[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16345-16346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7513]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 991228354-0078-02; I.D. 032100C]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of Fishery for Loligo Squid

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in 
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is closed. Vessels issued a Federal 
permit to harvest Loligo squid may not retain or land more than 2,500 
lb (1.13 mt) per trip of Loligo squid for the remainder of Quota Period 
I. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding the 
Period I quota and allow for rebuilding of this overfished stock, while 
allowing for fishing throughout the year.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, March 25, 2000, through 0001 hours, May 1, 
2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
508-281-9104, fax 978-281-9135, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Loligo squid 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specifications for initial optimum yield as well as the amounts for 
allowable biological catch, domestic annual harvest (DAH), domestic 
annual processing, joint venture processing, and total allowable levels 
of foreign fishing for the species managed under the Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan. The procedures for 
setting the annual initial specifications are described at Sec. 648.21.
    The 2000 specification of DAH for Loligo squid was set at 13,000 mt 
as part of the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish specifications 
published elsewhere in the Rules section of today's Federal Register. 
This amount is allocated among three quota periods as indicated in the 
following table.

[[Page 16346]]



                Table 2.--Loligo Quota Period Allocations
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                                                                  Metric
                     Quota Period                       Percent    Tons
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I (Jan-Apr)...........................................     42      5,460
II (May-Aug)..........................................     18      2,340
III (Sep-Dec).........................................     40      5,200
ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½
Total.................................................    100     13,000
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    Section 648.22 requires NMFS to close the directed Loligo squid 
fishery in the EEZ when 90 percent of the DAH for Loligo squid is 
harvested in either Period I or II, or 95 percent is harvested in 
Period III. NMFS is further required to notify, in advance of the 
closure, the Executive Directors of the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and 
South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils; mail notification of the 
closure to all holders of Loligo squid permits at least 72 hours before 
the effective date of the closure; provide adequate notice of the 
closure to recreational participants in the fishery; and publish 
notification of the closure in the Federal Register. NMFS has 
determined, based on vessel and dealer logbook data, that 90 percent of 
the DAH for Loligo squid in Period I has been harvested. Therefore, 
effective 0001 hours, March 25, 2000, the directed fishery for Loligo 
squid is closed and vessels issued Federal permits for Loligo squid may 
not retain or land more than 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) per trip. The directed 
fishery will reopen effective 0001 hours, May 1, 2000, which marks the 
beginning of Quota Period II.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: March 22, 2000.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-7513 Filed 3-22-00; 4:30 pm]
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