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The rule would update the current state-waters exemption issued in 2009 for the State of Maine (Maine) to include a provision that would allow Northern Gulf of Maine-permitted vessels with Maine state-waters permits to fish in Maine's state-waters portion of the Northern Gulf of Maine management area after NMFS has projected the Federal annual total allowable catch to be fully harvested. This provision, which Maine has requested to only apply to Northern Gulf of Maine-permitted vessels, would be added to other Maine state waters exemptions from gear and effort control restrictions for vessels issued Federal scallop permits and fishing exclusively in Maine state waters. Vessels would not be exempt from any other federal restrictions. The current scallop fishery regulations specify that a state may be eligible for a state-waters exemption to specific regulations if it has a scallop fishery and a scallop conservation program that does not jeopardize the biomass and fishing mortality/effort limit objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The regulations further state that the Regional Administrator shall determine which states meet those criteria.