Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Framework Adjustment 9

Issuing agencies

Abstract

This action proposes to approve and implement Framework Adjustment 9 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. This proposed rule would establish a rebuilding plan for herring, adjust accountability measure catch threshold triggers when catch exceeds a herring annual catch limit or management area sub-annual catch limit, and revise existing regulations to clarify area closure and possession limit restrictions and add prohibitions that were inadvertently omitted from previous management actions. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information and to achieve the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan. The proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild the overfished herring stock, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.