National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration August 27, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS, (Assistant Administrator) has granted a request for an affirmative finding to the Government of Spain under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This affirmative finding will allow yellowfin tuna harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) in compliance with the International Dolphin Conservation Program (IDCP) by Spanish flag purse seine vessels or purse seine vessels operating under Spanish jurisdiction to be imported into the United States. The affirmative finding was based on review of documentary evidence submitted by the Government of Spain and obtained from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and the U.S. Department of State.

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the first semi-annual quota period, May 1, 2010 October 31, 2010, has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, August 27, 2010, federally permitted spiny dogfish vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish until November 1, 2010, when the Period 2 quota becomes available. Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Period 1 quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.