[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]


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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.

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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