Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Western Pacific Pelagics Fisheries; Hawaii-based Pelagic Longline Restrictions and Seasonal Area Closure, and Sea Turtle and Sea Bird Mitigation Measures

NMFS issues an emergency interim rule, effective for 180 days, applicable to vessels registered for use under a Hawaii longline limited access permit (Hawaii longline vessel). This rule: Prohibits the targeting of swordfish north of the equator by Hawaii longline vessels; prohibits longline fishing by Hawaii longline vessels in waters south of the Hawaiian Islands (from 15 deg. N. lat. to the equator, and from 145 deg. W. long. to 180 deg. long.) during the months of April and May; allows re-registration of vessels to Hawaii longline limited access permits only in October; imposes additional sea turtle handling and resuscitation measures; and requires all Hawaii longline vessel operators to attend an annual protected species workshop. This rule implements an Order issued on March 30, 2001, by the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (Court). This Order superseded the Court's Order of August 4, 2000, and this rule supersedes the emergency rules published on August 25, 2000; November 3, 2000; February 22, 2001; and March 19, 2001. Other parts of this emergency interim rule implement the terms and conditions contained in a November 28, 2000, Biological Opinion (BO) issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on the effects of the Hawaii-based longline fishery (Hawaii longline fishery) on the endangered short- tailed albatross.