Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Atlantic Menhaden Fishery

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NMFS announces that on November 15, 2019, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) received a letter from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission finding the Commonwealth of Virginia out of compliance with Amendment 3 to the Atlantic Menhaden Interstate Fishery Management Plan and requesting Federal non-compliance review under the provisions of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. This notice is necessary to alert the public that the Secretary has received and is reviewing the referral of non-compliance from the Commission. The intended effect of this notice is to inform the public of the Commission's recommendation to the Secretary and to outline both the decision-making process that will be used and potential outcomes of the non-compliance review. If the Secretary determines that Virginia failed to carry out its responsibilities under the Coastal Atlantic Menhaden Interstate Fishery Management Plan, and if the measures it failed to implement are necessary for conservation of the fishery, then, according to the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, the Secretary must declare a moratorium on fishing for Atlantic menhaden in Virginia water