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

NMFS announces that the Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Area (NLCA) will close to general category scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2007 scallop fishing year. This action is based on the determination that 394 general category scallop trips into the NLCA are projected to be taken as of 0001 hr local time, July 8, 2007. This action is being taken to prevent the allocation of general category trips in the NLCA from being exceeded during the 2007 fishing year, in accordance with the regulations implementing Framework 18 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.