[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 43 (Thursday, March 4, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10177-10178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4877]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 031104274-4011-02; I.D. 022604C]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the Quarter I 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) will be closed effective March 5, 
2004. Vessels issued a Federal permit to harvest Loligo squid may not 
retain or land more than 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of Loligo squid per trip 
for the remainder of the quarter (through March 31, 2004). This action 
is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Quarter I quota 
and allow for effective management of this stock.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, March 5, 2004, through 2400 hours, March 
31, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Frei, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9221, 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 
specifications for maximum sustainable yield, initial optimum yield, 
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 in Sec.  
648.21.
    The 2004 specification of DAH for Loligo squid was set at 16,872.4 
mt (69 FR 4861, February 2, 2004). This amount is allocated by quarter, 
as shown below.

              Table 1.--Loligo Squid Quarterly Allocations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Research
                 Quarter                   Percent    Metric      Set-
                                                      Tons\1\     aside
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                  I (Jan-Mar)                33.23     5,606.7       N/A
                  II (Apr-Jun)               17.61     2,971.2       N/A
                  III (Jul-Sep)               17.3     2,918.9       N/A
                  IV (Oct-Dec)               31.86     5,375.6       N/A
                  Total                        100    16,872.4     127.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Quarterly allocations after 127.6 mt research set-aside deduction.

    Section 648.22 requires NMFS to close the directed Loligo squid 
fishery in the EEZ when 80 percent of the quarterly allocation is 
harvested in Quarters I, II and III, and when 95 percent of the total 
annual DAH has been harvested. 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. The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, based on dealer 
reports and

[[Page 10178]]

other available information, has determined that 80 percent of the DAH 
for Loligo squid in Quarter I will be harvested. Therefore, effective 
0001 hours, March 5, 2004, 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) of Loligo. Such vessels may 
not land more than 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of Loligo during a calendar day. 
The directed fishery will reopen effective 0001 hours, April 1, 2004, 
when the Quarter II quota becomes available.

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: February 27, 2004.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-4877 Filed 3-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S