Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Framework Adjustment 9

This rule approves and implements Framework Adjustment 9 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. This action establishes a rebuilding plan for herring and adjusts accountability measure catch threshold triggers when catch exceeds a herring annual catch limit or management area sub-annual catch limit. This action also revises regulatory text that is unnecessary, outdated, or unclear consistent with section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information and to achieve the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan. The approved measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild the overfished herring stock, achieve optimum yield on a continuing basis, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.