Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer From NC to VA, 52056 [2020-18524]

Download as PDF 52056 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 164 / Monday, August 24, 2020 / Rules and Regulations jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES resulting in a revised private angling ACL for Texas of 154,579 lb (70,116 kg). Consistent with the reduction in the Texas regional management area private angling component ACL, NMFS also reduces the 2020 total recreational sector ACL to 7,288,474 lb (3,305,996 kg) and the total private angling component ACL to 4,158,474 lb (1,886,252 kg). The recreational private angling component ACLs for other Gulf state management areas for 2020 are unaffected by this notice. The reduction in the 2020 red snapper private angling component ACL for the Texas regional management area is effective at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 24, 2020, and will remain in effect through the end of the fishing year on December 31, 2020. The TPWD is responsible for ensuring that 2020 private angling component landings in the Texas regional management area do not exceed the adjusted 2020 Texas ACL. As described at 50 CFR 622.23(c), a Gulf state with an active delegation of state management of the red snapper private angling component may request that NMFS close all, or an area of, Federal waters off that state to the harvest and possession of red snapper by private anglers. At the request of Texas, for the 2020 fishing season, NMFS previously announced a closure date of August 3, 2020, for the red snapper private angling component in Gulf Federal waters off Texas (85 FR 19396, April 7, 2020). Therefore, the TPWD must manage the remainder of the 2020 state waters season to ensure the Texas regional management area private angling component ACL is not exceeded. Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required under 50 CFR 622.23(b) which was issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. These measures are exempt from the procedures of the Regulatory Flexibility Act because the temporary rule is issued without opportunity for prior notice and comment. This action is based on the best scientific information available. The Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries (AA) finds that the need to implement this action to reduce the private angling component ACL for the Texas regional management area constitutes good cause to waive the requirements to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this temporary rule pursuant to the VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:48 Aug 21, 2020 Jkt 250001 authority set forth in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), because such procedures are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are unnecessary because the rule implementing the post-season ACL adjustment authority has already been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the ACL overage adjustment. Such procedures are contrary to the public interest because a failure to implement the ACL overage adjustment immediately may result an overage of the Texas ACL in 2020 and less access to red snapper off the coast of Texas in 2021. For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of the action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: August 19, 2020. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–18526 Filed 8–19–20; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [RTID 0648–XA380] Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer From NC to VA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notification; quota transfer. AGENCY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2020 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for North Carolina and Virginia. DATES: Effective August 21, 2020, through December 31, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9225. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.100 through 648.110. These SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.102 and final 2020 allocations were published on October 9, 2019 (84 FR 54041). The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan, as published in the Federal Register on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for transferring summer flounder commercial quota from one state to another. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under § 648.102(c)(2). The Regional Administrator is required to consider three criteria in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or combinations: The transfer or combinations would preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested, the transfer addresses an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery, and the transfer is consistent with the objectives of the Fisheries Management Plan and the MagnusonStevens Act. North Carolina is transferring 9,263 lb (4,202 kg) to Virginia. This transfer is occurring through mutual agreement of the states. This transfer was requested to repay landings made by a North Carolina permitted vessel under a safe harbor agreement. The revised summer flounder quotas for fishing year 2020 are now: North Carolina, 3,125,501 lb (1,417,703 kg) and Virginia, 2,483,444 lb (1,126,471 kg). Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: August 19, 2020. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–18524 Filed 8–21–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\24AUR1.SGM 24AUR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 164 (Monday, August 24, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 52056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18524]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[RTID 0648-XA380]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder 
Fishery; Quota Transfer From NC to VA

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

ACTION: Notification; quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is 
transferring a portion of its 2020 commercial summer flounder quota to 
the Commonwealth of Virginia. This quota adjustment is necessary to 
comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery 
Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs 
the public of the revised commercial quotas for North Carolina and 
Virginia.

DATES: Effective August 21, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder 
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.100 through 648.110. These regulations 
require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned 
among the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina. The process 
to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each 
state is described in Sec.  648.102 and final 2020 allocations were 
published on October 9, 2019 (84 FR 54041).
    The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder 
Fishery Management Plan, as published in the Federal Register on 
December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for transferring 
summer flounder commercial quota from one state to another. Two or more 
states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the NMFS 
Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can transfer or combine summer 
flounder commercial quota under Sec.  648.102(c)(2). The Regional 
Administrator is required to consider three criteria in the evaluation 
of requests for quota transfers or combinations: The transfer or 
combinations would preclude the overall annual quota from being fully 
harvested, the transfer addresses an unforeseen variation or 
contingency in the fishery, and the transfer is consistent with the 
objectives of the Fisheries Management Plan and the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act.
    North Carolina is transferring 9,263 lb (4,202 kg) to Virginia. 
This transfer is occurring through mutual agreement of the states. This 
transfer was requested to repay landings made by a North Carolina 
permitted vessel under a safe harbor agreement. The revised summer 
flounder quotas for fishing year 2020 are now: North Carolina, 
3,125,501 lb (1,417,703 kg) and Virginia, 2,483,444 lb (1,126,471 kg).

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

    Dated: August 19, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-18524 Filed 8-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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