National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration April 20, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces a temporary closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to limited access NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels. Based upon Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) reports and other available information, the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) has projected that 100 percent of the total allowable catch (TAC) of Georges Bank (GB) cod allocated to be harvested from the Eastern U.S./Canada Area would be harvested in the next few days, if current catch rates continue. This action is being taken to prevent the 2008 TAC for GB cod in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area from being exceeded during the 2008 fishing year in accordance with the regulations implemented under Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee on April 30-May 1, 2009 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate. This document corrects the meeting time for the scheduled April 30, 2009 meeting and both meeting agendas.