NMFS is implementing approved management measures contained in 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 establishes an SBRM for all

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the 2008 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 2008, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring 28,045 lb (12,721 kg) of commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia from its 2008 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

On May 23, 2008, NMFS published a final rule implementing the recreational management measures for the 2008 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The final rule contains several errors throughout the preamble. This document corrects those errors.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes 2009 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB). This action proposes to maintain quotas for Atlantic mackerel (mackerel), Illex squid (Illex), and butterfish at the same levels as 2008, while increasing the quota for Loligo squid (Loligo). Additionally, this action proposes to increase

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes management measures for the 2008 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. The implementing regulations for these fisheries require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the 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

On July 1, 2008, a final rule to implement Amendment 9 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was published in the Federal Register. The final rule was published with one error. Instead of revising the introductory text for the regulations describing squid and butterfish moratorium permits, the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that 100 percent of the Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder Total Allowable Catch (TAC) has been harvested, and that the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is prohibiting the harvest, possession, and landing of GB yellowtail flounder by all federally permitted vessels within the entire U.S./Canada

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) has authorized the use of an additional type of fishing gear for use by vessels fishing under a Northeast (NE) multispecies Category A DayatSea (DAS) in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area. This action is authorized by the regulations implementing Amendment 13 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 create three Scallop Exemptions that are identical to the current scallop exemptions, except for the addition of an incidental monkfish catch limit. These new scallop exemptions would be restricted to vessels issued either a

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has allocated zero trips to the Closed Area (CA) II Yellowtail Flounder Special Access Program (SAP) during the 2008 fishing year (FY) (i.e., May 1, 2008, through April 30, 2009). The Regional Administrator has determined that the available catch of Georges

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is announcing the termination of the revised and expanded Northern Temporary Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) Closure Area, which became effective on July 2, 2008, and the return of the Northern and Southern Temporary PSP Closure Areas to their boundaries, previously implemented on January 1, 2008, and effective through December 31, 2008.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes regulations to approve and implement Framework Adjustment 19 (Framework 19) to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) which was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). Framework 19 proposes the following management measures for the scallop fishery: Limited access scallop fishery

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces the closure of the Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Area (NLCA) to scallop vessels until June 15, 2010. This closure is based on a determination by the Northeast Regional Administrator (RA) that scallop vessels will have caught the yellowtail flounder (yellowtail) total allowable catch (TAC) for the NLCA on August 3, 2008.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, [[Page 2185]]
NMFS (Regional Administrator), is decreasing the Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder trip limit to 1,500 lb (680 kg) for NE multispecies daysatsea (DAS) vessels fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area. This action is authorized by the regulations implementing Amendment

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is correcting regulatory text implementing measures that were
[[Page 54736]]
approved as part of Framework Adjustment 19 (Framework 19) to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). This correction specifies the September 1 through October 1 Elephant

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS approves and implements new management measures for the monkfish fishery recommended in Framework Adjustment 5 (Framework 5) to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which has been submitted jointly by the New England (NEFMC) and MidAtlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils). This action approves and implements revised biological

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This action modifies the regulations implementing the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to create three NE Multispecies Scallop Exemptions that are identical to the current scallop exemptions, except for the addition of an incidental monkfish catch limit. These new scallop exemptions are restricted to vessels issued either

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, 2009 under current regulations. 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 13, 2008. This action

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the 2008 summer flounder commercial quota allocated 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 2008, unless additional quota becomes available

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is specifying the final quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2008, 2009, and 2010. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to publish the final quota specifications for the 20082010 fishing years. The intent of this action is to implement final specifications for allowable harvest levels of Atlantic

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Scallop Fishery will close to individual fishing quota (IFQ) scallop vessels until it reopens on December 1, 2008, under current regulations. This action is based on the determination that the third quarter scallop total allowable catch (TAC) for LAGC IFQ scallop vessels (including

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual total allowable landings (TAL) available to the tilefish Parttime permit category for the 2008 fishing year has been harvested. Therefore, commercial vessels fishing under the Parttime tilefish category may not harvest tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit for the

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 announces the reduction of the scup coastwide commercial possession limit from Maine through North Carolina for the Winter I period. Regulations governing the scup fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina that 80 percent of the commercial quota allocated to the Winter I

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration