Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; Closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area

NMFS announces a temporary closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to limited access NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels. Based upon Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) reports and other available information, the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) has projected that the total allowable catch (TAC) of Georges Bank (GB) cod allocated to be harvested from the Eastern U.S./ Canada Area from May 1, 2009, through July 31, 20098, would be harvested on or around June 24, 2009, if current catch rates continue. This action is being taken to prevent the Eastern U.S./Canada Area TAC specified for the first quarter of the 2009 fishing year from being exceeded. This area will be reopened on August 1, 2009, to provide access to the shared U.S./Canada Stocks of cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder.