Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer, 56536-56537 [2016-19997]

Download as PDF 56536 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 162 / Monday, August 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 28, 2015). The percent allocated to vessels landing summer flounder in Massachusetts is 6.82046 percent, resulting in an initial commercial quota of 554,097 lb (251,334 kg). This allocation was adjusted to 577,777 lb (262,075 kg) after Massachusetts received quota transfers from the states of Virginia and North Carolina. The Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), monitors the state commercial landings and determines when a state’s commercial quota has been harvested. NMFS is required to publish notification in the Federal Register advising and notifying commercial vessels and dealer permit holders that, effective upon a specific date, the state’s commercial quota has been harvested and no commercial quota is no longer available to landing summer flounder in that state. The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer reports and other available information, that the 2016 Massachusetts commercial summer flounder quota will be harvested by August 12, 2016. Section 648.4(b) provides that Federal permit holders agree, as a condition of the permit, not to land summer flounder in any state that the Regional Administrator has determined no longer has commercial quota available. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, August 19, 2016, landings of summer flounder in Massachusetts by vessels holding summer flounder commercial Federal fisheries permits are prohibited for the remainder of the 2016 calendar year, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer and is announced in the Federal Register. Effective 0001 hours, August 19, 2016, federally permitted dealers are also notified that they may not purchase summer flounder from federally permitted vessels that land in Massachusetts for the remainder of the calendar year, or unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Classification This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment because it would be contrary to the public interest. This action closes the summer flounder fishery for Massachusetts until January 1, 2017, under current regulations. The regulations at § 648.103(b) require such action to ensure that summer flounder vessels do not exceed quotas allocated to the states. If implementation of this closure was delayed to solicit prior public comment, the quota for this fishing year would be exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation objectives of the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan. The AA further finds, good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period, as outline in 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), for the reason stated above. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: August 17, 2016. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016–19995 Filed 8–19–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 151130999–6225–01] RIN 0648–XE802 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 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 states of Florida and Delaware and the Commonwealth of Virginia are transferring portions of their 2016 commercial bluefish quota to the SUMMARY: Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These quota adjustments are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial quotas. Effective August 19, 2016, through December 31, 2016. DATES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9112. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. The regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from Maine through Florida. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state are described in § 648.162. The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 FR 45844), provided a mechanism for transferring bluefish quota 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 bluefish commercial quota under § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the criteria in § 648.162(e) in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or combinations. The transfers and the final revised quotas are shown in Table 1. These quota transfers were requested by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to ensure that its 2016 quota would not be exceeded. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set forth in § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii) have been met. The quotas in Table 1 are based on the final rule implementing the 2016–2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications that became effective August 4, 2016 (81 FR 18559), and any subsequent approved state transfers. TABLE 1—ATLANTIC BLUEFISH TRANSFERS, BY STATE Transfer Final 2016 quota State Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES lb Massachusetts ................................................................................................. Delaware .......................................................................................................... Virginia ............................................................................................................. Florida .............................................................................................................. VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:11 Aug 19, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 150,000 ¥50,000 ¥50,000 ¥50,000 kg lb kg 68,039 ¥22,679 ¥22,679 ¥22,679 478,096 41,746 450,287 341,394 216,861 18,935 204,246 154,853 E:\FR\FM\22AUR1.SGM 22AUR1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 162 / Monday, August 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 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. 56537 Dated: August 17, 2016. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016–19997 Filed 8–19–16; 8:45 am] Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES BILLING CODE 3510–22–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:11 Aug 19, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\22AUR1.SGM 22AUR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 162 (Monday, August 22, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56536-56537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19997]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-6225-01]
RIN 0648-XE802


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; quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the states of Florida and Delaware and the 
Commonwealth of Virginia are transferring portions of their 2016 
commercial bluefish quota to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These 
quota adjustments are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement 
informs the public of the revised commercial quotas.

DATES: Effective August 19, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. The regulations 
require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned 
among the coastal states from Maine through Florida. The process to set 
the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state are 
described in Sec.  648.162.
    The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery 
Management Plan published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 
FR 45844), provided a mechanism for transferring bluefish quota 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 bluefish 
commercial quota under Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The 
Regional Administrator is required to consider the criteria in Sec.  
648.162(e) in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or 
combinations.
    The transfers and the final revised quotas are shown in Table 1. 
These quota transfers were requested by the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts to ensure that its 2016 quota would not be exceeded. The 
Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set forth in 
Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii) have been met. The quotas in Table 
1 are based on the final rule implementing the 2016-2018 Atlantic 
Bluefish Specifications that became effective August 4, 2016 (81 FR 
18559), and any subsequent approved state transfers.

                                 Table 1--Atlantic Bluefish Transfers, by State
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Transfer                    Final 2016 quota
                      State                      ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        lb              kg              lb              kg
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Massachusetts...................................         150,000          68,039         478,096         216,861
Delaware........................................         -50,000         -22,679          41,746          18,935
Virginia........................................         -50,000         -22,679         450,287         204,246
Florida.........................................         -50,000         -22,679         341,394         154,853
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 56537]]

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: August 17, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-19997 Filed 8-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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