Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Monkfish Fishery

Résumé

NMFS informs the public that the emergency interim rule published on May 22, 2002, that temporarily amended the fishing mortality rate (F) criteria in the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to be consistent with the best scientific information available, and which implemented the management measures proposed in Framework 1 to the FMP, is extended through April 30, 2003. The purpose of this emergency interim rule extension is to delay further the implementation of restrictive Year-4 default management measures that were scheduled to become effective on May 1, 2002, in the FMP, and to continue measures implemented for the monkfish fishery that are based on the best scientific information.