Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Swordfish Quotas

This final rule amends the regulations governing the North and South Atlantic swordfish fisheries to implement two recommendations by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT)(Recommendations 06-02 and 06-03). These recommendations establish baseline quotas for North and South Atlantic swordfish, respectively, and set caps on underharvest carryover. Additionally, recommendation 06-02 allows a contracting party (CPC) with a total allowable catch (TAC) allocation to make a transfer within a fishing year of up to 15 percent of its baseline allocation to other CPCs with TAC allocations, as long as the transfer is conducted in a manner that is consistent with domestic obligations and conservation considerations. This final rule will transfer 15 percent of the North Atlantic swordfish baseline quota into the reserve category which would allow it to be transferred to other CPCs with TAC allocations. In addition, this final rule modifies the North and South Atlantic swordfish quotas for the 2006 fishing year to account for updated landings information from the 2004 and 2005 fishing years. Finally, this final rule includes the option of an internet website as an additional method for complying with the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling or Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat category(s 24 hour reporting requirement. Currently, reporting is by telephone only. This rule will remain in effect until ICCAT provides new recommendations for the U.S. swordfish fisheries.