[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78382-78383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9918]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 010319075-1217-02; I.D. 121806C]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Tilefish Fishery; 
Quota Harvested for Part-time Category

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; tilefish Part-time permit category closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual 
total allowable landings (TAL) available to the Part-time permit 
category for the 2007 fishing year has been harvested. Commercial 
vessels fishing under the Part-time tilefish category may not harvest 
tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit for the 
remainder of the 2007 fishing year (through October 31, 2007). 
Regulations governing the tilefish fishery require publication of this 
notification to advise the public of this closure.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, December 29, 2006, through 2400 
hrs local time, October 31, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian R. Hooker, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, at (978) 281-9220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the tilefish fishery 
are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of a TAL for federally permitted tilefish vessels 
harvesting tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit. 
The Golden Tilefish Management Unit is defined as an area of the 
Atlantic Ocean from the latitude of the VA and NC border (36[deg]33.36' 
N. lat.), extending eastward from the shore to the outer boundary of 
the exclusive economic zone, and northward to the U.S.-Canada border. 
After 5 percent of the TAL is deducted to reflect landings by vessels 
issued an open-access Incidental permit category, and after up to 3 
percent of the TAL is set aside for research purposes, should research 
TAL be set aside, the remaining TAL is distributed among three tilefish 
limited access permit categories: Full-time tier 1 category (66 
percent), Full-time tier 2 category (15 percent), and the Part-time 
category (19 percent).
    The TAL for tilefish for the 2007 fishing year was set at 1.995 
million lb (905,172 kg) and then adjusted downward by 5 percent to 
1,895,250 lb (859,671 kg) to account for incidental catch. There was no 
research set-aside for the 2007 fishing year. Thus, the Part-time 
permit category quota for the 2007 fishing year, which is equal to 19 
percent of the TAL, was specified at 360,098 lb (163,338 kg). However, 
due to an over-harvest in the 2006 fishing year, the quota for the 
Part-time permit category was adjusted downward by 92,935 lb (42,155 
kg) to 267,163 lb (121,183 kg). Notification of the 2007 Part-time 
permit category quota for the 2007 fishing year was published in the 
Federal Register on October 31, 2006 (71 FR 63703).
    The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) 
monitors the commercial tilefish quota for each fishing year using 
dealer reports, vessel catch reports, and other available information 
to determine when the quota for each limited access permit category is 
projected to have been harvested. NMFS is required to publish 
notification in the Federal Register notifying commercial vessels and 
dealer permit holders that, effective

[[Page 78383]]

upon a specific date, the tilefish TAL for the specific limited access 
category has been harvested and no commercial quota is available for 
harvesting tilefish by that category for the remainder of the fishing 
year, from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit.
    The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer 
reports and other available information, that the 2007 tilefish TAL for 
the Part-time category has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hr 
local time, December 29, 2006, further landings of tilefish harvested 
from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit by tilefish vessels 
holding Part-time category Federal fisheries permits are prohibited 
through October 31, 2007. The 2008 fishing year for commercial tilefish 
harvest will open on November 1, 2007. Federally permitted dealers are 
also advised that, effective December 29, 2006, they may not purchase 
tilefish from Part-time category federally permitted tilefish vessels 
who land tilefish harvested from within the Golden Tilefish Management 
Unit for the remainder of the 2007 fishing year (through October 31, 
2007).

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 22, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-9918 Filed 12-26-06; 8:51 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S