[Federal Register: March 16, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 50)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 12808] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr16mr05-8] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 010319075-1217-02; I.D. 030905G] Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Tilefish Fishery; Quota Harvested for Part-time Category AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Closure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual total allowable landings (TAL) available to the Part-time permit category for the 2005 fishing year has been harvested. Commercial vessels fishing under the Part-time tilefish category may not harvest tilefish from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit for the remainder of the 2005 fishing year (through October 31, 2005). Regulations governing the tilefish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the public of this closure. DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, March 19, 2005, through 2400 hrs local time, October 31, 2005. 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 within 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). The TAL for tilefish for the 2005 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 2005 fishing year. Thus, the Part-time permit category quota for the 2005 fishing year, which is equal to 19 percent of the TAL, is 360,098 lb (163,338 kg). However, as a result of the Part-time permit category exceeding the quota during the 2004 fishing year by 16,264 lb (7,377 kg) the adjusted Part-time category quota for the 2005 fishing year is 343,843 lb (155,961 kg). Notification of the 2004 Part-time permit category overage and the adjusted quota for the 2005 fishing year was published in the Federal Register on October 22, 2004 (69 FR 62001). 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 within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit. The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer reports and other available information, that the 2005 tilefish TAL for the Part-time category has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hrs local time, March 19, 2005, further landings of tilefish harvested from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit by tilefish vessels holding Part-time category Federal fisheries permits are prohibited through October 31, 2005. The 2006 fishing year for commercial tilefish harvest will open on November 1, 2005. Federally permitted dealers are also advised that, effective March 19, 2005, they may not purchase tilefish from Part-time category federally permitted tilefish vessels who land tilefish harvested from within the Golden Tilefish Management Unit for the remainder of the 2005 fishing year (through October 31, 2005). Classification This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: March 10, 2005. Alan D. Risenhoover, Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 05-5223 Filed 3-11-05; 2:39 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S