[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30182-30183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15114]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 285

[I.D. 060596A]


Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Bluefin Tuna Adjustments

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Bluefin tuna catch limit adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS takes this inseason action to reopen the Angling category 
fishery for large school and small medium Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (ABT) 
and to adjust daily catch limits for the Angling category fishery to 
one fish per angler, which may be from the school or large school size 
class, and, in addition, one fish per vessel from the small medium size 
class ABT. This action is being taken to lengthen the fishing season 
and ensure reasonable fishing opportunities in all geographic areas 
without risking overharvest of this category.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The daily catch limit adjustment is effective June 18, 
1996, through December 31, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Hogarth, 301-713-2347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the authority 
of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) governing 
the harvest of ABT by persons and vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction 
are found at 50 CFR part 285.
    Implementing regulations for the Atlantic tuna fisheries at 
Sec. 285.24 allow for inseason adjustments to the daily catch limits in 
order to lengthen the fishing season and ensure reasonable fishing 
opportunities for all geographic areas. The Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA, may increase or reduce the per-angler catch limit for 
any size class bluefin tuna or may change the per-angler limit to a 
per-boat limit or a per-boat limit to a per-angler limit.
    The 1996 quota of ABT allocated to the Angling category has been 
adjusted to 243 metric tons (mt) by a final rule effective June 18, 
1996. The portion of this recreational catch that may be taken in large 
school and small medium ABT is 100 mt. As of June 5, 1996, preliminary 
estimates of recreational fishery landings of ABT between 47 inches 
(119 cm) and 73 inches (185 cm) total 60 mt. Due to earlier projections 
on ABT catch by this fishing category, the daily catch limit for ABT 
was set at one fish per vessel per day (61 FR 8223, March 4, 1996), and 
subsequently, the fishery for large school and small medium ABT was 
closed (61 FR 11336, March 20, 1996).
    With the adjusted quota for the Angling category and the revised 
catch estimates, sufficient quota remains to exercise the regulatory 
authority for inseason adjustments to reopen the large school/small 
medium category. In addition, the daily catch limit for ABT is adjusted 
to one fish per angler, which may be from the school or large school 
size class, and one small medium size class ABT may be landed per 
vessel.
    Fishing for, retention, possessing, or landing large medium or 
giant ABT by vessels in the Angling category or Charter/Headboat 
category was previously closed (61 FR 8223, March 4, 1996) to prevent 
overharvest of the quota established for that category. This

[[Page 30183]]

current action has no effect on that prior closure. Recreational 
anglers may continue to fish for large medium and giant ABT under the 
NMFS tag-and-release program (Sec. 285.27).
    Subsequent adjustments to the daily catch limit, if any, shall be 
announced through publication in the Federal Register. In addition, 
anglers may call the Highly Migratory Species Information Line at 301-
713-1279 for updates on quota monitoring and catch limit adjustments. 
Anglers aboard Charter/Headboat and General category vessels, when 
engaged in recreational fishing for school, large school, and small 
medium ABT, are subject to the same rules as anglers aboard Angling 
category vessels.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 285.20(b) and 50 CFR 285.22 and 
is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.

    Dated: June 10, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-15114 Filed 6-11-96; 9:47 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P