Fisheries Off West Coast States; the Highly Migratory Species Fishery; El Nino Pacific Loggerhead Conservation Area 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 660 [Docket No. 031125294-4091-02] RIN 0648-XD988 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting fishing with large-mesh drift gillnet (DGN) gear (≥14 inches mesh) off the coast of southern California east of 120° W meridian from June 1, 2024, through August 31, 2024. This prohibition is based on the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries' (AA's) determination that El Niño conditions are occurring off the coast of southern California. This action is intended to protect Endangered Species Act-listed loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta ), specifically, the endangered North Pacific Ocean Distinct Population Segment. DATES: Effective 12:01 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), June 1, 2024, through 11:59 p.m. PDT, August 31, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Fanning, West Coast Region (WCR), NMFS, (562) 980-4198, chris.fanning@noaa.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DGN fishery is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species ( 50 CFR part 660, subpart K ) and occurs off the coast of California. NMFS regulations state that “No person may fish with, set, or haul back drift gillnet gear in U.S. waters of the Pacific Ocean east of the 120° W meridian from June 1 through August 31 du…