Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Modification to the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank Herring Midwater Trawl Gear Letter of Authorization

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NMFS implements modifications to the requirements for midwater trawl vessels issued an All Areas Limited Access Herring Permit and/or an Areas 2 and 3 Limited Access Herring Permit that fish in Northeast (NE) multispecies Closed Area I (CA I). When fishing in CA I, eligible midwater trawl vessels will be required to carry a NMFS-approved observer aboard the vessel and to bring the entire catch aboard, unless specific conditions are met, so that it is available to the observer for sampling. These changes to the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank (GOM/GB) Herring Midwater Trawl Gear Letter of Authorization (LOA) are effective indefinitely, but may be superseded by monitoring measures currently under development as part of Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP).