Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer, 60635-60636 [2016-21206]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 171 / Friday, September 2, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 60635 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Corrections DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration In FR Doc. 2016–19601 appearing on page 54744 in the Federal Register of Wednesday, August 17, 2016, the following corrections are made: 1. On page 54744, in the third column, the first paragraph under Specifications for Fishing Years 2016– 2017 is corrected to read as follows: Specifications including the acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limit (ACL), annual catch target (ACT), and total allowable landings (TALs) for the skate wing and bait fisheries, as well as possession limits, may be specified for up to 2 years. The 2016–2017 skate complex ABC and ACL is 31,081 metric tons (mt). After removing management uncertainty from the ABC, the ACT that remains is 23,311 mt. After removing discards and state landings from the ACT, the TAL that remains is 12,590 mt. Tables 1 and 2 (below) detail TALs and possession limits for the skate wing and skate bait fisheries—there are no possession limit changes from last year. These specifications and possession limits remain in effect until they are replaced. 2. On pages 54744 and 54745, Table 1 is corrected to read as follows: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 160301164–6694–02 ] RIN 0648–BF87 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Framework Adjustment 3; Correction National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule; correction. AGENCY: This action corrects two errors in the total allowable landing values specified in the final rule to implement Framework Adjustment 3 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2016. DATES: Effective September 2, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Whitmore, Fishery Policy Analyst, phone: 978–281–9182; email: William.Whitmore@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 17, 2016, we published a final rule for Framework Adjustment 3 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (81 FR 54744). That final rule included two errors in the 2016–2017 final specifications that are not consistent with the values included in Framework Adjustment 3 and the June 6, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR 36251). The specifications in Framework Adjustment 3 and its proposed rule are correct and will remain. The final rule mistakenly stated that the skate complex total allowable landings (TAL) is 12,872 mt. A draft version of Framework 3 specified a TAL of 12,872 mt, but the TAL was later revised through an addendum to the Framework after the formula used to calculate the proportion of dead skate discards was revised. The correct skate TAL for fishing years 2016–2017 is 12,590 mt. A typographical error for the Season 1 skate wing TAL was included in Table 1 of the final rule. This correction rule adjusts the Season 1 skate wing TAL from 4,722 mt to the correct value of 4,772 mt, as specified in the Framework 3 proposed rule. Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:05 Sep 01, 2016 Jkt 238001 TABLE 1—TOTAL ALLOWABLE LANDINGS FOR FISHING YEARS 2016– 2017 Total allowable landings (TAL) mt Skate Wing Fishery: Season 1 (May 1–Aug 31) .... Season 2 (Sept 1–Apr 30) .... Skate Bait Fishery: Season 1 (May 1–Jul 31) ..... Season 2 (Aug 1–Oct 31) ..... Season 3 (Nov 1–Apr 30) ..... 4,772 3,600 1,299 1,565 1,354 Dated: August 24, 2016. Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016–21156 Filed 9–1–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 151130999–6225–01] RIN 0648–XE834 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; approval of quota transfer. AGENCY: NMFS announces its approval of the State of North Carolina transferring a portion of its 2016 commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York. This approval of the quota complies with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement also informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for North Carolina and New York. DATES: Effective September 1, 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 § 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), and 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 request approval of a transfer of bluefish commercial quota under § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The Regional Administrator must first approve any such transfer based on the criteria in § 648.162(e). New York and North Carolina have requested the transfer of 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) of Atlantic bluefish commercial quota from North Carolina SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\02SER1.SGM 02SER1 60636 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 171 / Friday, September 2, 2016 / Rules and Regulations to New York and have certified that the transfer meets all pertinent state requirements. This quota transfer was requested by the State of New York to ensure that its 2016 quota would not be exceeded. The Regional Administrator has approved this quota transfer based on his determination that the criteria set forth in § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii) have been met. The revised bluefish quotas for calendar year 2016 are: North Carolina, 1,466,100 lb (665,012 kg); and New York, 687,289 lb (311,749 kg). These quota adjustments revise the quotas specified in the final rule implementing the 2016–2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications published on August 4, 2016 (81 FR 51370), and reflect all subsequent commercial bluefish quota transfers completed to date. 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 30, 2016. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016–21206 Filed 9–1–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 160516426–6426–01] RIN 0648–XE632 Revisions to Framework Adjustment 55 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and Sector Annual Catch Entitlements; Updated Annual Catch Limits for Sectors and the Common Pool for Fishing Year 2016 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:05 Sep 01, 2016 Jkt 238001 Final rule; adjustment to specifications. ACTION: We, NMFS, are adjusting the 2016 fishing year sub-annual catch limits for commercial groundfish vessels, including sector allocations based on the final Northeast multispecies sector rosters submitted as of May 1, 2016. The revisions to 2016 catch limits are necessary to account for changes in the number of participants electing to fish in either sectors or the common pool fishery. These adjustments are routine and formulaic, and are required to match allocations to sector enrollment. DATES: Effective September 2, 2016, through April 30, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aja Szumylo, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281–9195. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We recently approved Framework Adjustment 55, which set annual catch limits for groundfish stocks and three jointly managed U.S./Canada stocks for the 2016 fishing year. This action became effective on May 1, 2016 (81 FR 26412). Framework 55 included allocations for the 19 sectors approved to operate in 2016 based on enrollment as of March 15, 2016. A sector receives an allocation of each stock, or annual catch entitlement (referred to as ACE, or allocation), based on its members’ catch histories. State-operated permit banks also receive an allocation that can be transferred to qualifying sector vessels. The sum of all sector and state-operated permit bank allocations is referred to as the sector sub-annual catch limit (subACL). The groundfish allocations remaining after sectors and stateoperated permit banks receive their allocations are then allocated to the common pool (i.e., vessels not enrolled in a sector), which is referred to as the common pool sub-ACL. This rule adjusts the 2016 fishing year sector and common pool allocations based on final sector membership as of May 1, 2016. Permits enrolled in a sector and the vessels associated with those permits have until April 30, the last day prior to the beginning of a new fishing year, to withdraw from a sector and fish in the common pool. As a result, the actual sector enrollment for SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 the new fishing year is unknown when the final specifications are published and sector enrollment from an earlier date is used until final enrollment is known. Consistent with regulatory requirements, each year we subsequently publish an adjustment rule modifying sector and common pool allocations based on final sector enrollment. The Framework 55 proposed and final rules both explained that sector enrollments may change and that there would be a need to adjust the sub-ACLs and sector ACEs accordingly. Adjustments to sector ACEs and the sub-ACLs for sectors and the common pool are typically minimal as there has been little change in sector enrollment since 2010. Vessels currently enrolled in sectors have accounted for approximately 99 percent of the historical groundfish landings. This year’s sector final rule specified sector ACEs based on the 837 permits enrolled in sectors on March 15, 2016. As of May 1, 2016, there were 841 Northeast multispecies permits enrolled in sectors, which means four additional permits elected to join sectors for the 2016 fishing year. Tables 1, 2, and 3 explain the revised 2016 fishing year allocations. Table 4 compares the allocation changes between the Framework 55 final rule and this adjustment rule. This rulemaking also corrects transcription errors in the 2016–2018 Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) yellowtail flounder ACLs published in the Framework 55 final rule. Specifically, there were errors in the total groundfish fishery sub-ACL, the sector and common pool sub-ACLs, and the scallop fishery sub-ACL. Table 5 presents both the incorrect values presented in the Framework 55 final rule, as well as the corrected values. Although the values were listed incorrectly in the Framework 55 final rule, the total fishery ACLs for SNE/MA yellowtail flounder (255 mt) were listed correctly for all three years. In addition, the Environmental Assessment and supporting analysis for Framework 55 included the correct values. These adjustments are minor, and will not affect fishery operations. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\02SER1.SGM 02SER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 171 (Friday, September 2, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60635-60636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21206]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-6225-01]
RIN 0648-XE834


