from its 2007 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Framework Adjustment (FW) 42 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) created the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Fixed Gear Sector (Fixed Gear Sector) and authorized allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual GB cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the Fixed Gear Sector. Pursuant to that authorization, a representative of the Fixed

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the 2007 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of 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
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calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This rule corrects and clarifies a number of inadvertent errors, omissions, and ambiguities in the regulations implemented by recent actions taken under the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan (FMP), including Amendment 5, Framework Adjustment (FW) 38, Amendment 13, FW 40A, FW 41, and FW 42. The measures corrected or clarified by

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is implementing, through this emergency rule, revised summer flounder total allowable landings (TAL) for the 2007 fishing year. This emergency rule specifies allowed harvest limits for both the commercial and recreational summer flounder fisheries. The TAL contained within this emergency rule supersedes the previous harvest limits for summer

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is proposing to allocate zero trips in the Closed Area (CA) II Yellowtail Flounder Special Access Program (SAP) during the 2007 fishing year (FY) (i.e., May 1, 2007, through April 30, 2008). The Regional Administrator has determined that the available catch of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The current regulations governing the Northeast (NE) multispecies fishery contain a number of inadvertent errors, omissions, and ambiguities, including some that may appear to be inconsistent with the measures adopted by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) and approved by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) in recent actions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Elephant Trunk Scallop Access Area (ETAA) will close to general category scallop vessels until it reopens on March 1, 2008. This action is based on the determination that 865 general category scallop trips into the ETAA are projected to be taken as of 0001 hr local time, March 15, 2007. This action is being taken to prevent

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area (CAI) will close to general category scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2007 scallop fishing year. This action is based on the determination that 216 general category scallop trips into CAI are projected to be taken as of 0001 hr local time, July 15, 2007. This action is being taken

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the 2007 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Amendment 13 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 13) authorized allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual Georges Bank (GB) cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the GB Cod Hook Sector (Sector). Pursuant to that authorization, the Sector has submitted an Operations Plan and Sector Contract entitled,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces the closure of the scup commercial coastwide fishery from Maine through North Carolina for the Summer Period. Regulations governing the scup fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina that this quota has been harvested and to advise Federal vessel permit holders

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes 2008 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB). This action also proposes to modify existing management measures. Specifically, it would clarify gear requirements for the Loligo squid fishery, standardize procedures for closing the Atlantic mackerel (mackerel) and butterfish fisheries,

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration