Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Regulations; Suspension of Effectiveness of Gear Marking Requirements for Northeast U.S. Fisheries

Résumé

On February 16, 1999, NMFS issued a final rule implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP). This suspends the gear marking requirements for northeast U.S. fisheries contained in that rule. The other provisions of that rule, including the gear marking requirements for southeast U.S. (SEUS) fisheries under the ALWTRP, remain in effect. The current gear marking requirements for northeast U.S. fisheries under the rule are unlikely to provide useful information. The purpose of this suspension is to spare fishermen from unnecessary expenses while a better gear marking system is devised and implemented.