Department of Commerce March 13, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces the reduction of the scup coastwide commercial possession limit from Maine through North Carolina for the Winter I period. Regulations governing the scup fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina that 80 percent of the commercial quota allocated to the Winter I period is projected to be harvested and to announce that the possession limit for a Federal vessel permit holder is reduced to 1,000 lb (454 kg) of scup per trip. This possession limit will remain in effect until the end of the Winter I period (through April 30, 2008) or until the Winter I quota allocation has been fully harvested, which ever occurs first.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the first seasonal apportionment of the 2008 Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the shallow-water species fishery in the GOA has been reached.