Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 25

NMFS issues this final rule to implement measures contained in Framework 25 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The primary purpose of this action is to significantly reduce fishing effort on Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod through a combination of direct and indirect measures. Direct measures include area closures and trip limits, and indirect measures include an incentive to shift effort from the GOM to Georges Bank with an increased haddock trip limit. This final rule implements management measures that include: 1-month sequential closures for each of four GOM inshore areas starting in Massachusetts Bay and extending to Penobscot Bay and for an offshore area comprising Cashes Ledge; a year-round closure encompassing parts of Stellwagen Bank, Jeffreys Ledge, and Wildcat Knoll; a reduction in the GOM cod landing limit from 1,000 lb/day (453.6 kg/day) to 700 lb/ day (317.5 kg/day); an extension of the current 1,000 lb/day (453.6 kg/ day) haddock landing limit, with a 10,000 lb (4,536 kg/day) landing cap per trip, for the period May 1 through August 31, and an increase to 3,000 lb/day (1,360.8 kg/day), with a 30,000 lb (13,608 kg/day) cap per trip, beginning September 1; a requirement to use a raised footrope trawl in Small Mesh Area 1 and Small Mesh Area 2; and a 1-year postponement of the Vessel Tracking System (VTS) for multispecies vessels. The intent of this action is to implement measures to achieve the rebuilding goals of Amendment 7 to the FMP for the 1998 multispecies fishing year.