[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 24, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62213-62214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8830]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 051130316-6047-02; I.D. 101706A]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring 
Fishery; Total Allowable Catch Harvested for Management Area 1A

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Closure of Atlantic herring fishery for Management Area 1A.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total 
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1A (Area 1A) for 
2006 is projected to be harvested by October 21, 2006. Therefore, 
effective 0001 hours, October 21, 2006, federally permitted vessels may 
not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb 
(907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring in or from Area 1A per trip or calendar 
day until January 1, 2007, when the 2007 TAC becomes available, except 
for transiting purposes as described in this notice. Regulations 
governing the Atlantic herring fishery require publication of this 
notification to advise vessel and dealer permit holders that no TAC is 
available for the directed fishery for Atlantic herring harvested from 
Area 1A.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, October 21, 2006, through 2400 
hrs local time, December 31, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Frei, Fishery Management 
Specialist, at (978) 281-9221.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic herring 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of optimum yield, domestic and foreign fishing, domestic 
and joint venture processing, and management area TACs. The 2006 TAC 
allocated to Area 1A (71 FR 10867, March 3, 2006) is 60,000 mt 
(132,277,621 lb).
    The regulations at 50 CFR 648.202 require the Administrator, 
Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) to monitor the Atlantic 
herring fishery in each of the four management areas designated in the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Herring Fishery and, based 
upon dealer reports, state data, and other available information, to 
determine when the harvest of Atlantic herring is projected to reach 95 
percent of the TAC allocated. When such a determination is made, NMFS 
is required to publish notification in the Federal Register of this 
determination. Effective upon a specific date, NMFS must notify vessel 
and dealer permit holders that vessels are prohibited from fishing for, 
catching, possessing, transferring or landing more than 2,000 lb (907.2 
kg) of herring per trip or calendar day in or from the specified 
management area for the remainder of the closure period. Transiting of 
Area 1A with more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board is 
allowed under the conditions specified below.
    The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer 
reports and other available information, that 95 percent of the total 
Atlantic herring TAC allocated to Area 1A for the 2006 fishing year is 
projected to be harvested by October 21, 2006. Therefore, effective 
0001 hrs local time, October 21, 2006, federally permitted vessels may 
not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb 
(907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring in or from Area 1A per trip or calendar 
day through December 31, 2006; except a vessel may transit Area 1A with 
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board, or land more than 
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) provided such herring were not caught in Area 1A, 
and provided all fishing gear is stowed and

[[Page 62214]]

not available for immediate use as required by Sec.  648.23(b). 
Effective October 21, 2006, federally permitted dealers are also 
advised that they may not purchase Atlantic herring from federally 
permitted Atlantic herring vessels that harvest more than 2,000 lb 
(907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring from Area 1A through December 31, 2006, 
2400 hrs local time.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 18, 2006.
James P. Burgess
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-8830 Filed 10-18-06; 3:18 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S