National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration December 22, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2007 ocean salmon fisheries. This document announces the availability of Council documents as well as the dates and locations of Council meetings and public hearings comprising the Council's complete schedule of events for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas for the March and April 2007 Council meetings will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

This notice responds to the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2002, Public Law 107-372, which requires the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to solicit nominations for membership on the Hydrographic Services Review Panel (the Panel). This advisory committee will advise the Under Secretary on matters related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (the Act), and such other appropriate matters as the Under Secretary refers to the Panel for review and advice.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Aleutian Islands Ecosystem Team will meet in Seattle, WA, Room to be posted on web.

NMFS implements this interim rule to reduce overfishing that may occur in 2007. This rule delays the opening of the Elephant Trunk Access Area (ETAA) until March 1, 2007, reduces the maximum number of trips per vessel in the ETAA per limited access vessel, reduces the number of general category fleet trips from 1,360 to 865 trips in the ETAA, and prohibits the retention of more than 50 U.S. bushels (17.62 hL) of in-shell scallop outside of the boundaries of the ETAA. This interim action is necessary because a recent projection by the New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Plan Development Team (PDT) indicated that overfishing of the scallop resource may occur in the 2007 fishing year (FY). The new information presents previously unforeseen circumstances that also present serious management problems to the fishery. Overharvest of the ETAA in FY 2007, and resulting overfishing that may result, could undermine the goals and objectives of area rotation that is the cornerstone of the Atlantic Sea Scallop Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The ETAA has an unprecedented high abundance of scallops, which needs to be husbanded with caution to effectively preserve the long-term health of the scallop resource and fishery.