E7-25271. Fisheries of the Northeast Region; Overfished Determination of Summer Flounder

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has determined that summer flounder is overfished. NMFS notified the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) of its determination by letter. The Council is required to take action within 1 year following notification by NMFS that a stock is overfished or existing remedial action taken to end overfishing or rebuild an overfished stock has not resulted in adequate progress.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Debra Lambert, telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to sections 304(e)(2) and (e)(7) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2) and (e)(7), and implementing regulations at 50 CFR 600.310(e)(2), NMFS sends written notification to fishery management councils when overfishing is occurring, a stock is approaching overfishing, a stock is overfished, a stock is approaching an overfished condition, or existing action taken to end previously identified overfishing or rebuilding a previously identified overfished stock or stock complex has not resulted in adequate progress. On December 3, 2007, the NMFS Northeast Regional Administrator sent a letter notifying the Council that summer flounder is overfished. Summer flounder is currently under a rebuilding plan. The Council must therefore ensure that overfishing is ended and that the stock rebuilds on schedule. A copy of the notification letter sent to the Council for the aforementioned determination is available at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/​sfa/​statusoffisheries/​SOSmain.htm.

Dated: December 20, 2007.

James P. Burgess,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.