[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55926-55927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27784]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 285
[I.D. 102196B]
Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Adjustments
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Fishery reopening.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has determined that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT)
General category quota, as adjusted, has not been reached. Therefore,
NMFS reopens the General category fishery for large medium and giant
ABT for all areas for one additional day. Closure of this one day
fishery will be strictly enforced. Subsequent to this closure, the
General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for areas
inside the New York Bight will remain open until the set-aside quota is
reached. This action is being taken to extend scientific data
collection on certain size classes of ABT while preventing overharvest
of the adjusted subquotas for the affected fishing categories.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The General category fishery for large medium and giant
ABT will open for all areas beginning Sunday, October 27, at 1 a.m.
local time and close on Sunday, October 27, at 11:30 p.m. local time.
The General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for areas
inside the New York Bight will remain open until further notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kelly, 301-713-2347, or Mark
Murray-Brown, 508-281-9260.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the
[[Page 55927]]
authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.)
governing the harvest of ABT by persons and vessels subject to U.S.
jurisdiction are found at 50 CFR part 285. Section 285.22 subdivides
the U.S. quota recommended by the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas among the various domestic fishing
categories.
NMFS is required, under Sec. 285.20(b)(1), to monitor the catch and
landing statistics and, on the basis of these statistics, to project a
date when the catch of ABT will equal the quota and publish a Federal
Register announcement to close the applicable fishery.
General Category Reopening
Implementing regulations for the Atlantic tuna fisheries at
Sec. 285.22 provide for a quota of 541 mt of large medium and giant ABT
to be harvested from the regulatory area by vessels fishing under the
General category quota during calendar year 1996. The General category
ABT quota is further subdivided into monthly quotas to provide for
broad temporal and geographic distribution of scientific data
collection and fishing opportunities.
NMFS previously adjusted the General category October subquota to
60 mt for all areas outside the New York Bight and announced a closure
date of October 2, 1996 (61 FR 50765, September 27, 1996). NMFS
subsequently adjusted the General category October subquota by
transferring 30 mt from the Incidental longline category under the
authority of implementing regulations at 50 CFR 285.22(f) (61 FR 53677,
October 15, 1996). Thus, the October General category quota was
adjusted to 90 mt, with an additional 10 mt reserved for the New York
Bight, and the General category fishery was reopened for areas outside
the New York Bight for one day on October 11, 1996. The full 90 mt
October General category quota was not taken as of the closure on
October 11, 1996, so NMFS reopened the General category fishery for one
day on October 21, 1996 (61 FR 55119, October 24, 1996). Due to poor
weather conditions, fishing effort was minimal and NMFS has determined
that the full 90 mt October General category quota still has not been
taken as of the closure on October 21, 1996. Therefore, NMFS reopens
the General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for all
areas for one day on October 27, 1996. Closure of this one day fishery
will be strictly enforced and remaining quota, if any, will be held in
reserve for the General category in 1997 or, if necessary, other
fishing categories in 1996.
The New York Bight set-aside is not affected by this action and the
General category fishery for large medium and giant ABT for areas
inside the New York Bight will remain open until the set-aside quota is
reached. However, during this one day opening, on October 27, 1996,
large medium and giant ABT harvested and landed in the New York Bight
area will not be counted against the New York Bight set-aside quota,
but will be counted against the 90 mt quota for the October General
category fishery.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR 285.20(b), 50 CFR 285.22, and 50
CFR 285.24 and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.
Dated: October 24, 1996.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-27784 Filed 10-25-96; 12:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
