[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 10, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 61220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29389]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 990318076-9109-02; I.D. 110499A]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Commercial Haddock Harvest
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Increase of haddock landing limit.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that less than 75 percent of the haddock target
total allowable catch (TAC) will be harvested (4,218.5 mt) for the 1999
fishing year under the present landing limit. Therefore, the Regional
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) is
increasing the landing limit. As of 0001 hours November 5, 1999,
vessels fishing under a multispecies day-at-sea (DAS) may land up to
5,000 lb (2,268 kg) per DAS, 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip maximum,
for any DAS utilized on or after November 5, 1999. This action provides
the industry with the opportunity to harvest at least 75 percent of the
target TAC for the 1999 fishing year.
DATES: Effective from 0001 hours, November 5, 1999, through 2400 hours,
April 30, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul H. Jones, Fishery Policy Analyst,
978-281-9273.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing the haddock trip
limit in Framework Adjustment 27 (64 FR 24066, May 5, 1999) became
effective May 1, 1999. To ensure that haddock landings remain within
the target TAC of 5,600 mt established for the 1999 fishing year,
Framework 27 established an initial landing limit of 2,000 lb (907.2
kg) per day and 20,000 lb (9,071.8 kg) per trip maximum. Framework 27
also provided a mechanism to increase or decrease the haddock trip
limit based upon the percentage of TAC which is projected to be
harvested. Section 648.86(a)(1)(iii) specifies that if the Regional
Administrator has projected that less than 75 percent of the haddock
target TAC (4,218.5 mt) will be harvested for the 1999 fishing year the
landing limit may be increased. Further, this section stipulates that
NMFS will publish a notification in the Federal Register informing the
public of the date of any increase or decrease.
Based on the available information, the Regional Administrator has
projected that less than 4,218.5 mt of haddock will be harvested by
April 30, 2000, under the existing landing limit. The Regional
Administrator has determined that increasing the haddock landing limit
to 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) per DAS, 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip maximum,
is justified because it provides the industry with the opportunity to
harvest at least 75 percent of the target TAC for the 1999 fishing
year. Therefore, the Regional Administrator, under
Sec. 648.86(a)(1)(iii), has increased the haddock landing limit to
5,000 lb (2,268 kg) per DAS, 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip maximum,
for DAS used on or after 0001 hours, November 5, 1999, through 2400
hours, April 30, 2000.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR Part 648 and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12286.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 4, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-29389 Filed 11-4-99; 4:59 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
