Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer, 12958 [2014-04993]
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12958
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 45 / Friday, March 7, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
thereby requiring a quota transfer to
account for an increase in Virginia’s
landings that would have otherwise
accrued against the North Carolina
quota. The Regional Administrator has
determined that the criteria set forth in
§ 648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. The
revised summer flounder commercial
quotas for calendar year 2014 are: North
Carolina, 2,993,041 lb (1,357,621 kg);
and Virginia, 2,560,571 lb (1,161,455
kg).
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 121009528–2729–02]
RIN 0648–XD116
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Summer Flounder Fishery;
Quota Transfer
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
State of North Carolina is transferring a
portion of its 2014 commercial summer
flounder quota to the Commonwealth of
Virginia. NMFS is adjusting the quotas
and announcing the revised commercial
quota for each state involved.
DATES: Effective March 4, 2014, through
December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carly Bari, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978–281–9224.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations governing the summer
flounder fishery are in 50 CFR part 648,
and require annual specification of a
commercial quota that is apportioned
among the coastal states from North
Carolina through Maine. The process to
set the annual commercial quota and the
percent allocated to each state are
described in § 648.102.
The final rule implementing
Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder,
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery
Management Plan, which was published
on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936),
provided a mechanism for summer
flounder quota to be transferred from
one state to another. Two or more states,
under mutual agreement and with the
concurrence of the Administrator,
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), can transfer or
combine summer flounder commercial
quota under § 648.102(c)(2). The
Regional Administrator is required to
consider the criteria in § 648.102(c)(2)(i)
to evaluate requests for quota transfers
or combinations.
North Carolina has agreed to transfer
132,788 lb (60,232 kg) of its 2014
commercial quota to Virginia. This
transfer was prompted by summer
flounder landings of a number of North
Carolina vessels that were granted safe
harbor in Virginia due to mechanical
failure and hazardous weather between
January 1, 2014, and January 31, 2014,
WREIER-AVILES on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:29 Mar 06, 2014
Jkt 232001
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: March 4, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–04993 Filed 3–4–14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02]
RIN 0648–XD160
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of
Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
AGENCY:
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amount of Pacific cod
from vessels using jig gear to catcher
vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters)
length overall using hook-and-line or
pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands management area. This action is
necessary to allow the A season
apportionment of the 2014 total
allowable catch of Pacific cod to be
harvested.
SUMMARY:
Effective March 4, 2014, through
2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.),
December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Obren Davis, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI)
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
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 A season apportionment of the
2014 Pacific cod total allowable catch
(TAC) specified for vessels using jig gear
in the BSAI is 1,905 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2014 and 2015
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014).
The Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has
determined that jig vessels will not be
able to harvest 1,700 mt of the A season
apportionment of the 2014 Pacific cod
TAC allocated to those vessels under
§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(1). Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(C),
NMFS apportions 1,700 mt of Pacific
cod from the A season jig gear
apportionment to the annual amount
specified for catcher vessels less than 60
feet (18.3 meters(m)) length overall
(LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear.
The harvest specifications for Pacific
cod included in the final 2014 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) are
revised as follows: 205 mt to the A
season apportionment and 1,474 mt to
the annual amount for vessels using jig
gear, and 6,218 mt to catcher vessels
less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using
hook-and-line or pot gear.
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay the reallocation of Pacific cod
specified from jig vessels to catcher
vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA
using hook-and-line or pot gear. Since
the fishery is currently open, it is
important to immediately inform the
industry as to the revised allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to
allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery, to
allow the industry to plan for the fishing
season, and to avoid potential
E:\FR\FM\07MRR1.SGM
07MRR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 45 (Friday, March 7, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 12958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04993]
[[Page 12958]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 121009528-2729-02]
RIN 0648-XD116
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder
Fishery; Quota Transfer
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is
transferring a portion of its 2014 commercial summer flounder quota to
the Commonwealth of Virginia. NMFS is adjusting the quotas and
announcing the revised commercial quota for each state involved.
DATES: Effective March 4, 2014, through December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carly Bari, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9224.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder
fishery are in 50 CFR part 648, and require annual specification of a
commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from
North Carolina through Maine. The process to set the annual commercial
quota and the percent allocated to each state are described in Sec.
648.102.
The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder,
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which was published
on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for summer
flounder quota to be transferred from one state to another. Two or more
states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the
Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator),
can transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under Sec.
648.102(c)(2). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the
criteria in Sec. 648.102(c)(2)(i) to evaluate requests for quota
transfers or combinations.
North Carolina has agreed to transfer 132,788 lb (60,232 kg) of its
2014 commercial quota to Virginia. This transfer was prompted by summer
flounder landings of a number of North Carolina vessels that were
granted safe harbor in Virginia due to mechanical failure and hazardous
weather between January 1, 2014, and January 31, 2014, thereby
requiring a quota transfer to account for an increase in Virginia's
landings that would have otherwise accrued against the North Carolina
quota. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set
forth in Sec. 648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. The revised summer
flounder commercial quotas for calendar year 2014 are: North Carolina,
2,993,041 lb (1,357,621 kg); and Virginia, 2,560,571 lb (1,161,455 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: March 4, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-04993 Filed 3-4-14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
