Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Spiny Dogfish Fishery; Commercial Period 2 Quota Harvested

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the semi-annual quota period, November 1, 2008--April 30, 2009, has been harvested and will not open for the Period 2 fishery. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, November 1, 2008, federally permitted spiny dogfish vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish until May 1, 2009, when the Period 1 quota becomes available. Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states. This action is necessary because the fishery has exceeded its annual quota.

Agency Contact: Jamie Goen at (978) 281-9220, or Jamie.Goen@noaa.gov.