Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Fishing Year 2017; Extension of Emergency Removal of Southern Windowpane Accountability Measures

This rule extends the emergency action to remove the 2017 southern windowpane flounder accountability measures (AM) for non-groundfish trawl vessels. The rule is necessary because the emergency measures would otherwise expire before the end of the 2017 fishing year. This rule is intended to mitigate negative economic impacts to non-groundfish vessels, while maintaining conservation benefits for the southern windowpane flounder stock.