Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Emergency Rule to Maintain an Area Access Program for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery in Hudson Canyon

This emergency rule implements, as of March 1, 2004, an area access program for the Hudson Canyon Area. The area access program continues the controlled access program that has been implemented through Frameworks 14 and 15 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) with modifications similar to the measures proposed in Amendment 10 to the FMP. The measures in this emergency action will be in place for 180 days and may be extended, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act). This action is necessary to avoid localized overfishing of sea scallops in the Hudson Canyon Area, and will help ensure that fishing mortality rates are more consistent with the status of the scallop resource while not exceeding the target thresholds established in the FMP.