Final Framework 22 To The Atlantic Sea Scallop Fmp Including An Environmental Assessment An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis And Stock Asessement And Fishery Evaluation Safe Report

"The purpose of Framework 22 is to set the following scallop management measures for the 2011 through 2013 fishing years: The overfishing limit, acceptable biological catches, annual catch limits, and annual catch targets for both the limited access and limited access general category (LAGC) fleets; open area days-at-sea (DAS) and Sea Scallop Access Area trip allocations; DAS adjustments if an access area yellowtail flounder total allowable catch (T AC) is caught; LAGC-specific allocations, including access area trip allocations for vessels with individual fishing quotas the Northern Gulf of Maine TAC, and the incidental target TAC; management measures to minimize impacts of incidental take of sea turtles as required by the March 14, 2008, Atlantic Sea Scallop Biological Opinion, and the elimination of the default Georges Bank access area rotation schedule"--Cover letter; Portfolio comprised of two related PDF documents digitized and organized by: NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration (PPI) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) staff.

"The primary purpose of this action is to set scallop fishery specifications for the 2016 fishing year, as well as default measures for FY2017. This action is needed to achieve the objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which is to prevent overfishing and improve yield-per-recruit from the fishery"--Executive summary (iii).

"The final specifications implement annual quotas of 3.4 million bushels for Atlantic surfclams, 5.333 million bushels for ocean quahogs, and 100,000 Maine bushels for Maine mahogany quahogs for the 2011-2013 fishing years. These quota levels maintain the status quo from the 2010 fishing year, consistent with the provisions of the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan (FMP)"--Cover letter.