Endangered Fish or Wildlife; Special Prohibitions; North Atlantic Right Whale Protection

Résumé

NMFS proposes to close the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Coastal segments of the Atlantic pelagic drift gillnet fishery for swordfish, tuna, and shark through July 31, 1998. The swordfish portion of the Atlantic pelagic drift gillnet fishery has been closed since December 5, 1996, under an emergency Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act closure which expires on November 26, 1997. This action is necessary to avoid jeopardy to the continued existence of the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), a species listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The purpose of this action is to continue the existing closure of the swordfish portion of the Atlantic pelagic drift gillnet fishery and to close the tuna and shark portions of the Atlantic pelagic drift gillnet fishery until regulatory measures implementing one or more reasonable and prudent alternatives necessary to avoid jeopardy to the continued existence of the northern right whale are completed and implemented.