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[Federal Register: July 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 138)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 40986-40987]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17jy08-16]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 070717340-8451-02]
RIN 0648-XJ06

 
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the Trimester II Fishery 
for Loligo Squid

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; 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 0001 hours, 
July 17, 2008. Vessels issued a Federal permit to harvest Loligo squid 
may not retain or land more than 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of Loligo squid 
per trip for the remainder of the trimester (through August 31, 2008). 
This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its 
Trimester II quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, July 17, 2008, through 2400 hours, August 
31, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Frei, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9221, Fax 978-281-9135.

[[Page 40987]]

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 2008 specification of DAH for Loligo squid was set at 16,977 mt 
(73 FR 18443, April 4, 2008). This amount is allocated by trimester, as 
shown below.

              Table 1. Loligo Squid Trimester Allocations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Metric    Research Set-
             Quarter                 Percent     Tons \1\    aside (mt)
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I (Jan-Apr)                        43           7,300       N/A
II (May-Aug)                       17           2,886       N/A
III (Sep-Dec)                      40.          6,791       N/A
Total                              100          16,997      23
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\1\ Trimester allocations after 23-mt research set-aside deduction.

    Section 648.22 requires NMFS to close the directed Loligo squid 
fishery in the EEZ when 90 percent of the trimester allocation is 
harvested in Trimesters I and II, and when 95 percent of the total 
annual DAH has been harvested in Trimester III. 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 hR 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 other available information, has determined that 90 percent 
of the DAH for Loligo squid in Trimester II will be harvested. 
Therefore, effective 0001 hours, July 17, 2008, 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 (1,134 kg) of 
Loligo during a calendar day. The directed fishery will reopen 
effective 0001 hours, September 1, 2008, when the Trimester III quota 
becomes available.

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: July 11, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 08-1440 Filed 7-14-08; 2:00 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

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