[Federal Register: September 17, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 180)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 48011-48012]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17se01-9]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 000407096-0096-01; I.D. 090501C]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Implementation of Conditional Closures
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Implementation of conditional closures in the Gulf of Maine.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator) has determined that at least 1.67 million lb
(759 metric tons (mt)) of Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod has been landed as of
July 31, 2001. Therefore, pursuant to regulations governing the
Northeast multispecies fishery, specific areas within this fishery will
be closed. The intent of this action is to protect GOM cod resources.
DATES: Effective November 1, 2001, through January 31, 2002.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard A. Pearson, Fishery Policy
Analyst, 978-281-9279.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing the conditional
Cashes Ledge and GOM Rolling Closure Areas in Framework Adjustment 33
(65 FR 21658, April 24, 2000) became effective on June 1, 2000. To help
ensure that GOM cod landings remain within the target TAC established
for the fishing year, Framework 33 provided a mechanism specified at 50
CFR 648.81(o) to close the area identified as the Cashes Ledge Closure
Area from November 1 through November 30, and the area identified as
Rolling Closure Area VI from January 1 through January 31 if the
Regional Administrator determines that at least 50 percent of the
average between the F0.1 target total allowable catch (TAC)
and the Fmax target TAC (1.67 million lb (759 mt) for the
fishing years beginning May 1, 2000, and May 1, 2001) has been landed
as of, or before, July 31. Last year, on September 5, 2000, NMFS
announced (65 FR 53648) that the
[[Page 48012]]
conditional closures would become effective for the 2000 fishing year.
For the 2001 fishing year, which began on May 1, 2001, the New
England Fishery Management Council (Council) voted to maintain the same
GOM cod target TACs as in fishing year 2000 (for Fmax and
F0.1), because of uncertainty regarding 1999 and 2000 GOM
cod discard levels (66 FR 15812, March 21, 2001). The intent of
retaining the same GOM cod target TACs was to prevent an increase in
the exploitation of GOM cod during the 2001 fishing year. The
conditional closure of Cashes Ledge in November 2001, and a portion of
Massachusetts Bay in January 2002, are therefore required, if
preliminary landings data through July 31, 2001, indicate that more
than 1.67 million lb (759 mt) of GOM cod has been landed. NMFS is
required to publish notification in the Federal Register informing the
public of the implementation of the conditional closures if GOM cod
landings exceed those levels.
Based upon the best available scientific information, the Regional
Administrator has determined that at least 1.67 million lb (759 mt) of
GOM cod has been landed as of July 31, 2001. Therefore, NMFS is
implementing the conditional closure of the Cashes Ledge Closure Area,
as described in Sec. 648.81(h)(1), and Rolling Closure Area VI, as
described in Sec. 648.81(g)(1)(vi), to better ensure that GOM cod
landings remain within the target TACs established for the 2001 fishing
year. Pursuant to Sec. 648.81(o), the Cashes Ledge Closure Area will
be closed from November 1, 2001, through November 30, 2001, and Rolling
Closure Area VI will be closed from January 1, 2002, through January
31, 2002, to all fishing vessels, and to fishing gear capable of
catching Northeast multispecies, except as provided under Sec.
648.81(h)(2) and (g)(2).
The coordinates of the closed areas are as follows:
Cashes Ledge Closure Area
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Point N. Lat. W. Long.
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CL1 43 deg.07' 69 deg.02'
CL2 42 deg.49.5 68 deg.46'
'
CL3 42 deg.46.5 68 deg.50.5
' '
CL4 42 deg.43.5 68 deg.58.5
' '
CL5 42 deg.42.5 69 deg.17.5
' '
CL6 42 deg.49.5 69 deg.26'
'
CL1 43 deg.07' 69 deg.02'
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Rolling Closure Area VI
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Point N. Lat. W. Long.
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GM1 42 deg.00' (2)
GM2 42 deg.00' (3)
GM3 42 deg.00' (4)
GM4 42 deg.00' 70 deg.00'
GM8 42 deg.30' 70 deg.00'
GM9 42 deg.30' (2)
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(1) or other intersecting line: (2) Massachusetts shoreline (3) Cape Cod
shoreline on Cape Cod Bay (4) Cape Cod shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean
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: September 12, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-23178 Filed 9-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S