NMFS reopens the comment period on the proposed rule to implement 2008 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB) fisheries for 7 days.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces a decrease in the Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder trip limit to 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) for NE multispecies daysat sea (DAS) vessels fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area. This action is authorized by the regulations implementing Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and is intended to prevent

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 9 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 9), incorporating the public hearing document and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), for review by the Secretary of Commerce and is

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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 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

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

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 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 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 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 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

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 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 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 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

NMFS announces that the State of Florida is transferring 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 is implementing approved measures contained in Amendment 11 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). Amendment 11 was developed by the Council to control the capacity of the open access general category fleet. Amendment 11 establishes a new management program

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : Veterans Affairs Department

This proposed rule provides interested parties an opportunity to comment on the proposed Sector Operations Plan and Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) prior to final approval or disapproval of the Sector Operations Plan and allocation of Georges Bank (GB) cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the Fixed Gear Sector for fishing year (FY) 2008.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes 2008 fishing year (FY) Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for Eastern Georges Bank (GB) cod, Eastern GB haddock, and GB 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 2008, if NMFS determines that the harvest of these

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This final rule implements the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Fixed Gear Sector (Fixed Gear Sector) Fishing Year (FY) 2008 Operations Plan and Agreement, approved by the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), and allocates a hard total allowable catch (TAC) of GB cod to the Fixed Gear Sector. Framework 42 (FW 42) to the NE

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS is proposing to implement 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 would implement revised biological

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 Fulltime tier 2 permit category for the 2008 fishing year will be harvested on May 8, 2008. Therefore, commercial vessels fishing under the tilefish Full time Tier 2 permit may not harvest tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

This action implements 2008 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (MSB) and modifies existing management measures. Specifically, it clarifies gear requirements for the Loligo squid fishery, standardizes procedures for closing the Atlantic mackerel (mackerel) and butterfish fisheries, modifies

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Georges Bank (GB) Cod Hook Sector (Hook Sector) has submitted an Operations Plan and Sector Contract entitled, ``Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Fishing Year 20082009 Operations Plan and Agreement'' (together referred to as the Sector Agreement), and an Environmental Assessment (EA), and has requested an allocation of GB cod, consistent with the

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NMFS proposes to allocate zero trips in 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). This action is based on a determination that the available catch of Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder is insufficient to support a minimum level of

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE : National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration