National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 26, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator) has made a preliminary determination that the subject Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) for an exemption from Gulf of Maine (GOM) Rolling Closure Areas III and IV and the days-at-sea (DAS) requirements of the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), for the purpose of testing the ability of specific fish traps to catch haddock, contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP is intended to facilitate research that would lead to the development of a viable alternative to traditional fishing gear for landing Atlantic haddock of a size and condition for use in the live fish market. The Assistant Regional Administrator has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the FMP. However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to issue an EFP that would allow vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United States. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2007 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2007 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.