Taking of Threatened or Endangered Species Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations

Résumé

NMFS is issuing an interim final rule to prohibit fishing with drift gillnets in the California/Oregon (CA/OR) thresher shark/ swordfish drift gillnet fishery in U.S. waters off southern California, south of Point Conception (34[deg]27' N.) and west to the 120[deg]W., from August 15 through August 31, and January 1 through January 31, when the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries publishes a notice that El Nino conditions are present. NMFS has determined that the incidental take of loggerhead sea turtles by this fishery correlates to the area and season being fished during these oceanographic conditions. Time and area closures will result in a reduction in the take of loggerhead turtles by the fishery and are necessary to avoid the likelihood of the CA/OR drift gillnet fishery jeopardizing the continued existence of the loggerhead population.