[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 27, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-23781] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: September 27, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE [Docket No. 940964-4264; I.D. 081594C] Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) no longer believes that the Atlantic mackerel fishery will require the imposition of some type of limited-entry management system. Therefore, August 13, 1992, is no longer considered a control date for entry into the Atlantic mackerel fishery. EFFECTIVE DATE: September 27, 1994. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Resource Policy Analyst, 508-281-9104. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of its preliminary deliberation of Amendment 5 to Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic mackerel, Loligo and Illex squid, and butterfish fisheries (FMP), the Council considered limited-entry management measures designed to address overfishing and overcapitalization in these fisheries. A notice announcing an August 13, 1992, control date for each of the three fisheries was published in the Federal Register (57 FR 36384, August 13, 1992). The intent of that notice was to promote public awareness of potential eligibility criteria for access to those fisheries and possible imposition of some form of limited-entry management regime. Recent information regarding levels of biomass, fishing effort, and catch was presented to the Council on July 13, 1994. This information indicated that harvest levels for the squid and butterfish fisheries are approaching allowable biological catch levels. Further, the combination of increased demand, constant production capacity, and decreasing biomass demonstrates that the possibility of overfishing and overcapitalization in these fisheries persists. To address this potential, the Council is still considering a limited-entry system. Thus, a control date continues to be necessary to discourage additional entry. The Council and NMFS believe that the previously announced August 13, 1992, control date is appropriate for the squid and butterfish fisheries. The data also indicated that Atlantic mackerel catch and fishing effort decreased in 1993 and 1994 while stock size remained fairly constant. Further, stock biomass estimates are extremely high. Due to these facts, the Council believes that the Atlantic mackerel fishery will not require a limited-entry management system in the near future. Therefore, NMFS announces the recision of the August 13, 1992, control date with respect to this fishery. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: September 21, 1994. Gary Matlock, Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 94-23781 Filed 9-26-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F