Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Total Allowable Catch Harvested for Period 2 Management Area 1A

NMFS announces that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to Management Area 1A (Area 1A) for fishing year 2003 is projected to be harvested by November 19, 2003. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, November 19, 2003, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer or land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring harvested from Area 1A per trip or calendar day until January 1, 2004, when the 2004 TAC becomes available. Regulations governing the Atlantic herring fishery require publication of this notification to advise vessel and dealer permit holders that 95 percent of the Atlantic herring TAC allocated to Area 1A for the 2003 fishing year has been harvested, and no TAC is available for the directed fishery for Atlantic herring harvested from Area 1A.