94-31095. Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Bluefin Tuna

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 242 (Monday, December 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31095]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 19, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 285

[Docket No. 940393-4093; I.D. 112894B]

 

Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Bluefin Tuna

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

ACTION: Bluefin tuna quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS transfers 5 metric tons (mt) of bluefin tuna from the 
longline-south Incidental subcategory to the longline-north Incidental 
subcategory. NMFS has determined that the fisheries landing bluefin 
under the longline-south Incidental subcategory will not achieve the 
full 1994 quota allocation. This action is being taken to extend the 
season for the longline-north Incidental subcategory, which will assure 
additional collection of biological assessment and monitoring data and 
increase the economic benefits from this fishery without contributing 
significantly to additional bluefin mortality. In addition, this action 
will prevent waste of bluefin tuna that might otherwise be discarded 
dead.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 14, 1994 through December 31, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kelly, 301-713-2347 or Ray 
Baglin, 508-281-9140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Bluefin tuna are currently leaving the fall 
feeding grounds in New England and migrating along the Mid-Atlantic 
waters, so high incidental catches by longline vessels operating south 
of 34 deg. N. lat. are not expected to occur. After the addition of 5 
mt, effective November 4, 1994 (59 FR 55821, November 9, 1994), the 
longline-north Incidental subcategory has only 0.6 mt remaining of its 
total new allocation of 28 mt for vessels fishing north of 34 deg. N. 
lat. Once the quota is reached for this northern subcategory, any 
bluefin tuna incidentally taken by longline vessels must be discarded 
at sea. In order to prevent waste of bluefin tuna, which would 
otherwise be discarded dead, NMFS is transferring an additional 5 mt of 
quota from the southern to the northern subcategory. With the addition 
of this 5 mt, the total annual allocation to date for the Incidental 
subcategory longline-north will be 33 mt. This amount should be 
sufficient to account for incidental take of bluefin by the northern 
subcategory for the remainder of this year while any unharvested 
balance for the southern subcategory will be added to the 1995 quota. 
After the transfer of this 5 mt, approximately 12 mt remains available 
in the longline-south Incidental subcategory. Based on reported 
catches, bluefin taken from the southern subcategory will not exceed 
the 12 mt remaining of that quota.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR 285.22(i) and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Dated: December 13, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-31095 Filed 12-14-94; 2:31 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F