Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 50

NMFS partially approves Framework Adjustment 50 (Framework 50) to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and implements the approved measures. NMFS also implements three parallel emergency actions to set fishing year (FY) 2013 catch limits for Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder and white hake, and to modify the maximum Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod carryover available to sectors from FY 2012 to FY 2013. Framework 50 sets specifications for FYs 2013-2015, including 2013 total allowable catches (TACs) for U.S./Canada stocks, and revises the rebuilding program and management measures for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder. This final rule also implements FY 2013 management measures for the recreational and common pool fisheries and clarifies how to account for sector carryover for FY 2013 and for FY 2014 and beyond. These actions are necessary to prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, achieve optimum yield (OY), and ensure that management measures are based on the best available scientific information.