Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Fisheries; 2018 and Projected 2019 Scup Specifications and Announcement of Final 2018 Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Specifications; Correction, 4165-4166 [2018-01672]
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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 2018)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 4165-4166] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2018-01672] [[Page 4165]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 170828822-70999-02] RIN 0648-XF669 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass Fisheries; 2018 and Projected 2019 Scup Specifications and Announcement of Final 2018 Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Specifications; Correction AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule; correction. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: On December 22, 2017, NMFS issued final specifications for scup, summer flounder, and black sea bass for 2018. That document inadvertently failed to apply a pound-for-pound overage deduction to the 2018 scup summer period quota due to overages incurred in 2017. Additionally, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts received a late-season summer flounder transfer applicable to the 2017 fishing year that adjusts its final 2018 state summer flounder quota. This document corrects the final 2018 specifications and informs the public of these adjustments. DATES: Effective January 30, 2018, through December 31, 2018. ADDRESSES: Copies of the specifications document, including the Environmental Assessment (EA), are available on request from Dr. Christopher M. Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Suite 201, 800 North State Street, Dover, DE 19901. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Gilbert, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281-9244. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Need for Correction The final 2018 specifcations for scup, summer flounder, and black sea bass published on December 22, 2017 (82 FR 60682). Following its publication, we became aware of two adjustments that need to be made that pertain to the scup and summer flounder commercial fishery quotas. Adjustment to the Scup Summer Period Quota Although the 2017 scup annual catch limit (ACL) was not exceeded, landings during the summer commercial quota period exceeded the 2017 summer period quota by 46,753 lb (21,206 kg). The regulations at Sec. 648.123(a)(2)(ii) require any landings in excess of the summer period quota be deducted, pound for pound, from the summer period quota for the following year. As a result, this action adjusts the final 2018 scup summer period quota from 9,340,986 lb (4,237 mt) to 9,294,233 lb (4,216 mt) to account for the 2017 landings overage. Because the overall 2017 ACL was not exceeded, this action does not adjust the final 2018 ACL published on December 22, 2017. Adjustment to the 2018 Summer Flounder Quota for Massachusetts This action corrects the state quota allocated to Massachusetts by accounting for a transfer received in late December 2017. As a result of this transfer, Massachusetts received an additional 3,585 lb (1,626 kg) applied towards its 2017 quota. This results in an overage reduction from 37,816 lb (17,153 kg) to 34,231 lb (15,527 kg), which results in a revised 2018 quota of 404,742 lb (183,588 kg). Corrections On page 60683 of the Federal Register published on December 22, 2017, Table 2 is corrected to read as follows: Table 2--Commercial Scup Quota Allocations for 2018 by Quota Period ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018 Initial quota Quota period ----------------------------------------------- Percent share lb mt ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Winter I........................................................ 45.11 10,820,000 4,908 Summer.......................................................... 38.95 9,294,233 4,216 Winter II....................................................... 15.94 3,822,816 1,734 ----------------------------------------------- Total....................................................... 100.0 23,937,049 10,858 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Metric tons are as converted from pounds and may not necessarily total due to rounding. Additionally, on page 60684, Table 6 is corrected to read as follows: Table 6--Final State-by-State Commercial Summer Flounder Quotas for 2018 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018 Initial quota 2018 Adjusted quota (ACL Overages through October Final adjusted 2018 FMP percent -------------------------- overage) 31, 2017 quota, less overages State share ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- lb kg lb kg lb kg lb kg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maine.............................. 0.04756 3,152 1,430 3,061 1,388 0 0 3,061 1,388 New Hampshire...................... 0.00046 30 14 30 13 0 0 30 13 Massachusetts...................... 6.82046 451,998 205,023 438,973 199,115 34,231 15,527 404,742 183,588 Rhode Island....................... 15.68298 1,039,326 471,430 1,009,375 457,845 13,002 5,898 996,373 451,947 Connecticut........................ 2.25708 149,579 67,848 145,268 65,893 0 0 145,268 65,893 New York........................... 7.64699 506,773 229,868 492,169 223,244 0 0 492,169 223,244 New Jersey......................... 16.72499 1,108,381 502,753 1,076,440 488,265 0 0 1,076,440 488,265 Delaware........................... 0.01779 1,179 535 1,145 519 49,638 22,515 -48,493 -21,996 Maryland........................... 2.0391 135,133 61,295 131,239 59,529 0 0 131,239 59,529 Virginia........................... 21.31676 1,412,682 640,782 1,371,972 622,316 0 0 1,371,972 622,316 North Carolina..................... 27.44584 1,818,862 825,022 1,766,447 801,247 0 0 1,766,447 801,247 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 4166]] Total.......................... 100 6,627,096 3,006,000 6,436,120 2,919,375 ........... ........... 6,387,743 2,897,431 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: Kilograms are as converted from pounds and may not necessarily add due to rounding. Total quota is the sum for all states with an allocation. A state with a negative number has a 2018 allocation of zero (0). Total adjusted 2018 quota, less overages, does not include negative allocations (i.e., Delaware's overage). Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: January 24, 2018. Samuel D. Rauch, III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018-01672 Filed 1-29-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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