[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 8, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70923-70924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-26961]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 021101264-3016-02; I.D. 120304C]


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

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

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total 
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1B (Area 1B) for 
2004 is projected to be harvested by 0001 hrs local time, December 8, 
2004. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, December 8, 2004, federally 
permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land 
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring in or from Area 1B 
per trip or calendar day until January 1, 2005, when the 2005 period 
TAC becomes available, except for transiting purposes

[[Page 70924]]

as described in this notice. Regulations governing the Atlantic herring 
fishery require publication of this notification to advise vessel and 
dealer permit holders that no TAC is available for the directed fishery 
for Atlantic herring harvested from Area 1B.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, December 8, 2004, through 2400 
hrs local time, December 31, 2004.

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 2004 TAC 
allocated to Area 1B (69 FR 17980, April 6, 2004) is 10,000 mt.
    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 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 in or 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 1B for the 2004 fishing year is projected 
to be harvested by 0001 hrs local time, December 8, 2004. Therefore, 
effective 0001 hrs local time, December 8, 2004, federally permitted 
vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring in or from Area 1B per trip or 
calendar day through December 31, 2004; except a vessel may transit, or 
land herring in Area 1B with more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring 
on board, provided such herring were not caught in Area 1B, and 
provided all fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use 
as required by Sec.  648.23(b). Effective, 0001 hrs local time, 
December 8, 2004, 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 1B through December 31, 2004, 2400 hrs local 
time.

Classification

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

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

    Dated: December 3, 2004.
Bruce C. Morehead
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-26961 Filed 12-3-04; 2:51 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S