Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Harvested for Loligo Squid Trimester II

NMFS announces that, effective 0001 hours, August 6, 2009, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, or land more than 2,500 lb of Loligo squid per trip at any time, and may only land Loligo once on any calendar day until September 1, 2009, when the Trimester III quota becomes available. This action is based on the determination that 90 percent of the Trimester II Loligo squid quota is projected to be harvested by August 6, 2009. Regulations governing the Loligo squid fishery require publication of this notification to advise vessel and dealer permit holders that no TAC is available for the directed fishery for Loligo squid harvested for the duration of Trimester II.