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

NMFS makes changes to an emergency interim rule published on August 25, 2000, governing the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery. The changes, which are only applicable to the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery when fishing in Area C, as designated under that rule, expressly prohibit directing longline fishing effort toward the harvest of swordfish. The changes require vessels to set their main longline so that the deepest point between any two floats is greater than 100 m (328.1 ft), prohibit the possession of lightsticks on board vessels, require permit holders or operators to donate to charity at least 30 percent of their gross revenues from the sale of incidentally caught swordfish, and require each longline vessel operator to have aboard the vessel an observer waiver form issued by NMFS if the vessel fishes without an observer. The intent of this action is to ensure that swordfish are not targeted by the Hawaii longline fishery in Area C and to reduce adverse impacts on sea turtles while NMFS prepares a comprehensive environmental impact statement (EIS) that analyzes the environmental effects of fishing activities conducted under the Fishery Management Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FMP).