Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Closure of the Delmarva Scallop Access Area to Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Scallop Vessels

NMFS announces that the Delmarva Scallop Access Area will close to LAGC IFQ scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2010 fishing year. Therefore, as of the effective date, no scallop vessel fishing under LAGC IFQ regulations may declare its intent to enter, or fish in the Delmarva Scallop Access Area. This action is based on the determination that 714 general category scallop trips into the Delmarva Access Area are projected to be taken as of 0001 hours, January 29, 2011. This action is being taken to prevent the allocation of LAGC IFQ trips in the Delmarva Scallop Access Area from being exceeded during the 2010 fishing year, in accordance with the regulations implementing Framework 21 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.