Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Pelagic Longline Fishery; Sea Turtle Protection Measures

Resumo

NMFS extends the expiration date of the emergency rule that closed the Northeast Distant Statistical Reporting (NED) Area to pelagic longline fishing, required modifications in deploying pelagic longline fishing gear, and required sea turtle handling and release guidelines for bottom and pelagic longline fisheries to be posted in the wheelhouse. This extension is necessary to maintain the reduction in bycatch and bycatch mortality of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles in the Atlantic bottom and pelagic longline fisheries as required by the June 14, 2001, Biological Opinion (BiOp).