Summer Flounder Board Sets 2007 TAL

[vanstaal]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, DECEMBER 12, 1006
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER 202/289-6400

ASMFC Summer Flounder Board Sets 2007 TAL

New York, New York - The Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass
Management Board approved an initial total allowable landings (TAL) limit of
12.98 million pounds for the 2007 summer flounder fishery. The Board expects
that this quota will enable the Secretary of Commerce to determine that
overfishing is not occurring, thereby allowing him to exercise the recent
authority provided under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to extend the rebuilding period to 2013.
Under this new deadline, the 2007 TAL is expected to increase to 17.11 million
pounds. The Management Board anticipates that this increase in quota will occur
before March 1, 2007.

In setting the TAL, the Board took into account the recent reauthorization of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which included a provision that would allow for the
extension of the rebuilding time frame for the summer flounder fishery to no
later than January 1, 2013. Under that provision overfishing cannot be
occurring. By setting the initial TAL at 12.98 million pounds, the Board ensures
that overfishing is not occurring, enabling an extension in the rebuilding time
frame. Under the revised rebuilding time frame, the 17.11 million pound TAL
would have a 75% chance of achieving the fishing mortality rate needed to
rebuild the summer flounder fishery by January 1, 2013.

On December 13, 2006, NOAA Fisheries will publish a final rule setting the 2007
TAL for the summer flounder fishery at 12.98 million pounds in order to meet the
congressional mandate to end overfishing. Once the President signs the
Magnuson-Stevens Act into law, NOAA Fisheries will have the flexibility to
extend the rebuilding time frame if overfishing is not occurring and a mechanism
is in place to ensure that overfishing will not occur.

The Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board also
met with the Council to set recreational specifications for the summer flounder,
scup, and black sea bass fisheries. A subsequent press release will announce the
outcome of that meeting. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, FMP
Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or <tkerns@asmfc.org>.

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PR06-44

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Tina Berger
Public Affairs Specialist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 I Street. NW, Sixth Floor
Washington, DC 20005


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