National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration April 28, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The 89th meeting of the Western Pacific Fishery Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will convene in May 2005. Agenda topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

NMFS implements measures to establish target total allowable catch (TAC) levels for the monkfish fishery for the 2005 fishing year (FY), and adjust trip limits and days-at-sea (DAS) for limited access monkfish vessels fishing in the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA). Based on formulas established in Framework Adjustment 2 (Framework 2) to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), this final rule establishes FY 2005 target TACs of 13,160 mt for the Northern Fishery Management Area (NFMA), and 9,673 mt for the SFMA; and adjusts the trip limits for limited access monkfish vessels fishing in the SFMA to 700 lb (318 kg) tail weight per DAS for limited access Category A, C, and G vessels, and 600 lb (272 kg) tail weight per DAS for limited access Category B, D, and H vessels. This action also announces that the FY 2005 DAS available to all monkfish limited access vessels will be 39.3 DAS as a result of a DAS set-aside program implemented in Amendment 2 to the FMP.

NMFS announces final specifications for the 2005 fishing year for the Atlantic herring (herring) fishery, which will be maintained through the 2006 fishing year unless stock and fishery conditions change substantially. This action includes one minor regulatory language change that reflects a previously approved measure in the Fishery Management Plan for Herring (FMP). The intent of this final rule is to promote the development and conservation of the herring resource.

NMFS is implementing approved measures contained in Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 2 was developed to address essential fish habitat (EFH) and bycatch issues, and to revise the FMP to address several issues raised during the public scoping process. This rule implements the following measures: a new limited access permit for qualified vessels fishing south of 38[deg]20' N. lat.; an offshore monkfish fishery in the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA); a maximum roller-gear disc diameter of 6 inches (15.2 cm) for trawl gear vessels fishing in the SFMA; closure of two deep-sea canyon areas to all gears when fishing under the monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) program; establishment of a research DAS set-aside program and a DAS exemption program; a North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Regulated Area Exemption Program; adjustments to the monkfish incidental catch limits; a decrease in the monkfish minimum size in the SFMA; removal of the 20- day block requirement; and new additions to the list of actions that can be taken under the framework adjustment process contained in the FMP. The intent of this action is to provide efficient management of the monkfish fishery and to meet conservation objectives. Also, NMFS informs the public of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule and publishes the OMB control numbers for these collections.