Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan Regulations

Resumen

NMFS issues this final rule to amend the regulations implementing the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan (Plan). This rule revises the Plan by eliminating the consequence closure strategy enacted in 2010, based on deliberations by the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team (Team). This action is necessary to prevent the improper triggering of consequence closure areas based on target harbor porpoise bycatch rates that no longer accurately reflect actual bycatch in New England sink gillnets due to fishery-wide changes in fishing practices.