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; approval of quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces its approval of the State of North Carolina 
transferring a portion of its 2016 commercial bluefish quota to the 
State of New York. This approval of the quota complies with the 
Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. 
This announcement also informs the public of the revised commercial 
quotas for North Carolina and New York.

DATES: Effective September 1, 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), and 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 request approval of a transfer of 
bluefish commercial quota under Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). 
The Regional Administrator must first approve any such transfer based 
on the criteria in Sec.  648.162(e).
    New York and North Carolina have requested the transfer of 100,000 
lb (45,359 kg) of Atlantic bluefish commercial quota from North 
Carolina

[[Page 60636]]

to New York and have certified that the transfer meets all pertinent 
state requirements. This quota transfer was requested by the State of 
New York to ensure that its 2016 quota would not be exceeded. The 
Regional Administrator has approved this quota transfer based on his 
determination that the criteria set forth in Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) 
through (iii) have been met. The revised bluefish quotas for calendar 
year 2016 are: North Carolina, 1,466,100 lb (665,012 kg); and New York, 
687,289 lb (311,749 kg). These quota adjustments revise the quotas 
specified in the final rule implementing the 2016-2018 Atlantic 
Bluefish Specifications published on August 4, 2016 (81 FR 51370), and 
reflect all subsequent commercial bluefish quota transfers completed to 
date.

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 30, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-21206 Filed 9-1-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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