The Federal Register

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Northern Rockfish in the Gulf of Alaska

Wed, Jul 16 2008 11:00:00 GMT

NMFS is opening directed fishing for northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of northern rockfish in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Gulf of Alaska

Wed, Jul 16 2008 11:00:00 GMT

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf

Wed, Jul 16 2008 11:00:00 GMT

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch by catcher processors participating in the limited access or optout fisheries that are subject to sideboard limits established under the Central GOA Rockfish Program in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 sideboard limits of Pacific ocean perch established for catcher processors participating in the limited access or optout fisheries in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic

Wed, Jul 16 2008 11:00:00 GMT

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement the applicable provisions of Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). Amendment 14 proposes, and this rule would implement, establishment of eight marine protected areas (MPAs) in which fishing for or possession of South Atlantic snappergrouper would be prohibited. The prohibition on possession would not apply to a person aboard a vessel that was in transit with fishing gear appropriately stowed. Amendment 14 also proposes to prohibit the use of shark bottom longlines within the MPAs, however, NMFS is proposing to implement the prohibition of shark bottom longlines through separate rulemaking. The intended effects of this proposed rule are to protect a portion of the population and habitat of longlived, slow growing, deepwater snapper grouper from fishing pressure to achieve a more natural sex ratio

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

Wed, Jul 16 2008 11:00:00 GMT

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene its Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP).

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

Wed, Jul 16 2008 11:00:00 GMT

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold public hearings regarding Amendment 7 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the South Atlantic Region and Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper FMP for the South Atlantic Region. Amendment 7 to the Shrimp FMP addresses requirements for South Atlantic rock shrimp endorsements, Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) verification for the rock shrimp fishery, and economic reporting for the shrimp fishery.

Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper FMP ends overfishing of gag and vermilion snapper and proposes interim allocations for commercial and recreational sectors. A series of public hearings for Amendment 16 were held from May 7 15, 2008. Since that time, additional management alternatives have been included in the amendment.