National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 6, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS proposes a change to the annual total allowable landings (TAL) for the tilefish fishery. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) met in May 2006 and recommended an increase in the TAL from 905 mt to 987 mt. This recommendation is, in part, a result of positive findings from the 2005 tilefish stock assessment that concluded that the tilefish stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. This action complies with the Fishery Management Plan for the Tilefish Fishery (FMP).

NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 1), incorporating the draft Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), for Secretarial review and is requesting comments from the public. The proposed measures include: A limited access program; an open access incidental catch permit; a change in the management area boundaries; establishment of a purse seine/fixed gear-only area; establishment of a Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) proxy; an approach to determining the distribution of area-specific total allowable catches (TACs); a multi- year specifications process; a research quota set-aside for herring- related research; set-asides for fixed gear fisheries; a change in the midwater trawl gear definition; and additional measures that could be implemented through the framework adjustment process. The intent of this action is to provide efficient management of the Atlantic herring fishery and to meet conservation objectives.

NMFS is closing directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using trawl gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2006 halibut bycatch allowance specified for the trawl Pacific cod fishery category in the BSAI.

NMFS announces that the directed fishery for Loligo squid in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be closed effective 0001 hours, September 2, 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 September 30, 2006). This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Quarter III quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.