[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 3, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 44570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16713]



[[Page 44570]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 020313058-2094-02; I.D. 062702E]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Spiny Dogfish 
Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for Period 1

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

ACTION: Closure; commercial quota for period 1.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the period 1 spiny dogfish commercial 
quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida has 
been harvested. Federally permitted commercial vessels may no longer 
land spiny dogfish for the duration of period 1 (through October 31, 
2002). Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require 
publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from 
Maine through Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise 
vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no commercial 
quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, July 1, 2002, through 2400 hrs 
local time, October 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
at (978) 281-9104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the spiny dogfish 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of a commercial quota, which is allocated into two quota 
periods based upon percentages of the annual quota. The period 1 
commercial quota (May through October) is distributed to the coastal 
states from Maine through Florida as described in Sec. 648.230.
    The initial total commercial quota for spiny dogfish for the 2001 
fishing year was 4,000,000 lb (1,814 mt) (67 FR 30614, May 7, 2002). 
The commercial quota is allocated into two periods (May 1 through 
October 31, and November 1 through April 30), with trip limits intended 
to preclude directed fishing. Quota period 1 was allocated 2,316,000 lb 
(1,050 mt) and quota period 2 was allocated 1,684,000 lb (764 mt) of 
the commercial quota, respectively.
    The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) 
monitors the commercial spiny dogfish quota for each quota period and, 
based upon dealer reports, state data and other available information, 
determines when the commercial quota has been harvested. NMFS is 
required to publish a notice in the Federal Register advising and 
notifying commercial vessels and dealer permit holders that, effective 
upon a specific date, the spiny dogfish commercial quota has been 
harvested and no commercial quota is available for landing spiny 
dogfish for the remainder of a given quota period. The Regional 
Administrator has determined, based upon dealer reports and other 
available information, that the 2002 commercial period 1 quota for 
spiny dogfish has been harvested.
    Section 648.4(b) provides that Federal spiny dogfish permit holders 
agree, as a condition of the permit, not to land spiny dogfish in any 
state after NMFS has published notification in the Federal Register 
that the commercial quota for the period has been harvested and that no 
commercial quota for the spiny dogfish fishery is available. The 
Regional Administrator has determined that period 1 for spiny dogfish 
no longer has commercial quota available. Therefore, effective 0001 hrs 
local time, July 1, 2002, landings of spiny dogfish in coastal states 
from Maine through Florida by vessels holding commercial Federal 
fisheries permits are prohibited through October 31, 2002, 2400 hrs 
local time. The fishing year 2002 quota period 2 for commercial spiny 
dogfish harvest will open on November 1, 2002. Effective July 1, 2002, 
federally permitted dealers are also advised that they may not purchase 
spiny dogfish from vessels issued federal spiny dogfish permits that 
land in coastal states from Maine through Florida.

Classification

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

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

    Dated: June 27, 2002.
John H. Dunnigan,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 02-16713 Filed 6-28-02; 3:10 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S