Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; Hawaii-based Pelagic Longline Area Closure

This action extends an emergency rule, now in effect, that closes certain waters to fishing by vessels engaged in the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery. The rule was published in the Federal Register on December 27, 1999, in response to the Order Setting Terms of Injunction issued on November 23, 1999, by the U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii, (Court). The area closure is intended to reduce adverse impacts to sea turtles by restricting the activities of the Hawaiian longline fishery while an environmental impact statement (EIS) is being prepared for the Fishery Management Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FMP). Extension of the emergency rule will maintain the temporary area closure until December 23, 2000, or until new time and area closures, as imposed by the Court, are implemented by NMFS.