[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55926-55927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27784]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 285

[I.D. 102196B]


Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Adjustments

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

ACTION: Fishery reopening.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has determined that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT) 
General category quota, as adjusted, has not been reached. Therefore, 
NMFS reopens the General category fishery for large medium and giant 
ABT for all areas for one additional day. Closure of this one day 
fishery will be strictly enforced. Subsequent to this closure, the 
General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for areas 
inside the New York Bight will remain open until the set-aside quota is 
reached. This action is being taken to extend scientific data 
collection on certain size classes of ABT while preventing overharvest 
of the adjusted subquotas for the affected fishing categories.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The General category fishery for large medium and giant 
ABT will open for all areas beginning Sunday, October 27, at 1 a.m. 
local time and close on Sunday, October 27, at 11:30 p.m. local time. 
The General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for areas 
inside the New York Bight will remain open until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kelly, 301-713-2347, or Mark 
Murray-Brown, 508-281-9260.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the

[[Page 55927]]

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. Section 285.22 subdivides 
the U.S. quota recommended by the International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas among the various domestic fishing 
categories.
    NMFS is required, under Sec. 285.20(b)(1), to monitor the catch and 
landing statistics and, on the basis of these statistics, to project a 
date when the catch of ABT will equal the quota and publish a Federal 
Register announcement to close the applicable fishery.

General Category Reopening

    Implementing regulations for the Atlantic tuna fisheries at 
Sec. 285.22 provide for a quota of 541 mt of large medium and giant ABT 
to be harvested from the regulatory area by vessels fishing under the 
General category quota during calendar year 1996. The General category 
ABT quota is further subdivided into monthly quotas to provide for 
broad temporal and geographic distribution of scientific data 
collection and fishing opportunities.
    NMFS previously adjusted the General category October subquota to 
60 mt for all areas outside the New York Bight and announced a closure 
date of October 2, 1996 (61 FR 50765, September 27, 1996). NMFS 
subsequently adjusted the General category October subquota by 
transferring 30 mt from the Incidental longline category under the 
authority of implementing regulations at 50 CFR 285.22(f) (61 FR 53677, 
October 15, 1996). Thus, the October General category quota was 
adjusted to 90 mt, with an additional 10 mt reserved for the New York 
Bight, and the General category fishery was reopened for areas outside 
the New York Bight for one day on October 11, 1996. The full 90 mt 
October General category quota was not taken as of the closure on 
October 11, 1996, so NMFS reopened the General category fishery for one 
day on October 21, 1996 (61 FR 55119, October 24, 1996). Due to poor 
weather conditions, fishing effort was minimal and NMFS has determined 
that the full 90 mt October General category quota still has not been 
taken as of the closure on October 21, 1996. Therefore, NMFS reopens 
the General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for all 
areas for one day on October 27, 1996. Closure of this one day fishery 
will be strictly enforced and remaining quota, if any, will be held in 
reserve for the General category in 1997 or, if necessary, other 
fishing categories in 1996.
    The New York Bight set-aside is not affected by this action and the 
General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for areas 
inside the New York Bight will remain open until the set-aside quota is 
reached. However, during this one day opening, on October 27, 1996, 
large medium and giant ABT harvested and landed in the New York Bight 
area will not be counted against the New York Bight set-aside quota, 
but will be counted against the 90 mt quota for the October General 
category fishery.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 285.20(b), 50 CFR 285.22, and 50 
CFR 285.24 and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: October 24, 1996.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-27784 Filed 10-25-96; 12:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F