Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; 2007 Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Operations Plan and Agreement and Allocation of Georges Bank Cod Total Allowable Catch

This final rule implements the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Hook Sector Fishing Year (FY) 2007 Operations Plan and Agreement, approved by the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator). Amendment 13 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 13) authorized allocation of up to 20 percent of the annual GB cod total allowable catch (TAC) to the GB Cod Hook Sector (Sector). Pursuant to that authorization, the Sector submitted an Operations Plan and Sector Contract entitled, "Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Fishing Year 2007-2008 Operations Plan and Agreement" (together referred to as the Sector Agreement) and requested an allocation of GB cod, consistent with regulations implementing Amendment 13. This action results in authorization of the Sector Operations Plan during the 2007 fishing year and allocation of 675 mt of GB cod to the Sector.