NOAA Fisheries Service's Northeast Regional Administrator reviewed the New England Fishery Management Council's request for temporary emergency rulemaking to implement an increase in the 2010 black sea bass quota. Through this action we will help prevent significant direct economic loss for fishery participants and associated industries that would be subject to lower commercial and recreational harvest levels. An additional amount of black sea bass landings will also be able to be set aside for research activities.
Through this temporary emergency rule, NOAA increases the 2010 black sea bass
total allowable catch from 2.71 million lb to 4.5 million lb. After deducting discards, the total allowable landings will increase from 2.3 million lb to 3.7 million lb.
To view the emergency rule as filed in the federal register today, please visit the NOAA website.