Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Closure of the Delmarva Scallop Access Area to General Category Scallop Vessels

NMFS announces that the Delmarva Scallop Access Area will close to general category scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2009 fishing year. This action is based on the determination that 728 general category scallop trips into the Delmarva Access Area are projected to be taken as of 0001, April 1, 2009. This action is being taken to prevent the allocation of general category trips in the Delmarva Scallop Access Area from being exceeded during the 2009 fishing year, in accordance with the regulations implementing Framework 19 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.