[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 223 (Monday, November 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 67105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19586]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 051017270-5339-02; I.D. 093005B]


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic 
Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; 2007 Fishing Quotas for Atlantic 
Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is announcing that the quotas for the Atlantic surfclam 
and ocean quahog fisheries for 2007 remain status quo. Regulations 
governing these fisheries require NMFS to notify the public of the 
allowable harvest levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from 
the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Federal Register if the previous 
year's quota specifications remain unchanged.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tobey Curtis, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9273.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic 
Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries (FMP) requires that NMFS issue 
notification in the Federal Register of the upcoming year's quota, even 
in cases where the quota remains unchanged from the previous year. At 
its June 2006 meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
voted that no action be taken to change the quota specifications for 
Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs for the 2007 fishing year (January 
1 through December 31, 2007), and recommended maintaining the 2005 and 
2006 quota levels of 3.4 million bu (181 million L) for Atlantic 
surfclams, 5.333 million bu (284 million L) for ocean quahogs, and 
100,000 Maine bu (3.524 million L) for Maine ocean quahogs, as 
announced in the Federal Register on December 28, 2005 (70 FR 76715).

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: November 15, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-19586 Filed 11-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S