Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Regulatory Adjustments

NMFS issues this final rule to amend the regulations governing the Atlantic tuna fisheries to prohibit the use of aircraft to assist fishing vessel operators in the location and capture of Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABT), with the exception of vessels permitted in the Purse Seine and Harpoon categories, and to establish a deadline for permit category changes for 1997 only. These regulatory amendments are necessary to achieve the domestic management objectives for the Atlantic tuna fisheries. DATES: Effective July 14, 1997. ADDRESSES: Copies of supporting documents, including an Environmental Assessment and Regulatory Impact Review (EA/RIR), are available from, Rebecca Lent, Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282.