Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Modification of the Common Pool Day-at-Sea Accounting and Possession Prohibition for Witch Flounder

This action implements a differential Days-at-Sea (DAS) counting factor of 2.0 to Category A DAS for Northeast (NE) multispecies vessels fishing under common pool regulations for the 2010 fishing year (FY) when fishing in the Inshore Gulf of Maine (GOM) Differential DAS Area, the Offshore GOM Differential DAS Area, the Inshore Georges Bank (GB) Differential Area, and the Offshore GB Differential Area. Vessels may transit the GOM and GB Differential DAS Areas without being charged the differential DAS rate, provided their gear is properly stowed according to the regulations. This action also implements a zero possession limit for witch flounder. The purpose is to decrease the likelihood that catch (landings and discards) of white hake and GOM cod will exceed the subcomponent of the annual catch limit (ACL) allocated to the common pool during FY 2010 (May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011). Because witch flounder has already exceeded its sub-ACL, this action attempts to minimize additional overharvest by reducing the possession limit to zero. This action is taken under the authority of the regulations implementing Amendment 16 and Framework Adjustment 44 (FW 44) to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).