Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Specifications, 13402-13406 [05-5541]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 53 / Monday, March 21, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
application, receive CMS approval, and
comply with all applicable requirements
in time to offer the plan on January 1,
2006. We believe that delaying the
effective date of this interpretation
would be contrary to the public interest
because it would shorten the already
tight time frame for implementing a
regional MA plan for some potential
applicants. Therefore, we believe it is
necessary to have this interpretation of
our existing policy take effect at the
time as the MA final rule.
Accordingly, we believe there is good
cause to waive the 30-day delay in
effective date, and this interpretation
will be effective on the effective date of
the MA final rule, March 22, 2005.
III. Collection of Information
Requirements
This document does not impose
information collection and
recordkeeping requirements.
Consequently, it need not be reviewed
by the Office of Management and
Budget under the authority of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 35).
IV. Regulatory Impact Statement
We have examined the impact of this
rule as required by Executive Order
12866 (September 1993, Regulatory
Planning and Review), the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA) (September 19,
1980, Pub. L. 96–354), section 1102(b) of
the Social Security Act, the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L.
104–4), and Executive Order 13132.
Executive Order 12866 directs
agencies to assess all costs and benefits
of available regulatory alternatives and,
if regulation is necessary, to select
regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health
and safety effects, distributive impacts,
and equity). A regulatory impact
analysis (RIA) must be prepared for
major rules with economically
significant effects ($100 million or more
in any 1 year). This rule does not reach
the economic threshold and thus is not
considered a major rule.
The RFA requires agencies to analyze
options for regulatory relief of small
businesses. For purposes of the RFA,
small entities include small businesses,
nonprofit organizations, and
government agencies. Most hospitals
and most other providers and suppliers
are small entities, either by nonprofit
status or by having revenues of $6
million to $29 million in any 1 year.
Individuals and States are not included
in the definition of a small entity. We
are not preparing an analysis for the
RFA because we have determined that
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this rule will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities.
In addition, section 1102(b) of the Act
requires us to prepare a regulatory
impact analysis if a rule may have a
significant impact on the operations of
a substantial number of small rural
hospitals. This analysis must conform to
the provisions of section 604 of the
RFA. For purposes of section 1102(b) of
the Act, we define a small rural hospital
as a hospital that is located outside of
a Metropolitan Statistical Area and has
fewer than 100 beds. We are not
preparing an analysis for section 1102(b)
of the Act because we have determined
that this rule will not have a significant
impact on the operations of a substantial
number of small rural hospitals.
Section 202 of the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 also
requires that agencies assess anticipated
costs and benefits before issuing any
rule that may result in expenditure in
any 1 year by State, local, or tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $110 million. This rule
will have no consequential effect on the
governments mentioned or on the
private sector.
Executive Order 13132 establishes
certain requirements that an agency
must meet when it promulgates a
proposed rule (and subsequent final
rule) that imposes substantial direct
requirement costs on State and local
governments, preempts State law, or
otherwise has federalism implications.
Since this regulation does not impose
any costs on State or local governments,
the requirements of E.O. 13132 are not
applicable.
In accordance with the provisions of
Executive Order 12866, this regulation
was reviewed by the Office of
Management and Budget.
Authority: Sections 1851 through 1859 of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–21
through 1395w–28).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Program No. 93.773, Medicare—Hospital
Insurance; and Program No. 93.774,
Medicare—Supplementary Medical
Insurance Program)
Dated: March 2, 2005.
Mark B. McClellan,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services.
Approved: March 16, 2005.
Michael O. Leavitt,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05–5591 Filed 3–18–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4120–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 050125017–5068–02; I.D.
011905E]
RIN 0648–AR57
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery;
Specifications
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS issues 2005
specifications for the Atlantic bluefish
fishery, including state-by-state
commercial quotas, a recreational
harvest limit, and recreational
possession limits for Atlantic bluefish
off the east coast of the United States.
The final specifications for the fishing
year (FY) 2005 are a commercial quota
of 10.398 million lb (4.716 million kg),
and a recreational harvest limit of
20.157 million lb (9.143 million kg), as
adjusted by the research set-aside quota
(RSA) of 297,750 lb (135,057 kg). The
intent of these specifications is to
establish the allowable 2005 harvest
levels and possession limits to attain the
target fishing mortality rate (F),
consistent with the stock rebuilding
program in Amendment 1 to the
Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management
Plan (FMP).
DATES: Effective April 20, 2005, through
December 31, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the specifications
document, including the Environmental
Assessment (EA), Regulatory Impact
Review (RIR), and the Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) are available
from Daniel Furlong, Executive Director,
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council, Room 2115, Federal Building,
300 South Street, Dover, DE 19901–
6790. The specifications document is
also accessible via the Internet at
https://www.nero.nmfs.gov. The Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)
consists of the IRFA, public comments
and responses contained in this final
rule, and a summary of impacts and
alternatives contained in this final rule.
The small entity compliance guide is
available from Patricia A. Kurkul,
Regional Administrator, Northeast
Regional Office, National Marine
Fisheries Service, One Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930–2298. The 39th
Stock Assessment Review Committee
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(SARC) Panelist Reports are available at:
https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/saw/
saw39/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bonnie Van Pelt, Fishery Policy
Analyst, (978) 281–9244, fax at (978)
281–9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations implementing the FMP
appear at 50 CFR part 648, subparts A
and J. Regulations requiring annual
specifications are found at § 648.160.
The FMP requires that the Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council (Council)
recommend, on an annual basis, total
allowable landings (TAL) for the fishery,
consisting of a commercial quota and
recreational harvest limit.
The assessment and surplus
production model approach was
approved by the Council’s Scientific
and Statistical Committee for updating
the analyses used by the Atlantic States
Marine Fisheries Commission
(Commission) and the Council’s
Bluefish Monitoring Committee
(Monitoring Committee) for annual
quota setting. Based on the
recommendations of the Monitoring
Committee, the Council’s Bluefish
Committee makes a recommendation to
the Council, which in turn makes a
recommendation to the Regional
Administrator. The Regional
Administrator reviews the
recommendation and may revise it, if
necessary, to achieve the FMP
objectives. In addition, because the FMP
is a joint plan with the Commission, the
Commission’s Bluefish Board adopts
complementary measures through a
state-by-state quota system. In August
2004, the Monitoring Committee and
Council concurred that the current
regulations are sufficient to ensure that
the 2005 TAL would not be exceeded.
This rule implements final
specifications for the Atlantic bluefish
fishery for 2005 that are unchanged
from the proposed specifications
published on February 8, 2005 (70 FR
6608). A complete discussion of the
development of these specifications is
included in the proposed rule and is not
repeated here. These measures are the
same as those implemented for 2005 by
the states under the Commission’s
Interstate Fishery Management Plan.
Final Specifications
Stock Assessment
In June 2004, the Northeast Fisheries
Science Center (NEFSC) Stock
Assessment Workshop (SAW 39)
reviewed an updated assessment for
bluefish. The peer review process of
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SAW 39 rejected the revised assessment
results, concluding that the model
provided no concrete evidence of
bluefish stock status. The workshop
panelists advised that, because the 2003
assessment was rejected and the status
of the stock unknown, the total
allowable landing specifications should
continue at 2004 levels (see ADDRESSES
for link to panelist reports).
2005 TAL
The FMP requires that the annual
harvest be set based upon either the
target fishing mortality rate (F) specified
in the FMP (0.31 for 2005) or the most
recent estimate of F, whichever is lower.
The 2005 recommendation is based on
the estimate of F from 2002; F = 0.184.
More recent estimates of F are not
available because stock assessments
have been considered unreliable.
Projection results indicated that the
bluefish stock biomass would increase
from an estimated 129.367 million lb
(58.7 million kg) in 2003, to 165.853
million lb (75.2 million kg) in 2004. The
estimated 2004 biomass had an
associated yield of 34.215 million lb
(15.5 million kg) in 2004. The best
information available indicates that the
Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 34.215
million lb (15.5 million kg) could
achieve the target fishing mortality rate
(F = 0.184) in 2005, based on an
estimated biomass of 207.785 million lb
(94.2 million kg) in 2005.
The TAL for 2005 is derived by
subtracting estimated discards of 3.362
million lb (1.542 million kg) from the
TAC. After subtracting discards, the
2005 TAL is roughly 4 percent less than
that allocated in 2004, or 30.853 million
lb (13.994 million kg). Based strictly on
the percentages specified in the FMP (17
percent commercial, 83 percent
recreational), the commercial quota
would be 5.245 million lb (2.379 million
kg), and the recreational harvest limit
would be 25.608 million lb (11.615
million kg). In addition, up to 3 percent
of the TAL may be allocated as RSA.
The discussion below describes how the
TAL is allocated to the commercial and
recreational sectors, and then adjusted
downward proportionally to account for
any approved bluefish RSA.
Commercial Quota and Recreational
Harvest Limit
The FMP specifies that, if 17 percent
of the TAL is less than 10.50 million lb
(4.76 million kg), and the recreational
fishery is not projected to land its
harvest limit for the upcoming year, the
commercial fishery may be allocated up
to 10.50 million lb (4.76 million kg) as
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13403
its quota, provided that the combination
of the projected recreational landings
and the commercial quota does not
exceed the TAL. Consistent with the
FMP and regulations governing the
bluefish fishery, the Council
recommended, and NMFS approved, a
transfer of 5.254 million lb (2.383
million kg) from the initial 2005
recreational allocation of 25.608 million
lb (11.615 million kg), resulting in a
recreational harvest limit of 20.353
million lb (9.232 million kg). This
transfer is based on recreational harvest
information over the last 10 years that
indicates bluefish landings have ranged
between 8.3 and 15.5 million lb (3.74
and 7.05 million kg). In addition, there
is no reason to expect that landings will
increase to the recreational harvest limit
of 25.608 million lb (11.615 million kg)
in 2005. Therefore, NMFS increases the
2005 commercial allocation for bluefish
to 10.5 million lb (4.76 million kg), the
same as was allocated in 2004. The
increase is being implemented by the
states under the Commission’s Interstate
FMP for Atlantic Bluefish.
RSA
A request for proposals was published
in the Federal Register to solicit
research proposals for 2005 that could
utilize RSA, based on research priorities
identified by the Council (March 9,
2004; 69 FR 10990). One research
project that would utilize bluefish RSA
quota was approved by the NOAA
Grants Office. The FMP allows the
Council and NMFS to allocate up to 3
percent of the TAL as RSA, to support
fishery research. Therefore, a 297,750-lb
(135,057-kg) RSA is specified for 2005;
less than 1 percent of the total allowed
under the FMP. Accounting for the RSA,
in an amount proportional to the
commercial and recreational allocation
after the quota transfer, the final
adjusted commercial quota for 2005 is
10.398 million lb (4.716 million kg) and
the adjusted recreational harvest limit is
20.157 million lb (9.143 million kg).
Recreational Possession Limit
A possession limit of 15 fish will be
maintained for the 2005 FY.
State Commercial Allocations
Proposed state commercial allocations
for the recommended 2005 commercial
quota are shown in Table 1 (below),
based on the percentages specified in
the FMP. The table shows the
allocations both before and after the
deduction made to reflect the proposed
RSA allocation.
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TABLE 1.—FINAL BLUEFISH COMMERCIAL STATE-BY-STATE ALLOCATIONS FOR 2005
2005 Commercial quota
Quota
percent share
States
(lb)
2005 Commercial
quota (lb) with research set-aside
(kg)
2005 Commercial
quota (kg) with research set-aside
ME ..........................................................
NH ..........................................................
MA ..........................................................
RI ...........................................................
CT ..........................................................
NY ..........................................................
NJ ...........................................................
DE ..........................................................
MD .........................................................
VA ..........................................................
NC ..........................................................
SC ..........................................................
GA ..........................................................
FL ...........................................................
0.6685
0.4145
6.7167
6.8081
1.2663
10.3851
14.8162
1.8782
3.0018
11.8795
32.0608
0.0352
0.0095
10.0597
70,193
43,523
705,254
714,851
132,962
1,090,436
1,555,701
197,211
315,189
1,247,348
3,366,384
3,696
998
1,056,269
31,839
19,742
319,901
324,254
60,311
494,618
705,661
89,454
142,969
565,793
1,526,982
1,676
452
479,120
69,515
43,102
698,448
707,952
131,678
1,079,912
1,540,688
195,308
312,147
1,235,310
3,333,897
3,660
988
1,046,075
31,532
19,551
316,811
321,122
59,728
489,840
698,844
88,590
141,588
560,327
1,512,231
1,660
448
474,492
Total 1 ..............................................
100.0001
10,500,000
4,762,769
10,398,671
4,716,759
1 Kilograms
are as converted from pounds and due to rounding may not necessarily add as they appear.
Comments and Responses
The following two comments were
received concerning the February 8,
2005 (70 FR 6608) proposed rule.
Comment: One commenter expressed
general support for environmental
reforms and marine sanctuaries. The
commenter indicated that the
commercial fishery landings
information was unreliable and biased
and that these catch statistics result in
correspondingly high quota allocations
to the commercial sector. The
commenter suggested that the TAC be
reduced by 50 percent and by 10
percent in each subsequent year. The
commenter did not support the use of
research quotas.
Response: This final rule is designed
to provide for the fair and efficient use
of the Federal bluefish quotas. While
NMFS acknowledges the importance of
the issues raised by the commenter,
those of a general nature are outside the
scope of this rulemaking. The
commenter gave no specific rationale for
why the quotas ought to be reduced.
There is no known scientific basis for
reducing the quotas as suggested by the
commenter. The reasons presented by
the Council and NMFS for
recommending these final specifications
are discussed in the preambles to both
the proposed and final rules, and
sufficient analysis is contained within
the supporting documents. This final
rule implements measures to reduce
bluefish fishing mortality to levels less
than those prescribed under the FMP in
year 7 of the stock rebuilding plan.
These specifications were developed
based on the best information available
at the time, including, but not limited
to: Commercial and recreational catch/
landing statistics, current estimates of
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fishing mortality, stock abundance,
discards for the recreational fishery, and
juvenile recruitment. Also, the research
quota reduces proportionally both the
recreational and commercial catch
allocations, and provides a unique and
equitable mechanism to provide funding
for fisheries research while maintaining
the TAL at a level that is intended to
prevent overfishing of the bluefish
stock.
Comment 2: A recreational fishermen
expressed opposition to restricting the
recreational harvest limits through
possession limits without similar
restrictions being placed on the
commercial sector. Furthermore, the
recreational fishermen commented that
the recreational creel limit should be
reduced from 15 to 10 fish. This
comment was conditioned as follows:
(1) If there were to be reductions in
recreational limits, the commercial
fishery should not receive any
complementary increases in quota; or
(2) if the recreational harvest limit were
to remain unchanged, there should be
an allowance for no more than 10 adultsized fish (the remainder would be
juveniles).
Response: The Commission and the
Council agreed that a possession limit of
15 fish per person is appropriate to limit
bluefish mortality to sustainable levels
and further rebuild the bluefish stock.
Furthermore, the Council
recommended, and NMFS, in an
exercise of its discretion, transferred
quota from the recreational sector to the
commercial sector in accordance with
the FMP guidelines. Based on the most
recent projections of recreational
landings, NMFS is confident that the
recreational fishery will not land its
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harvest limit for the upcoming year;
therefore, the transfer is allowed.
Classification
This action is authorized by 50 CFR
part 648 and has been determined to be
not significant for purposes of Executive
Order 12866.
Included in this final rule is the Final
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)
prepared pursuant to section 604(a) of
the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).
The FRFA describes the economic
impact that this final rule will have on
small entities and incorporates the
IRFA, which is summarized in the
proposed rule, the comments and
responses to the proposed rule (70 FR
6608, February 8, 2005), and the
analyses completed in support of this
action. A copy of the EA, RIR, and IRFA
are available from the Council (see
ADDRESSES).
The preamble to the proposed rule
included a detailed summary of the
analyses contained in the IRFA, and that
discussion is not repeated here.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Statement of Objective and Need
A description of the reasons why this
action is being considered, and the
objectives of, and legal basis for, the
final rule is found in the preamble to
this final rule.
Summary of Significant Issues Raised in
Public Comments
Two comments were submitted on the
proposed rule, but were not specific to
the IRFA or the economic effects of the
rule. NMFS has responded to the
comments in the Comments and
Responses section of the preamble to
this final rule. No changes were made to
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the final rule as a result of the
comments received.
Description and Estimate of Number of
Small Entities to Which the Rule Will
Apply
An active participant in the
commercial bluefish fishery sector is
defined as any vessel that reported
having landed one or more pounds of
bluefish to NMFS-permitted dealers
during calendar year 2003. Vessels
fishing for bluefish with a Federal
permit intending to sell their catch must
do so to NMFS-permitted dealers. All
vessels affected by this rulemaking have
gross receipts less than $3.5 million and
are considered to be small entities under
the RFA (up to $3.5 million or $5.0
million in gross annual receipts for
commercial and recreational activity,
respectively). Since there are no large
entities participating in this fishery,
there are no disproportionate effects
resulting from small versus large
entities. Since costs are not readily
available, vessel profitability cannot be
determined directly. Therefore, changes
in gross revenue were used as a proxy
for profitability.
Of the active, federally permitted
vessels in 2003, 856 landed bluefish
from Maine to North Carolina. Dealer
data do not cover vessel activity from
South Carolina to Florida. South
Atlantic Trip Ticket Report data
indicate that 871 vessels landed bluefish
in North Carolina in 2003, including
federally permitted vessels and those
fishing only in state waters. These data
also indicate that bluefish landings in
South Carolina and Georgia represented
less than 0.1 percent of total landings.
Therefore, it is assumed that no vessels
landed bluefish from those states.
According to South Atlantic Trip Ticket
Report data, 413 commercial vessels
landed bluefish to dealers on Florida’s
east coast in 2003 (this may include
vessels fishing only in state waters).
In addition, in 2003, approximately
2,063 party/charter vessels may have
been active and/or caught bluefish in
either state or Federal waters. All of
these vessels are considered small
entities under the RFA, having gross
receipts of less than $5 million
annually. Since the recreational
possession limits will remain at 15 fish
per person, there should be no impact
on demand for party/charter vessel
fishing, and, therefore, no impact on
revenues earned by party/charter
vessels.
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Description of Projected Reporting,
Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance
Requirements
No additional reporting,
recordkeeping, or other compliance
requirements are included in this final
rule.
Description of the Steps Taken To
Minimize Economic Impact on Small
Entities
Specification of commercial quota,
recreational harvest levels, and
possession limits is constrained by the
conservation objectives of the FMP,
under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. However, none of the
alternatives to these final specifications
would further mitigate economic
impacts to vessels engaged in the fishery
more than the chosen alternative.
The Council analyzed three
alternatives. The TAL recommendation
and RSA are unchanged in the
alternatives, as the TAL is the level that
would achieve the target F in 2005 and
the RSA is the amount approved
through the grants process. The
difference between the preferred
alternative (Alternative 1) and
Alternatives 2 and 3, therefore, relates
only to the manner in which the overall
TAL is allocated between the
commercial and recreational
components of the bluefish fishery.
These allocations and harvest limits
include the RSA adjustment. Under
Alternative 1, the commercial quota
allocation is 10.398 million lb (4.716
million kg), and the recreational harvest
limit is 20.157 million lb (9.143 million
kg). Under Alternative 2, the
commercial quota allocation would be
5.194 million lb (2.356 million kg) and
the recreational harvest limit would be
25.361 million lb (11.504 million kg).
Under Alternative 3, the commercial
quota allocation would be 9.490 million
lb (4.305 million kg) with a recreational
harvest limit of 21.065 million lb (9.555
million kg).
The preferred commercial quota
alternative represents a 1 percent
decrease from the 2004 commercial
quota, and is attributed to a difference
in discards (the TAC and RSA remain
unchanged from last year). The 2005
recreational harvest limit under this
alternative would be 5 percent lower
than the recreational harvest limit
specified for 2004. However, the
recreational harvest limit would still be
approximately twice the recreational
landings in 2003. Bluefish landings for
the 1994–2003 period, ranged from 8.3
million lb (3.743 million kg) to 15.541
million lb (7.049 million kg). Comparing
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the high end of this range to the
recreational harvest limits specified in
2004, landings were 7 percent lower
than the limit specified for this year
(21.150 million lb (9.59 million kg)). A
projection based on preliminary
recreational data for 2004 indicates that
landings will be 22 percent lower than
the recreational harvest limit specified
for 2004. Based on recreational landing
trends, it is anticipated that the
recreational fishing sector will land less
than 83 percent of the recreational
harvest limit for 2005. Therefore, under
Alternative 1, no vessels would realize
significant revenue reductions.
A total of 853 vessels were projected
to incur revenue losses as a result of the
proposed commercial quota allocation,
with 95 percent of those estimated to
incur losses of less than 5 percent, and
50 of these vessels would incur losses
greater than 5 percent. The affected
entities would be mostly smaller vessels
that land bluefish in New York. In
addition, economic analysis of recent
South Atlantic Trip Ticket Report data
indicated small reductions, on average,
in revenue for fishermen that land
bluefish in North Carolina (0.05
percent). No revenue reduction is
expected for vessels that land bluefish
in Florida as a consequence of the
proposed 2005 quota compared to 2003
landings in that state.
The allocations specified in
Alternative 2 represent a 49 percent
decrease in the commercial quota from
the 2004 commercial quota, and a 20
percent increase in the recreational
harvest limit when compared to the
harvest limit in 2004. However, due to
recent trends in bluefish recreational
landings, it is expected that landings in
2005 will be substantially lower than
the recreational harvest limit for 2005
under Alternative 1, which is
approximately 25 percent less than the
recreational harvest level under
Alternative 2. The reduction in the
commercial quota would cause 23
vessels to have revenue losses of 50
percent or more, while 70 vessels would
have revenue losses of from 5 to 49
percent. An additional 460 vessels
would incur revenue losses of less than
5 percent of their total ex-vessel
revenue. Also, South Atlantic Trip
Ticket Report data were evaluated to
further assess the economic impacts
associated with the change in quota
levels in 2005 compared to landings in
2003. This evaluation indicated that, on
average, reduction in revenues due to a
potential change in the landings level is
expected to be small for fishermen that
land bluefish in North Carolina (less
than 2 percent). No revenue reduction is
expected for vessels that land bluefish
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in Florida as a consequence of the
proposed 2005 quota compared to 2003
landings in that state.
Alternative 3 represents a 9 percent
decrease in the total allowable
commercial landings for bluefish in
2005 versus 2004. The 2004 recreational
harvest limit under this alternative
would be 34 percent higher than the
estimated recreational landings in 2003.
Under this scenario, a total of 61 vessels
would incur revenue losses of from 5 to
39 percent due to the reduction in the
commercial quota. An additional 244
commercial vessels would incur
revenue losses of less than 5 percent of
their total ex-vessel revenue. The same
conclusions as were drawn under
Alternative 2 for fishermen that land
bluefish in North Carolina and Florida
can be applied to this alternative. Table
2 (below) contains a summary of the
allocations to the recreational and
commercial fisheries under the three
alternatives.
TABLE 2.—COMPARISON (IN LBS) OF THE ALTERNATIVES OF QUOTA COMBINATIONS REVIEWED
2005 Initial
TAL
2005 Initial
commercial
quota
2005 Research setaside
2005 Adjusted commercial
quota
2005 Adjusted recreational
harvest limit
20,353,578
297,750
10,398,671
20,157,157
25,608,470
297,750
5,194,491
25,361,337
21,270,578
297,750
9,490,520
21,065,308
2005 Initial
recreational
harvest limit
Quota Alternative 1 (Status Quo/No Action)
Council Preferred Alternative ...........................................
30,853,578
10,500,000
Quota Alternative 2
Projection Based Alternative ............................................
30,853,578
5,245,108
Quota Alternative 3
Based on 1995 to 2000 Commercial TAL .......................
The Council further analyzed the
impacts on revenues of the proposed
RSA specified in all three alternatives.
The social and economic impacts of this
proposed RSA are expected to be
minimal. Assuming the full RSA is
allocated for bluefish, the set-aside
amount could be worth as much as
$86,348 dockside, based on an average
2003 ex-vessel price of $0.29 per pound
for bluefish. Assuming an equal
reduction among all 853 active dealer
reported vessels, this could mean a
reduction of about $101 per individual
vessel. Changes in the recreational
harvest limit would be insignificant
(less than a 1 percent decrease), if 1
percent of the TAL is used for research.
It is unlikely that there would be
negative economic impacts as a result of
the RSA. A full analysis is available
from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 15, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05–5541 Filed 3–18–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:51 Mar 18, 2005
Jkt 205001
30,853,578
9,583,000
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 041221358–5065–02; I.D.
121504A]
RIN 0648–AR56
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish Fisheries
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule, 2005 initial
specifications.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS announces final
specifications for the 2005 fishing year
for the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and
butterfish (MSB) fisheries. This action
also implements a 3.0–inch (7.62–cm)
minimum codend mesh size
requirement for butterfish otter trawl
trips greater than 5,000 lb (2,268 kg). In
addition, this action includes three
regulatory language changes that reflect
previously approved measures in the
FMP. The intent of this final rule is to
promote the development and
conservation of the MSB resource.
DATES: Effective April 20, 2005, through
December 31, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of supporting
documents used by the Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council (Council),
PO 00000
Frm 00064
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
including the Environmental
Assessment (EA) and Regulatory Impact
Review (RIR)/Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (FRFA), are
available from: Patricia A. Kurkul,
Regional Administrator, Northeast
Regional Office, NMFS, One Blackburn
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930–2298. The
EA/RIR/IRFA is accessible via the
Internet at http:/www.nero.noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric
Jay Dolin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978–
281–9259, fax 978–281–9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Proposed 2005 initial specifications
were published on January 10, 2005 (70
FR 1686). Public comments were
accepted through February 9, 2005. The
final specifications are unchanged from
those that were proposed. A complete
discussion of the development of the
specifications appears in the preamble
to the proposed rule and is not repeated
here.
2005 Final Initial Specifications
The following table contains the final
initial specifications and research set
aside (RSA) for the 2005 MSB fisheries.
For 2005, two project proposals
requesting Loligo squid set-aside
landings were recommended for
approval and will be forwarded to the
NOAA Grants Office for award, for a
total RSA of 255.1 mt. Consistent with
the recommendations, the quotas in this
final rule have been adjusted to reflect
the projects recommended for approval.
If the awards are not made by the NOAA
E:\FR\FM\21MRR1.SGM
21MRR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 53 (Monday, March 21, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13402-13406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5541]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 050125017-5068-02; I.D. 011905E]
RIN 0648-AR57
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish
Fishery; Specifications
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS issues 2005 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish
fishery, including state-by-state commercial quotas, a recreational
harvest limit, and recreational possession limits for Atlantic bluefish
off the east coast of the United States. The final specifications for
the fishing year (FY) 2005 are a commercial quota of 10.398 million lb
(4.716 million kg), and a recreational harvest limit of 20.157 million
lb (9.143 million kg), as adjusted by the research set-aside quota
(RSA) of 297,750 lb (135,057 kg). The intent of these specifications is
to establish the allowable 2005 harvest levels and possession limits to
attain the target fishing mortality rate (F), consistent with the stock
rebuilding program in Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP).
DATES: Effective April 20, 2005, through December 31, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the specifications document, including the
Environmental Assessment (EA), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), and the
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) are available from
Daniel Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council, Room 2115, Federal Building, 300 South Street, Dover, DE
19901-6790. The specifications document is also accessible via the
Internet at https://www.nero.nmfs.gov. The Final Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (FRFA) consists of the IRFA, public comments and responses
contained in this final rule, and a summary of impacts and alternatives
contained in this final rule. The small entity compliance guide is
available from Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, Northeast
Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, One Blackburn
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. The 39th Stock Assessment Review
Committee
[[Page 13403]]
(SARC) Panelist Reports are available at: https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/
nefsc/saw/saw39/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Van Pelt, Fishery Policy
Analyst, (978) 281-9244, fax at (978) 281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing the FMP appear at
50 CFR part 648, subparts A and J. Regulations requiring annual
specifications are found at Sec. 648.160. The FMP requires that the
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) recommend, on an
annual basis, total allowable landings (TAL) for the fishery,
consisting of a commercial quota and recreational harvest limit.
The assessment and surplus production model approach was approved
by the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee for updating the
analyses used by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
(Commission) and the Council's Bluefish Monitoring Committee
(Monitoring Committee) for annual quota setting. Based on the
recommendations of the Monitoring Committee, the Council's Bluefish
Committee makes a recommendation to the Council, which in turn makes a
recommendation to the Regional Administrator. The Regional
Administrator reviews the recommendation and may revise it, if
necessary, to achieve the FMP objectives. In addition, because the FMP
is a joint plan with the Commission, the Commission's Bluefish Board
adopts complementary measures through a state-by-state quota system. In
August 2004, the Monitoring Committee and Council concurred that the
current regulations are sufficient to ensure that the 2005 TAL would
not be exceeded.
This rule implements final specifications for the Atlantic bluefish
fishery for 2005 that are unchanged from the proposed specifications
published on February 8, 2005 (70 FR 6608). A complete discussion of
the development of these specifications is included in the proposed
rule and is not repeated here. These measures are the same as those
implemented for 2005 by the states under the Commission's Interstate
Fishery Management Plan.
Final Specifications
Stock Assessment
In June 2004, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Stock
Assessment Workshop (SAW 39) reviewed an updated assessment for
bluefish. The peer review process of SAW 39 rejected the revised
assessment results, concluding that the model provided no concrete
evidence of bluefish stock status. The workshop panelists advised that,
because the 2003 assessment was rejected and the status of the stock
unknown, the total allowable landing specifications should continue at
2004 levels (see ADDRESSES for link to panelist reports).
2005 TAL
The FMP requires that the annual harvest be set based upon either
the target fishing mortality rate (F) specified in the FMP (0.31 for
2005) or the most recent estimate of F, whichever is lower. The 2005
recommendation is based on the estimate of F from 2002; F = 0.184. More
recent estimates of F are not available because stock assessments have
been considered unreliable. Projection results indicated that the
bluefish stock biomass would increase from an estimated 129.367 million
lb (58.7 million kg) in 2003, to 165.853 million lb (75.2 million kg)
in 2004. The estimated 2004 biomass had an associated yield of 34.215
million lb (15.5 million kg) in 2004. The best information available
indicates that the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 34.215 million lb
(15.5 million kg) could achieve the target fishing mortality rate (F =
0.184) in 2005, based on an estimated biomass of 207.785 million lb
(94.2 million kg) in 2005.
The TAL for 2005 is derived by subtracting estimated discards of
3.362 million lb (1.542 million kg) from the TAC. After subtracting
discards, the 2005 TAL is roughly 4 percent less than that allocated in
2004, or 30.853 million lb (13.994 million kg). Based strictly on the
percentages specified in the FMP (17 percent commercial, 83 percent
recreational), the commercial quota would be 5.245 million lb (2.379
million kg), and the recreational harvest limit would be 25.608 million
lb (11.615 million kg). In addition, up to 3 percent of the TAL may be
allocated as RSA. The discussion below describes how the TAL is
allocated to the commercial and recreational sectors, and then adjusted
downward proportionally to account for any approved bluefish RSA.
Commercial Quota and Recreational Harvest Limit
The FMP specifies that, if 17 percent of the TAL is less than 10.50
million lb (4.76 million kg), and the recreational fishery is not
projected to land its harvest limit for the upcoming year, the
commercial fishery may be allocated up to 10.50 million lb (4.76
million kg) as its quota, provided that the combination of the
projected recreational landings and the commercial quota does not
exceed the TAL. Consistent with the FMP and regulations governing the
bluefish fishery, the Council recommended, and NMFS approved, a
transfer of 5.254 million lb (2.383 million kg) from the initial 2005
recreational allocation of 25.608 million lb (11.615 million kg),
resulting in a recreational harvest limit of 20.353 million lb (9.232
million kg). This transfer is based on recreational harvest information
over the last 10 years that indicates bluefish landings have ranged
between 8.3 and 15.5 million lb (3.74 and 7.05 million kg). In
addition, there is no reason to expect that landings will increase to
the recreational harvest limit of 25.608 million lb (11.615 million kg)
in 2005. Therefore, NMFS increases the 2005 commercial allocation for
bluefish to 10.5 million lb (4.76 million kg), the same as was
allocated in 2004. The increase is being implemented by the states
under the Commission's Interstate FMP for Atlantic Bluefish.
RSA
A request for proposals was published in the Federal Register to
solicit research proposals for 2005 that could utilize RSA, based on
research priorities identified by the Council (March 9, 2004; 69 FR
10990). One research project that would utilize bluefish RSA quota was
approved by the NOAA Grants Office. The FMP allows the Council and NMFS
to allocate up to 3 percent of the TAL as RSA, to support fishery
research. Therefore, a 297,750-lb (135,057-kg) RSA is specified for
2005; less than 1 percent of the total allowed under the FMP.
Accounting for the RSA, in an amount proportional to the commercial and
recreational allocation after the quota transfer, the final adjusted
commercial quota for 2005 is 10.398 million lb (4.716 million kg) and
the adjusted recreational harvest limit is 20.157 million lb (9.143
million kg).
Recreational Possession Limit
A possession limit of 15 fish will be maintained for the 2005 FY.
State Commercial Allocations
Proposed state commercial allocations for the recommended 2005
commercial quota are shown in Table 1 (below), based on the percentages
specified in the FMP. The table shows the allocations both before and
after the deduction made to reflect the proposed RSA allocation.
[[Page 13404]]
Table 1.--Final Bluefish Commercial State-by-State Allocations for 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 Commercial quota 2005 Commercial 2005 Commercial
Quota percent -------------------------------------- quota (lb) with quota (kg) with
States share research set- research set-
(lb) (kg) aside aside
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ME....................................................... 0.6685 70,193 31,839 69,515 31,532
NH....................................................... 0.4145 43,523 19,742 43,102 19,551
MA....................................................... 6.7167 705,254 319,901 698,448 316,811
RI....................................................... 6.8081 714,851 324,254 707,952 321,122
CT....................................................... 1.2663 132,962 60,311 131,678 59,728
NY....................................................... 10.3851 1,090,436 494,618 1,079,912 489,840
NJ....................................................... 14.8162 1,555,701 705,661 1,540,688 698,844
DE....................................................... 1.8782 197,211 89,454 195,308 88,590
MD....................................................... 3.0018 315,189 142,969 312,147 141,588
VA....................................................... 11.8795 1,247,348 565,793 1,235,310 560,327
NC....................................................... 32.0608 3,366,384 1,526,982 3,333,897 1,512,231
SC....................................................... 0.0352 3,696 1,676 3,660 1,660
GA....................................................... 0.0095 998 452 988 448
FL....................................................... 10.0597 1,056,269 479,120 1,046,075 474,492
--------------------
Total \1\............................................ 100.0001 10,500,000 4,762,769 10,398,671 4,716,759
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Kilograms are as converted from pounds and due to rounding may not necessarily add as they appear.
Comments and Responses
The following two comments were received concerning the February 8,
2005 (70 FR 6608) proposed rule.
Comment: One commenter expressed general support for environmental
reforms and marine sanctuaries. The commenter indicated that the
commercial fishery landings information was unreliable and biased and
that these catch statistics result in correspondingly high quota
allocations to the commercial sector. The commenter suggested that the
TAC be reduced by 50 percent and by 10 percent in each subsequent year.
The commenter did not support the use of research quotas.
Response: This final rule is designed to provide for the fair and
efficient use of the Federal bluefish quotas. While NMFS acknowledges
the importance of the issues raised by the commenter, those of a
general nature are outside the scope of this rulemaking. The commenter
gave no specific rationale for why the quotas ought to be reduced.
There is no known scientific basis for reducing the quotas as suggested
by the commenter. The reasons presented by the Council and NMFS for
recommending these final specifications are discussed in the preambles
to both the proposed and final rules, and sufficient analysis is
contained within the supporting documents. This final rule implements
measures to reduce bluefish fishing mortality to levels less than those
prescribed under the FMP in year 7 of the stock rebuilding plan. These
specifications were developed based on the best information available
at the time, including, but not limited to: Commercial and recreational
catch/landing statistics, current estimates of fishing mortality, stock
abundance, discards for the recreational fishery, and juvenile
recruitment. Also, the research quota reduces proportionally both the
recreational and commercial catch allocations, and provides a unique
and equitable mechanism to provide funding for fisheries research while
maintaining the TAL at a level that is intended to prevent overfishing
of the bluefish stock.
Comment 2: A recreational fishermen expressed opposition to
restricting the recreational harvest limits through possession limits
without similar restrictions being placed on the commercial sector.
Furthermore, the recreational fishermen commented that the recreational
creel limit should be reduced from 15 to 10 fish. This comment was
conditioned as follows: (1) If there were to be reductions in
recreational limits, the commercial fishery should not receive any
complementary increases in quota; or (2) if the recreational harvest
limit were to remain unchanged, there should be an allowance for no
more than 10 adult-sized fish (the remainder would be juveniles).
Response: The Commission and the Council agreed that a possession
limit of 15 fish per person is appropriate to limit bluefish mortality
to sustainable levels and further rebuild the bluefish stock.
Furthermore, the Council recommended, and NMFS, in an exercise of its
discretion, transferred quota from the recreational sector to the
commercial sector in accordance with the FMP guidelines. Based on the
most recent projections of recreational landings, NMFS is confident
that the recreational fishery will not land its harvest limit for the
upcoming year; therefore, the transfer is allowed.
Classification
This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and has been
determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Included in this final rule is the Final Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (FRFA) prepared pursuant to section 604(a) of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA). The FRFA describes the economic impact that this
final rule will have on small entities and incorporates the IRFA, which
is summarized in the proposed rule, the comments and responses to the
proposed rule (70 FR 6608, February 8, 2005), and the analyses
completed in support of this action. A copy of the EA, RIR, and IRFA
are available from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
The preamble to the proposed rule included a detailed summary of
the analyses contained in the IRFA, and that discussion is not repeated
here.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Statement of Objective and Need
A description of the reasons why this action is being considered,
and the objectives of, and legal basis for, the final rule is found in
the preamble to this final rule.
Summary of Significant Issues Raised in Public Comments
Two comments were submitted on the proposed rule, but were not
specific to the IRFA or the economic effects of the rule. NMFS has
responded to the comments in the Comments and Responses section of the
preamble to this final rule. No changes were made to
[[Page 13405]]
the final rule as a result of the comments received.
Description and Estimate of Number of Small Entities to Which the Rule
Will Apply
An active participant in the commercial bluefish fishery sector is
defined as any vessel that reported having landed one or more pounds of
bluefish to NMFS-permitted dealers during calendar year 2003. Vessels
fishing for bluefish with a Federal permit intending to sell their
catch must do so to NMFS-permitted dealers. All vessels affected by
this rulemaking have gross receipts less than $3.5 million and are
considered to be small entities under the RFA (up to $3.5 million or
$5.0 million in gross annual receipts for commercial and recreational
activity, respectively). Since there are no large entities
participating in this fishery, there are no disproportionate effects
resulting from small versus large entities. Since costs are not readily
available, vessel profitability cannot be determined directly.
Therefore, changes in gross revenue were used as a proxy for
profitability.
Of the active, federally permitted vessels in 2003, 856 landed
bluefish from Maine to North Carolina. Dealer data do not cover vessel
activity from South Carolina to Florida. South Atlantic Trip Ticket
Report data indicate that 871 vessels landed bluefish in North Carolina
in 2003, including federally permitted vessels and those fishing only
in state waters. These data also indicate that bluefish landings in
South Carolina and Georgia represented less than 0.1 percent of total
landings. Therefore, it is assumed that no vessels landed bluefish from
those states. According to South Atlantic Trip Ticket Report data, 413
commercial vessels landed bluefish to dealers on Florida's east coast
in 2003 (this may include vessels fishing only in state waters).
In addition, in 2003, approximately 2,063 party/charter vessels may
have been active and/or caught bluefish in either state or Federal
waters. All of these vessels are considered small entities under the
RFA, having gross receipts of less than $5 million annually. Since the
recreational possession limits will remain at 15 fish per person, there
should be no impact on demand for party/charter vessel fishing, and,
therefore, no impact on revenues earned by party/charter vessels.
Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance
Requirements
No additional reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance
requirements are included in this final rule.
Description of the Steps Taken To Minimize Economic Impact on Small
Entities
Specification of commercial quota, recreational harvest levels, and
possession limits is constrained by the conservation objectives of the
FMP, under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act. However, none of the alternatives to these final
specifications would further mitigate economic impacts to vessels
engaged in the fishery more than the chosen alternative.
The Council analyzed three alternatives. The TAL recommendation and
RSA are unchanged in the alternatives, as the TAL is the level that
would achieve the target F in 2005 and the RSA is the amount approved
through the grants process. The difference between the preferred
alternative (Alternative 1) and Alternatives 2 and 3, therefore,
relates only to the manner in which the overall TAL is allocated
between the commercial and recreational components of the bluefish
fishery. These allocations and harvest limits include the RSA
adjustment. Under Alternative 1, the commercial quota allocation is
10.398 million lb (4.716 million kg), and the recreational harvest
limit is 20.157 million lb (9.143 million kg). Under Alternative 2, the
commercial quota allocation would be 5.194 million lb (2.356 million
kg) and the recreational harvest limit would be 25.361 million lb
(11.504 million kg). Under Alternative 3, the commercial quota
allocation would be 9.490 million lb (4.305 million kg) with a
recreational harvest limit of 21.065 million lb (9.555 million kg).
The preferred commercial quota alternative represents a 1 percent
decrease from the 2004 commercial quota, and is attributed to a
difference in discards (the TAC and RSA remain unchanged from last
year). The 2005 recreational harvest limit under this alternative would
be 5 percent lower than the recreational harvest limit specified for
2004. However, the recreational harvest limit would still be
approximately twice the recreational landings in 2003. Bluefish
landings for the 1994-2003 period, ranged from 8.3 million lb (3.743
million kg) to 15.541 million lb (7.049 million kg). Comparing the high
end of this range to the recreational harvest limits specified in 2004,
landings were 7 percent lower than the limit specified for this year
(21.150 million lb (9.59 million kg)). A projection based on
preliminary recreational data for 2004 indicates that landings will be
22 percent lower than the recreational harvest limit specified for
2004. Based on recreational landing trends, it is anticipated that the
recreational fishing sector will land less than 83 percent of the
recreational harvest limit for 2005. Therefore, under Alternative 1, no
vessels would realize significant revenue reductions.
A total of 853 vessels were projected to incur revenue losses as a
result of the proposed commercial quota allocation, with 95 percent of
those estimated to incur losses of less than 5 percent, and 50 of these
vessels would incur losses greater than 5 percent. The affected
entities would be mostly smaller vessels that land bluefish in New
York. In addition, economic analysis of recent South Atlantic Trip
Ticket Report data indicated small reductions, on average, in revenue
for fishermen that land bluefish in North Carolina (0.05 percent). No
revenue reduction is expected for vessels that land bluefish in Florida
as a consequence of the proposed 2005 quota compared to 2003 landings
in that state.
The allocations specified in Alternative 2 represent a 49 percent
decrease in the commercial quota from the 2004 commercial quota, and a
20 percent increase in the recreational harvest limit when compared to
the harvest limit in 2004. However, due to recent trends in bluefish
recreational landings, it is expected that landings in 2005 will be
substantially lower than the recreational harvest limit for 2005 under
Alternative 1, which is approximately 25 percent less than the
recreational harvest level under Alternative 2. The reduction in the
commercial quota would cause 23 vessels to have revenue losses of 50
percent or more, while 70 vessels would have revenue losses of from 5
to 49 percent. An additional 460 vessels would incur revenue losses of
less than 5 percent of their total ex-vessel revenue. Also, South
Atlantic Trip Ticket Report data were evaluated to further assess the
economic impacts associated with the change in quota levels in 2005
compared to landings in 2003. This evaluation indicated that, on
average, reduction in revenues due to a potential change in the
landings level is expected to be small for fishermen that land bluefish
in North Carolina (less than 2 percent). No revenue reduction is
expected for vessels that land bluefish
[[Page 13406]]
in Florida as a consequence of the proposed 2005 quota compared to 2003
landings in that state.
Alternative 3 represents a 9 percent decrease in the total
allowable commercial landings for bluefish in 2005 versus 2004. The
2004 recreational harvest limit under this alternative would be 34
percent higher than the estimated recreational landings in 2003. Under
this scenario, a total of 61 vessels would incur revenue losses of from
5 to 39 percent due to the reduction in the commercial quota. An
additional 244 commercial vessels would incur revenue losses of less
than 5 percent of their total ex-vessel revenue. The same conclusions
as were drawn under Alternative 2 for fishermen that land bluefish in
North Carolina and Florida can be applied to this alternative. Table 2
(below) contains a summary of the allocations to the recreational and
commercial fisheries under the three alternatives.
Table 2.--Comparison (in lbs) of the Alternatives of Quota Combinations Reviewed
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005
2005 2005 Initial 2005 2005 Adjusted
2005 Initial recreational Research Adjusted recreational
Initial TAL commercial harvest set-aside commercial harvest
quota limit quota limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quota Alternative 1 (Status Quo/No Action)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council Preferred Alternative... 30,853,578 10,500,000 20,353,578 297,750 10,398,671 20,157,157
---------------------------------
Quota Alternative 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projection Based Alternative.... 30,853,578 5,245,108 25,608,470 297,750 5,194,491 25,361,337
---------------------------------
Quota Alternative 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Based on 1995 to 2000 Commercial 30,853,578 9,583,000 21,270,578 297,750 9,490,520 21,065,308
TAL............................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Council further analyzed the impacts on revenues of the
proposed RSA specified in all three alternatives. The social and
economic impacts of this proposed RSA are expected to be minimal.
Assuming the full RSA is allocated for bluefish, the set-aside amount
could be worth as much as $86,348 dockside, based on an average 2003
ex-vessel price of $0.29 per pound for bluefish. Assuming an equal
reduction among all 853 active dealer reported vessels, this could mean
a reduction of about $101 per individual vessel. Changes in the
recreational harvest limit would be insignificant (less than a 1
percent decrease), if 1 percent of the TAL is used for research. It is
unlikely that there would be negative economic impacts as a result of
the RSA. A full analysis is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 15, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-5541 Filed 3-18-05; 8:45 am]
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