[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 110 (Friday, June 8, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31757-31758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-2858]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 010319075-1217-02 ]
RIN 0648-XA54


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Tilefish Fishery; 
Quota Harvested for Full-time Tier 2 Category

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; tilefish Full-time Tier 2 permit category 
closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual 
total allowable landings (TAL) available to the Full-time Tier 2 permit 
category for the 2007 fishing year has been harvested. Commercial 
vessels fishing under the tilefish Full-time Tier 2 permit may not 
harvest tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit for 
the remainder of the 2007 fishing year (through October 31, 2007). 
Regulations governing the tilefish fishery require publication of this 
notification to advise the public of this closure.

DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, June 7, 2007, through 2400 hrs 
local time, October 31, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian R. Hooker, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, at (978) 281-9220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the tilefish fishery 
are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of a TAL for federally permitted tilefish vessels 
harvesting tilefish from the Golden Tilefish Management Unit. The 
Golden Tilefish Management Unit is defined as an area of the Atlantic 
Ocean from the latitude of the VA and NC border (36[deg]33.36' N. 
lat.), extending eastward from the shore to the outer boundary of the 
exclusive economic zone, and northward to the U.S.-Canada border. After 
5 percent of the TAL is deducted to reflect landings by vessels issued 
an open-access Incidental permit category, and after up to 3 percent of 
the TAL is set aside for research purposes, should research TAL be set 
aside, the remaining TAL is distributed among three tilefish limited 
access permit categories: Full-time tier 1 category (66 percent), Full-
time tier 2 category (15 percent), and the Part-time category (19 
percent).

[[Page 31758]]

    The TAL for tilefish for the 2007 fishing year was set at 1.995 
million lb (905,172 kg) and then adjusted downward by 5 percent to 
1,895,250 lb (859,671 kg) to account for incidental catch. There was no 
research set-aside for the 2007 fishing year. Thus, the Full-time Tier 
2 permit quota for the 2007 fishing year, which is equal to 15 percent 
of the TAL, was specified at 284,288 lb (106,108 kg). Notification of 
the 2007 Full-time Tier 2 category quota for the 2007 fishing year was 
published in the Federal Register on October 31, 2006 (71 FR 63703).
    The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) 
monitors the commercial tilefish quota for each fishing year using 
dealer reports, vessel catch reports, and other available information 
to determine when the quota for each limited access permit category is 
projected to have been harvested. NMFS is required to publish 
notification in the Federal Register notifying commercial vessels and 
dealer permit holders that, effective upon a specific date, the 
tilefish TAL for the specific limited access category has been 
harvested and no commercial quota is available for harvesting tilefish 
by that category for the remainder of the fishing year, from the Golden 
Tilefish Management Unit.
    The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer 
reports and other available information, that the 2007 tilefish TAL for 
the Full-time Tier 2 category has been harvested. Therefore, effective 
0001 hr local time, June 7, 2007, further landings of tilefish 
harvested from the Golden Tilefish Management Unit by tilefish vessels 
holding Full-time Tier 2 category Federal fisheries permits are 
prohibited through October 31, 2007. The 2008 fishing year for 
commercial tilefish harvest will open on November 1, 2007. Federally 
permitted dealers are also advised that, effective June 7, 2007, they 
may not purchase tilefish from Full-time Tier 2 category federally 
permitted tilefish vessels who land tilefish harvested from the Golden 
Tilefish Management Unit for the remainder of the 2007 fishing year 
(through October 31, 2007).

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: June 05, 2007.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office Of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 07-2858 Filed 6-5-07; 1:25 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S