National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration April 19, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is modifying the commercial scup quota periods, as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action moves the month of October from the Summer Period to the Winter II Period. This rule is intended to increase fishing opportunities by extending the Winter II Period when possession limits are higher.

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 approves and implements measures included in Framework Adjustment 29 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan that establish fishing year 2018 and 2019 scallop specifications and other measures. The measures in this rule are in addition to the Northern Gulf of Maine management measures of Framework 29 that were published in a separate final rule on March 26, 2018. This action is necessary to prevent overfishing and improve both yield-per-recruit and the overall management of the Atlantic sea scallop resource. The intended effect of this rule is to implement these measures for the 2018 fishing year.