National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration March 4, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) announces its intention to prepare, in cooperation with NMFS, a SEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to assess potential effects on the human environment of alternative measures for managing the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) fishery pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Amendment 9 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) is under development and a NOI was previously published on November 29, 2001. Issues scoped under the previous NOI include: a multi-year specification process, the expiration of the moratorium on entry into the Illex squid fishery, revisions to the overfishing definition for Loligo squid, measures to minimize the adverse effects of fishing on essential fish habitat, and measures to reduce discards and bycatch. This notice further expands the scope of measures under consideration to include controlled access measures for the Atlantic mackerel fishery. This notice also announces a public process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues relating to the possible development of a limited access program for the Atlantic mackerel fishery. The intended effect of this notice is to alert the interested public of the scoping process and to provide for public participation. During this scoping period, the Council is seeking comments on the possible development of a limited access program for Atlantic mackerel only.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2005 first seasonal allowance of the pollock total allowable catch (TAC) for Statistical Area 620 of the GOA.

NMFS proposes measures to modify the existing reporting and record keeping regulations for federally permitted seafood dealers participating in the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, Atlantic sea scallop, Northeast (NE) multispecies, monkfish, Atlantic mackerel, squid, butterfish, Atlantic surfclam, ocean quahog, Atlantic herring, Atlantic deep-sea red crab, tilefish, Atlantic bluefish, skate, and/or spiny dogfish fisheries in the NE Region. The purpose of this action is to reduce the reporting burden on seafood dealers, improve data quality, simplify compliance, enhance enforceability, and clarify existing requirements.