Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Implementation of Conditional Closures

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that at least 759 metric tons (mt) of Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod have been landed as of July 31, 2000. Therefore, pursuant to regulations governing the Northeast multispecies fishery, the area identified as the Cashes Ledge Closure Area will be closed from November 1, 2000, through November 30, 2000, and the area identified as Rolling Closure Area VI will be closed from January 1, 2001, through January 31, 2001, to all fishing vessels, and to fishing gear capable of catching Northeast multispecies, except as provided under specific provisions in the regulations. The intent of this action is to protect overfished GOM cod resources.