[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 62 (Friday, April 1, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 16758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6501]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 040112010-4114-02; I.D. 032805B]


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast (NE) 
Multispecies Fishery; Closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area and 
Prohibition of Harvesting, Possessing, or Landing of Yellowtail 
Flounder from the Entire U.S./Canada Management Area

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

ACTION: Closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), has projected that 100 percent of the total 
allowable catch (TAC) of Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder 
allocated to be harvested from the Western and Eastern U.S./Canada 
Areas has been harvested. The National Marine Fisheries Service, 
therefore, is closing the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to limited access NE 
multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels and prohibiting all vessels from 
harvesting, possessing, or landing GB yellowtail flounder from within 
the entire U.S./Canada Management Area.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, April 1, 2005 through 2400 hrs 
local time, April 30, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas W. Christel, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, (978) 281-9141, fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the yellowtail 
flounder landings limit within the Western and Eastern U.S./Canada 
Areas are found at 50 CFR 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(C). The regulations 
authorize vessels issued a valid limited access NE multispecies permit 
and fishing under a NE multispecies DAS to fish in the U.S./Canada 
Management Area, under specific conditions. The TAC allocation for GB 
yellowtail flounder for the 2004 fishing year was specified at 6,000 mt 
in the final rule implementing Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (April 27, 2004, 69 FR 22906). Section 
648.85(a)(3)(iv)(C)(3) authorizes the Regional Administrator to close 
the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to all limited access NE multispecies DAS 
vessels and prohibit all vessels from harvesting, possessing, or 
landing GB yellowtail flounder from the entire U.S./Canada Management 
Area when 100 percent of the GB yellowtail flounder TAC is projected to 
be harvested.
    Based upon Vessel Monitoring System reports and other available 
information, the Regional Administrator has determined that 100 percent 
of the GB yellowtail flounder TAC of 6,000 mt was harvested as of March 
25, 2005. Based on this information, the Eastern U.S./Canada Area is 
closed to limited access NE multispecies DAS vessels and all vessels 
are prohibited from harvesting, possessing, or landing GB yellowtail 
flounder from the entire U.S./Canada Management Area for the remainder 
of the fishing year, effective April 1, 2005.

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: March 28, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 05-6501 Filed 3-29-05; 3:38 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S