Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Pelagic Longline Fishery; Sea Turtle Protection Measures

NMFS issues emergency regulations to implement a time and area closure for pelagic longline fishing, within the Northeast Distant Statistical Sampling (NED) Area. Additionally, this rule requires all pelagic longline vessels that have been issued Federal highly migratory species (HMS) fishing permits and that fish in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, to carry on board dipnets and line clippers meeting NMFS design and performance standards. These regulations are necessary to reduce the bycatch and bycatch mortality of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles by the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery.