Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the Quarter I Fishery for Loligo Squid, 7443-7444 [06-1305]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 29 / Monday, February 13, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
action, the aggregated right whales
would be vulnerable to entanglement,
which could cause serious injury and
mortality. Additionally, right whales
would likely move to another location
between the time NMFS approved the
action creating the DAM restricted zone
and the time it went into effect, thereby
rendering the action obsolete and
ineffective. Nevertheless, NMFS
recognizes the need for fishermen to
have time to either modify or remove (if
not in compliance with the required
restrictions) their gear from a DAM zone
once one is approved. Thus, NMFS
makes this action effective 2 days after
the date of publication of this document
in the Federal Register.
NMFS determined that the regulations
establishing the DAM program and
actions such as this one taken pursuant
to those regulations are consistent to the
maximum extent practicable with the
enforceable policies of the approved
coastal management program of the U.S.
Atlantic coastal states. This
determination was submitted for review
by the responsible state agencies under
section 307 of the Coastal Zone
Management Act. Following state
review of the regulations creating the
DAM program, no state disagreed with
NMFS’ conclusion that the DAM
program is consistent to the maximum
extent practicable with the enforceable
policies of the approved coastal
management program for that state.
The DAM program under which
NMFS is taking this action contains
policies with federalism implications
warranting preparation of a federalism
assessment under Executive Order
13132. Accordingly, in October 2001
and March 2003, the Assistant Secretary
for Intergovernmental and Legislative
Affairs, Department of Commerce,
provided notice of the DAM program
and its amendments to the appropriate
elected officials in states to be affected
by actions taken pursuant to the DAM
program. Federalism issues raised by
state officials were addressed in the
final rules implementing the DAM
program. A copy of the federalism
Summary Impact Statement for the final
rules is available upon request
(ADDRESSES).
The rule implementing the DAM
program has been determined to be not
significant under Executive Order
12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. and 50
CFR 229.32(g)(3)
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:25 Feb 10, 2006
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Dated: February 8, 2006.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06–1306 Filed 2–8–06; 2:02 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 051209329–5329–01; I.D.
020306B]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the
Quarter I Fishery for Loligo Squid
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the
directed fishery for Loligo squid in the
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be
closed effective 0001 hours, February
13, 2006. 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 quarter (through March
31, 2006). This action is necessary to
prevent the fishery from exceeding its
Quarter I quota and to allow for effective
management of this stock.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, February
13, 2006, through 2400 hours, March 31,
2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don
Frei, Fishery Management Specialist,
978–281–9221, Fax 978–281–9135.
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 § 648.21.
The regulations at § 648.21(d)(1) allow
for the previous year’s annual
specifications to remain in effect if the
annual specifications for the new
fishing year are not published in the
Federal Register prior to the start of the
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7443
fishing year. The 2005 annual quota for
Loligo squid was 16,744.9 mt, with
5,564.3 mt allocated to Quarter I (70 FR
13406, March 21,2005).
The allowable biological catch in
2006 is not proposed to change from the
2005 value, but because the proposed
2006 Research Set-Aside (RSA) is
greater than the 2005 RSA allocation,
the initial optimum yield and the
individual quarterly quotas are
minimally different. The proposed rule
for the 2006 annual specifications
published on December 27, 2005 (70 FR
76436), with a comment period that
ended January 11, 2006. The proposed
2006 annual quota for Loligo squid is
16,872.50 mt. This amount is proposed
to be allocated by quarter, as shown
below.
TABLE. 1 Loligo SQUID QUARTERLY
ALLOCATIONS.
Quarter
Percent
Metric
Tons1
Research
Setaside
I (Jan-Mar)
33.23
5,606.70
N/A
II (Apr-Jun)
17.61
2,971.30
N/A
III (Jul-Sep)
17.3
2,918.90
N/A
IV (Oct31.86
5,375.60
N/A
Dec)
Total
100 16,872.50
127.5
1Quarterly allocations after 127.5 mt research set-aside deduction.
Section 648.22 requires NMFS to
close the directed Loligo squid fishery in
the EEZ when 80 percent of the
quarterly allocation is harvested in
Quarters I, II, and III, and when 95
percent of the total annual DAH has
been harvested. 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 hours 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 80 percent of the DAH
for Loligo squid in Quarter I will be
harvested. Therefore, effective 0001
hours, February 13, 2006, 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, April 1,
2006, when the Quarter II quota
becomes available.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 29 / Monday, February 13, 2006 / Rules and Regulations
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Dated: February 7, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06–1305 Filed 2–8–06; 2:02 pm]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 29 (Monday, February 13, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7443-7444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1305]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 051209329-5329-01; I.D. 020306B]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel,
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the Quarter I Fishery for
Loligo Squid
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in
the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be closed effective 0001 hours,
February 13, 2006. 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 quarter (through March 31,
2006). This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding
its Quarter I quota and to allow for effective management of this
stock.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, February 13, 2006, through 2400 hours,
March 31, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Frei, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9221, Fax 978-281-9135.
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 regulations at Sec. 648.21(d)(1) allow for the previous year's
annual specifications to remain in effect if the annual specifications
for the new fishing year are not published in the Federal Register
prior to the start of the fishing year. The 2005 annual quota for
Loligo squid was 16,744.9 mt, with 5,564.3 mt allocated to Quarter I
(70 FR 13406, March 21,2005).
The allowable biological catch in 2006 is not proposed to change
from the 2005 value, but because the proposed 2006 Research Set-Aside
(RSA) is greater than the 2005 RSA allocation, the initial optimum
yield and the individual quarterly quotas are minimally different. The
proposed rule for the 2006 annual specifications published on December
27, 2005 (70 FR 76436), with a comment period that ended January 11,
2006. The proposed 2006 annual quota for Loligo squid is 16,872.50 mt.
This amount is proposed to be allocated by quarter, as shown below.
Table. 1 Loligo Squid Quarterly Allocations.
Metric Research
Quarter Percent Tons\1\ Set-aside
I (Jan-Mar) 33.23 5,606.70 N/A
II (Apr-Jun) 17.61 2,971.30 N/A
III (Jul-Sep) 17.3 2,918.90 N/A
IV (Oct-Dec) 31.86 5,375.60 N/A
Total 100 16,872.50 127.5
\1\Quarterly allocations after 127.5 mt research set-aside deduction.
Section 648.22 requires NMFS to close the directed Loligo squid
fishery in the EEZ when 80 percent of the quarterly allocation is
harvested in Quarters I, II, and III, and when 95 percent of the total
annual DAH has been harvested. 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 hours 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 80 percent
of the DAH for Loligo squid in Quarter I will be harvested. Therefore,
effective 0001 hours, February 13, 2006, 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, April 1, 2006, when the Quarter II quota becomes available.
[[Page 7444]]
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: February 7, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-1305 Filed 2-8-06; 2:02 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
