Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Closure of the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area to General Category Scallop Vessels

NMFS announces the closure of the Closed Area I (CAI) Scallop Access Area for general category scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2005 fishing year (through February 28, 2006). This closure is based on a determination by the Northeast Regional Administrator (RA) that general category scallop vessels will have made all of the 162 allowed trips by 0001 hr local time September 8, 2005. This action is being taken to prevent the allocation of general category trips in CAI Scallop Access Area from being exceeded during the 2005 fishing year in accordance with the regulations implemented under Framework 16 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Framework 39 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP (Joint Frameworks) and the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.