Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fisheries; 2000 Specifications; Adjustment; Closure

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 000105004-0260-02 ;I.D. 120400A] RIN 0648-AI78 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Inseason adjustment of the 2000 Atlantic herring specifications; closure of Area 1A. SUMMARY: NMFS adjusts the 2000 annual specifications for the Atlantic herring fishery including total joint venture processing (JVPt), joint venture processing (JVP), internal waters processing (IWP), U.S. at-sea processing (USAP), and total allowable catch (TAC) for Areas 1A and 1B. The intent is to reapportion allowable catches of herring within the fishery sectors and areas to allow for the achievement of the objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Herring (FMP). NMFS also announces that the directed fishery for Atlantic herring in Area 1A in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will be closed. DATES: The closure of Area 1A is effective December 14, 2000 through 0001 hours, January 1, 2001. After 0001 hours, December 14, 2000, vessels may not fish for, possess, catch, transfer, or land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring per trip and per calendar day. Comments on the inseason adjustment must be received by January 10, 2001. ADDRESSES: Comments on the inseason adjustment should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01…