[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 6, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 57340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28573]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 285

[I.D. 103096A]


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 three days. Closure of this three 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 DATES: The General category fishery for large medium and 
giant ABT will open for all areas beginning Saturday, November 2, at 1 
a.m. local time and close on Monday, November 4, 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 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. Since the quota adjustment, NMFS has reopened the General 
category fishery for areas outside the New York Bight for one day on 
three occasions (61 FR 53677, October 15, 1996, 61 FR 55119, October 
24, 1996, and 61 FR 55926, October 30, 1996). Due to various reasons, 
such as weather and fishing success, the full 90 mt October General 
category quota still has not been taken. Therefore NMFS reopens the 
General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for all areas 
for three days, November 2-4, 1996. Closure of this three day fishery 
will be strictly enforced.
    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 three day opening, November 2-4, 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 remaining quota for the General 
category fishery.
    Analysis of landings data for 1992-1995 indicate that total 
landings for the Incidental Longline categories for November and 
December have been small. Additionally, the purse seiners have stopped 
fishing for ABT prior to the 251 mt Purse Seine category quota being 
taken. Therefore, given the above information, the reopening of the 
General category is not expected to result in the total 1996 ABT quota 
being exceeded.

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: November 1, 1996.
Richard Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-28573 Filed 11-1-96; 2:26 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F