National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 9, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS proposes management measures for the 2014 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. The implementing regulations for these fisheries require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the fishing year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of these measures is to prevent overfishing of the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass resources.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS proposes to approve and implement regulations for Framework Adjustment 25 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (Framework 25), which the New England Fishery Management Council adopted and submitted to NMFS for approval. Framework 25 would set specifications for the Atlantic sea scallop fishery for fishing year 2014, including days-at-sea allocations, individual fishing quotas, and sea scallop access area trip allocations. This action would also set precautionary default FY 2015 specifications, in case NMFS implements the next framework after the March 1, 2015, start of fishing year 2015, and the fishery must operate under transitional measures. Framework 25 would allow pounds that went unharvested in Closed Area I Access Area in 2012 and 2013 to be landed in a future year; develop Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic windowpane flounder accountability measures; and provide full-time scallop vessels the option to exchange their allocated Delmarva Access Area trip for 5 days-at-sea.