Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; 2012 Fishing Quotas for Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit, 56322 [2011-23373]

Download as PDF 56322 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 177 / Tuesday, September 13, 2011 / Rules and Regulations brakes provided the combination of vehicles meets the requirements of § 393.52. * * * * * ■ 3. Amend § 393.71 by revising paragraphs (a)(3) and (c)(4) to read as follows: § 393.71 Coupling devices and towing methods, driveaway-towaway operations. (a) * * * (3) When motor vehicles are towed by means of triple saddle-mounts, all but the final towed vehicle must have brakes acting on all wheels in contact with the roadway. * * * * * (c) * * * (4) If a motor vehicle towed by means of a saddle-mount has any vehicle fullmounted on it, the saddle-mounted vehicle must at all times while so loaded have effective brakes acting on all wheels in contact with the roadway. * * * * * Issued on: September 8, 2011. Anne S. Ferro, Administrator. [FR Doc. 2011–23344 Filed 9–12–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 101013504–0610–02] RIN 0648–XA529 Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; 2012 Fishing Quotas for Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule. AGENCY: NMFS suspends the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2012 fishing year. NMFS also announces that the quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2012 will remain status quo. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to notify the public in the Federal Register of the allowable harvest levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive Economic Zone if the previous year’s quota specifications remain unchanged. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:54 Sep 12, 2011 Jkt 223001 Effective January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012. ADDRESSES: Written inquiries may be sent to: Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930– 2298. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Berthiaume, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9177; fax (978) 281–9135. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 648.72(c) of the regulations implementing the fishery management plan (FMP) for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries authorizes the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), to suspend annually, by publication of a notification in the Federal Register, the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams. This action may be taken unless discard, catch, and biological sampling data indicate that 30 percent or more of the Atlantic surfclam resource is smaller than 4.75 inches (120 mm) and the overall reduced size is not attributable to harvest from beds where growth of the individual clams has been reduced because of densitydependent factors. At its June 2011 meeting, the MidAtlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) voted to recommend that the Regional Administrator suspend the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2012 fishing year. Commercial surfclam data for 2011 were analyzed to determine the percentage of surfclams that were smaller than the minimum size requirement. The analysis indicated that 4.3 percent of the overall commercial landings were composed of surfclams that were less than 4.75 inches (120 mm). Based on these data, the Regional Administrator concurs with the Council’s recommendation and suspends the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams from January 1 through December 31, 2012. The FMP for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries requires that NMFS issue notification in the Federal Register of the upcoming year’s quota, even in cases where the quota remains unchanged from the previous year. At its June 2011 meeting, the Council also voted that no action be taken to change the quota specifications for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs for the 2012 fishing year (January 1 through December 31, 2013), and recommended maintaining the 2011 quota levels of 3.4 million bu (181 million L) for Atlantic surfclams, 5.333 million bu (284 million L) for ocean quahogs, and 100,000 DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Maine bu (3.524 million L) for Maine ocean quahogs, as announced in the Federal Register on December 27, 2010 (75 FR 81142). Classification This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: September 7, 2011. James P. Burgess, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2011–23373 Filed 9–12–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 100923469–1543–05] RIN 0648–BA27 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment (FW) 45; Adjustments for Fishing Year (FY) 2011 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Interim final rule; request for comments. AGENCY: NMFS adjusts the differential days-at-sea (DAS) rate for common pool vessels for FY 2011 due to overages of FY 2010 catch levels. This measure will help prevent FY 2011 catch levels from being exceeded. NMFS also announces the amount of unused FY 2010 annual catch entitlement (ACE) carryover available to each sector in FY 2011, and adjusts the final number of vessels fishing in a sector in FY 2011. DATES: Effective September 8, 2011 through April 30, 2012. Written comments must be received on or before September 28, 2011. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NOAA–NMFS–2010–0198, by any one of the following methods: • Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. To submit comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, first click the ‘‘submit a comment’’ icon, then enter NOAA–NMFS–2010–0198 in the keyword search. Locate the document you wish to comment on SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\13SER1.SGM 13SER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 56322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23373]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 101013504-0610-02]
RIN 0648-XA529


Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; 2012 Fishing Quotas 
for Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum 
Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit

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

ACTION: Temporary rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS suspends the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams 
for the 2012 fishing year. NMFS also announces that the quotas for the 
Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2012 will remain 
status quo. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to 
notify the public in the Federal Register of the allowable harvest 
levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive 
Economic Zone if the previous year's quota specifications remain 
unchanged.

DATES: Effective January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written inquiries may be sent to: Regional Administrator, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great 
Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Berthiaume, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9177; fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 648.72(c) of the regulations 
implementing the fishery management plan (FMP) for the Atlantic 
surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries authorizes the Administrator, 
Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), to suspend annually, 
by publication of a notification in the Federal Register, the minimum 
size limit for Atlantic surfclams. This action may be taken unless 
discard, catch, and biological sampling data indicate that 30 percent 
or more of the Atlantic surfclam resource is smaller than 4.75 inches 
(120 mm) and the overall reduced size is not attributable to harvest 
from beds where growth of the individual clams has been reduced because 
of density-dependent factors.
    At its June 2011 meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (Council) voted to recommend that the Regional Administrator 
suspend the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2012 
fishing year. Commercial surfclam data for 2011 were analyzed to 
determine the percentage of surfclams that were smaller than the 
minimum size requirement. The analysis indicated that 4.3 percent of 
the overall commercial landings were composed of surfclams that were 
less than 4.75 inches (120 mm). Based on these data, the Regional 
Administrator concurs with the Council's recommendation and suspends 
the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams from January 1 through 
December 31, 2012.
    The FMP for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries 
requires that NMFS issue notification in the Federal Register of the 
upcoming year's quota, even in cases where the quota remains unchanged 
from the previous year. At its June 2011 meeting, the Council also 
voted that no action be taken to change the quota specifications for 
Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs for the 2012 fishing year (January 
1 through December 31, 2013), and recommended maintaining the 2011 
quota levels of 3.4 million bu (181 million L) for Atlantic surfclams, 
5.333 million bu (284 million L) for ocean quahogs, and 100,000 Maine 
bu (3.524 million L) for Maine ocean quahogs, as announced in the 
Federal Register on December 27, 2010 (75 FR 81142).

Classification

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

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

    Dated: September 7, 2011.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-23373 Filed 9-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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