[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 221 (Monday, November 17, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 64821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28655]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 021101264-3016-02; I.D. 110703B]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring 
Fishery; Total Allowable Catch Harvested for Period 2 Management Area 
1A

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

ACTION: Closure of directed fishery for Management Area 1A.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total 
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1A (Area 1A) for 
fishing year 2003 is projected to be harvested by November 19, 2003. 
Therefore, effective 0001 hours, November 19, 2003, federally permitted 
vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring harvested from Area 1A per trip 
or calendar day until January 1, 2004, when the 2004 TAC becomes 
available. Regulations governing the Atlantic herring fishery require 
publication of this notification to advise vessel and dealer permit 
holders that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring TAC allocated to Area 
1A for the 2003 fishing year has been harvested, and no TAC is 
available for the directed fishery for Atlantic herring harvested from 
Area 1A.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, November 19, 2003, through 2400 
hrs local time, December 31, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Frei, Fisheries Management 
Specialist, at (978) 281-9221.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic herring 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of optimum yield, domestic and foreign fishing, domestic 
and joint venture processing, and management area TACs. The 2003 TAC 
allocated to Area 1A for Period 2 (68 FR 6088, February 6, 2003 and 
corrected at 68 FR 16731, April 7, 2003) is 54,000 mt (119,049,621 lb).
    The regulations at 50 CFR 648.202 require the Administrator, 
Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) to monitor the Atlantic 
herring fishery in each of the four management areas designated in the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Herring Fishery and, based 
upon dealer reports, state data, and other available information, to 
determine when the harvest of Atlantic herring is projected to reach 95 
percent of the annual TAC allocated. When such a determination is made, 
NMFS is required to publish notification in the Federal Register 
notifying vessel and dealer permit holders that, effective upon a 
specific date, vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or 
land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring per trip or calendar day 
from the specified management area for the remainder of the closure 
period.
    The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer 
reports and other available information, that 95 percent of the total 
Atlantic herring TAC allocated to Area 1A for the 2003 fishing year is 
projected to be harvested by November 19, 2003. Therefore, effective 
0001 hrs local time, November 19, 2003, federally permitted vessels may 
not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb 
(907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring harvested from Area 1A per trip or 
calendar day through December 31, 2003. Vessels may transit an area 
that is limited to the 2,000-lb (907.2-kg) limit with more than 2,000 
lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board, providing all fishing gear is stowed 
and not available for immediate use, as required by Sec.  648.23(b). A 
vessel may land herring in an area that is limited to the 2,000-lb 
(907.2-kg) limit specified in Sec.  648.202(a) with more than 2,000 lb 
(907.2 kg) of herring on board, providing such herring were caught in 
an area or areas not subject to the 2,000-lb (907.2-kg) limit and 
providing all fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate 
use as required by Sec.  648.23(b). Effective November 19, 2003, 
federally permitted dealers are also advised that they may not purchase 
Atlantic herring from federally permitted Atlantic herring vessels that 
harvest more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring from Area 1A 
through December 31, 2003, 2400 hrs local time.

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: November 10, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-28655 Filed 11-12-03; 2:31 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S