Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; 2003 Specifications

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2003 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries and makes preliminary adjustments to the 2003 commercial quotas for these fisheries. This final rule specifies allowed harvest limits for both commercial and recreational fisheries, as well as other commercial management measures, including scup and black sea bass possession limits and scup observer coverage. This action also prohibits federally permitted commercial vessels from landing summer flounder in the States of Maine and Delaware in 2003. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise these states, Federal vessel permit holders, and Federal dealer permit holders that no commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in Maine and Delaware in 2003. The intent of this action is to establish allowed 2003 harvest levels and other measures to attain the target fishing mortality or exploitation rates, as specified for these species in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP).