Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer, 77534 [E8-30205]

Download as PDF 77534 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 245 / Friday, December 19, 2008 / Rules and Regulations National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 Dated: December 16, 2008. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E8–30205 Filed 12–16–08; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE [Docket No. 071212833-8179-02] RIN 0648–XM22 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason quota transfer. 50 CFR Part 679 SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of Maine is transferring commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2008 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved. DATES: Effective December 16, 2008 through December 31, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Bryant, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9244, fax (978) 281–9135. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from Florida through Maine. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.160. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), can transfer or combine bluefish commercial quota under § 648.160(f). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the criteria set forth in § 648.160(f)(1) in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or combinations. Maine has agreed to transfer 45,000 lb (20,412 kg) of its 2008 commercial quota to New York. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set forth in § 648.160(f)(1) have been met. The revised bluefish quotas for calendar year 2008 are: New York, 1,202,057 lb (545,244 kg); and Maine, 6,418 lb (2,911 kg). Classification This action is taken under 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. VerDate Aug<31>2005 14:44 Dec 18, 2008 Jkt 217001 [Docket No. 071106673–8011–02] RIN 0648–XM30 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Greenland Turbot and Rougheye Rockfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; apportionment of reserves; request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea and rougheye rockfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI. DATES: Effective December 16, 2008 through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time, December 31, 2008. Comments must be received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., Alaska local time, December 31, 2008. ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by [RIN], by any one of the following methods: • Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at https://www.regulations.gov. • Mail: P. O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802. • Fax: (907) 586–7557. • Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted to https://www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying Information (e.g., name, address) PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe portable document file (pdf) formats only. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. The 2008 ITAC of Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea was established as 672 metric tons (mt) and rougheye rockfish in the BSAI was established as 187 mt by the 2008 and 2009 harvest specifications for groundfish of the BSAI (73 FR 10160, February 26, 2008). The Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the ITAC for Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea and rougheye rockfish in the BSAI needs to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve in order to continue fishing operations. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(b)(3), NMFS apportions from the non-specified reserve of groundfish 118 mt to the Greenland turbot ITAC in the Aleutian Islands subarea and 15 mt of rougheye rockfish ITAC in the BSAI. These apportionments are consistent with § 679.20(b)(1)(i) and do not result in overfishing of a target species because the revised ITACs are equal to or less than the specifications of the acceptable biological catch in the 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (73 FR 10160, February 26, 2008). The harvest specification for Greenland turbot and rougheye rockfish included in the harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (73 FR 10160, February 26, 2008) for the 2008 ITAC are revised as follows: 790 mt for Greenland turbot in the Aleutian Islands subarea and 202 mt for rougheye rockfish in the BSAI. E:\FR\FM\19DER1.SGM 19DER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 245 (Friday, December 19, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 77534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30205]



[[Page 77534]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 071212833-8179-02]
RIN 0648-XM22


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; Quota Transfer

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of Maine is transferring 
commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2008 quota. 
By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised 
commercial quota for each state involved.

DATES: Effective December 16, 2008 through December 31, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Bryant, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9244, fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the 
coastal states from Florida through Maine. The process to set the 
annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is 
described in Sec.  648.160.
    Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence 
of the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), 
can transfer or combine bluefish commercial quota under Sec.  
648.160(f). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the 
criteria set forth in Sec.  648.160(f)(1) in the evaluation of requests 
for quota transfers or combinations.
    Maine has agreed to transfer 45,000 lb (20,412 kg) of its 2008 
commercial quota to New York. The Regional Administrator has determined 
that the criteria set forth in Sec.  648.160(f)(1) have been met. The 
revised bluefish quotas for calendar year 2008 are: New York, 1,202,057 
lb (545,244 kg); and Maine, 6,418 lb (2,911 kg).

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 16, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-30205 Filed 12-16-08; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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