Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Modification of the Yellowtail Flounder Landing Limit for the U.S./Canada Management Area

NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is decreasing the Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder trip limit to 1,500 lb (680 kg) for NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area. This action is authorized by the regulations implementing Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and is intended to prevent over-harvest of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for GB yellowtail flounder. This action is being taken under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act) to slow the catch rate of GB yellowtail flounder to provide opportunity for vessels to continue fishing while helping to ensure that the TAC will not be exceeded during the 2007 fishing year (May 1, 2007 - April 20, 2008).