Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP)

The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces temporary restrictions consistent with the requirements of the ALWTRP's implementing regulations. These regulations apply to lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen for 15 days in an area southeast of Portland, ME, totaling approximately 886 nm\2\ to 1,569 nm\2\ (3,039 km\2\ to 5,382 km\2\), depending on the temporal and spatial overlap with two other DAM zones currently in effect. The two other overlapping DAM zones are in effect from 0001 hours February 3, 2006 through 2400 hours February 17, 2006,and from 0001 hours February 10, 2006, through 2400 hours February 24, 2006. The purpose of this action is to provide protection to an aggregation of northern right whales (right whales).