[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76714-76715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24520]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 050112008-5102-02; I.D.121205D]


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: Temporary rule; closure.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total 
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1B (Area 1B) for 
fishing year 2005 is projected to be harvested by December 23, 2005. 
Therefore, effective 0001 hours, December 23, 2005, 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, 2006 when the 2006 TAC becomes available, 
except for transiting

[[Page 76715]]

purposes as described in this document. 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 1B has been harvested, and no TAC is 
available for the directed fishery for Atlantic herring harvested from 
Area 1B.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, December 24, 2005, through 2400 
hrs local time, December 31, 2005.

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 2005 TAC 
allocated to Area 1B for the fishing year (70 FR 21971, April 28, 2005) 
is 10,000 mt (22,046,226 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 TAC allocated. When such a determination is made, NMFS 
is required to publish notification in the Federal Register of this 
determination. Effective upon a specific date, NMFS must notify vessel 
and dealer permit holders that vessels are prohibited from fishing for, 
catching, possessing, transferring or landing 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. Transiting of 
Area 1B is allowed under the conditions specified below.
    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 2005 fishing year is 
projected to be harvested by December 23, 2005. Therefore, effective 
0001 hrs local time, December 23, 2005, 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, 2005; 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 ' 648.23(b). Effective December 23, 2005, 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, 2005, 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: December 21, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-24520 Filed 12-22-05; 1:23 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S