[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 20, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70027-70028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29504]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 020313058-2094-02; I.D. 111302H]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Spiny Dogfish 
Fishery; Commercial Annual Quota Harvested

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

ACTION: Closure; commercial fishery.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the annual spiny dogfish commercial quota 
available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the 
fishing year, May 1, 2002 - April 30, 2003, has been harvested. 
Federally permitted commercial vessels may no longer land spiny dogfish 
for the duration of the fishing year (through April 30, 2003). 
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, November 21, 2002, through 2400 
hrs local time, April 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hannah Goodale, Supervisory Fishery 
Policy Analyst, at (978) 281-9101.

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 commercial 
quota 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 2002 
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 total quota cannot be exceeded, 
so landings in excess of the amount allocated to quota period 1 have 
the effect of reducing the quota available to the fishery during quota 
period 2.
    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 total commercial quota has been harvested. NMFS is 
required to publish a notification 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

[[Page 70028]]

2002 annual commercial 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 has been harvested and that no commercial 
quota for the spiny dogfish fishery is available. Therefore, effective 
0001 hrs local time, November 21, 2002, landings of spiny dogfish in 
coastal states from Maine seb 29355 through Florida by vessels holding 
commercial Federal fisheries permits are prohibited through April 30, 
2003, 2400 hrs local time. The fishing year 2003 quota for quota period 
1 will be available for commercial spiny dogfish harvest on May 1, 
2003. Effective November 21, 2002, through April 30, 2003, 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: November 14, 2002.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-29504 Filed 11-15-02; 3:32 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S