[Federal Register: December 29, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 250)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 78382-78383]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29de06-12]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 010319075-1217-02; I.D. 121806C]
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: Temporary rule; tilefish Part-time permit category closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the percentage of the tilefish annual
total allowable landings (TAL) available to the Part-time permit
category for the 2007 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 2007 fishing year (through October 31, 2007).
Regulations governing the tilefish fishery require publication of this
notification to advise the public of this closure.
DATES: Effective 0001 hrs local time, December 29, 2006, through 2400
hrs local time, October 31, 2007.
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 2007 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 2007 fishing year. Thus, the Part-time
permit category quota for the 2007 fishing year, which is equal to 19
percent of the TAL, was specified at 360,098 lb (163,338 kg). However,
due to an over-harvest in the 2006 fishing year, the quota for the
Part-time permit category was adjusted downward by 92,935 lb (42,155
kg) to 267,163 lb (121,183 kg). Notification of the 2007 Part-time
permit category quota for the 2007 fishing year was published in the
Federal Register on October 31, 2006 (71 FR 63703).
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
[[Page 78383]]
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 2007 tilefish TAL for
the Part-time category has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hr
local time, December 29, 2006, 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, 2007. The 2008 fishing year for commercial tilefish
harvest will open on November 1, 2007. Federally permitted dealers are
also advised that, effective December 29, 2006, 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 2007 fishing year (through October 31,
2007).
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 22, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-9918 Filed 12-26-06; 8:51 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S