Framework Adjustment 45 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, Including an Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

Book excerpt: "This action incorporates information from recent stock assessments to update the status determination criteria for pollock, extend the rebuilding program for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, and specify annual catch limits for several stocks. In addition, this action eliminates unnecessary closure areas applicable to scallop vessels, maintains existing allocations of yellowtail flounder bycatch to the scallop fishery, delays the responsibility of the fishing industry to pay for dockside monitoring coverage through 2012, redistributes the fishing history of canceled permits to all remaining limited access NE multispecies permits for the purposes of calculating a sector's yearly allocation of each stock, approves the creation of new sectors, refines trip limits and area access for handgear vessels, revises monitoring requirements, and implements a spawning closure area to protect Gulf of Maine code. Through emergency authority, this action also increases the 2011 Georges Bank yellowtail flounder catch limit based on increased flexibility allowed under the International Fisheries Agreement Clarification Act. These measures largely build upon existing measures and analyses, and are expected to continue efforts to rebuild overfished stocks, minimize costs to industry, and increase the economic efficiency of vessel operations"--Cover letter.