Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer From MA to RI, 79139 [2020-27044]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 237 / Wednesday, December 9, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
swordfish retention limit from the
default levels would result in minimal
risk of exceeding the ICCAT-allocated
quota.
Delays in temporarily increasing these
retention limits caused by the time
required to publish a proposed rule and
accept public comment would adversely
and unnecessarily affect those
Swordfish General Commercial permit
holders and HMS Charter/Headboat
permit holders with a commercial
endorsement (when on a non-for-hire
trip) that would otherwise have an
opportunity to harvest more than the
otherwise applicable lower default
retention limits of three swordfish per
vessel per trip in the Northwest Atlantic
and Gulf of Mexico regions, and two
swordfish per vessel per trip in the U.S.
Caribbean region. Limiting
opportunities to harvest available
directed swordfish quota may have
negative social and economic impacts
for U.S. fishermen. Adjustment of the
retention limits needs to be effective on
January 1, 2021, to allow Swordfish
General Commercial permit holders and
HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders
with a commercial endorsement (when
on a non-for-hire trip) to benefit from
the adjustment during the relevant time
period, which could pass by for some
fishermen who have access to the
fishery during a short time period
because of seasonal fish migration, if the
action is delayed for notice and public
comment. Furthermore, the public was
given an opportunity to comment on the
underlying rulemakings, including the
adoption of the North Atlantic
swordfish U.S. quota, and the retention
limit adjustments in this action would
not have any additional effects or
impacts since the retention limit does
not affect the overall quota. Thus, there
would be little opportunity for
meaningful input and review with
public comment on this action.
Therefore, the AA finds good cause
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior
notice and the opportunity for public
comment. For all of the above reasons,
there is also good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801
et seq.
Dated: December 1, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–26796 Filed 12–8–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:44 Dec 08, 2020
Jkt 253001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No.200623–0167; RTID 0648–
XA697]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery;
Quota Transfer From MA to RI
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notification; quota transfer.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts is
transferring a portion of its 2020
commercial bluefish quota to the State
of Rhode Island. This quota adjustment
is necessary to comply with the Atlantic
Bluefish Fishery Management Plan
quota transfer provisions. This
announcement informs the public of the
revised commercial bluefish quotas for
Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
DATES: Effective December 4, 2020,
through December 31, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Hansen, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281–9225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations governing the Atlantic
bluefish fishery are found in 50 CFR
648.160 through 648.167. These
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 is described in § 648.162, and the
final 2020 allocations were published
on June 29, 2020 (85 FR 38794).
The final rule implementing
Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) 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 NMFS
Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator,
can request approval to transfer or
combine bluefish commercial quota
under § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii).
The Regional Administrator must
approve any such transfer based on the
criteria in § 648.162(e). In evaluating
requests to transfer a quota or combine
quotas, the Regional Administrator shall
consider whether: The transfer or
combinations would preclude the
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4700
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79139
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 FMP and the
Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Massachusetts is transferring 15,000
lb (6,804 kg) of bluefish commercial
quota to Rhode Island through mutual
agreement of the states. This transfer
was requested to ensure that Rhode
Island would not exceed its 2020 state
quota. The revised bluefish quotas for
2020 are: Massachusetts, 170,838 lb
(77,491 kg); and Rhode Island, 313,366
lb (142,140 kg).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii), which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is
exempted from review under Executive
Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 4, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–27044 Filed 12–4–20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 200604–0152]
RIN 0648–BJ35
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone off Alaska; Modifying Seasonal
Allocations of Pollock and Pacific Cod
for Trawl Catcher Vessels in the
Central and Western Gulf of Alaska;
Correction
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; correction.
AGENCY:
NMFS is correcting a final
rule that published in the Federal
Register on June 25, 2020,
implementing Amendment 109 to the
Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA
FMP) and a regulatory amendment to
the regulations governing pollock
fishing in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The
final rule’s intent as to Pacific cod was
to change the seasonal apportionments
of Pacific cod for the trawl catcher
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\09DER1.SGM
09DER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 79139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27044]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No.200623-0167; RTID 0648-XA697]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish
Fishery; Quota Transfer From MA to RI
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification; quota transfer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is
transferring a portion of its 2020 commercial bluefish quota to the
State of Rhode Island. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply
with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer
provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised
commercial bluefish quotas for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
DATES: Effective December 4, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. These 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 is
described in Sec. 648.162, and the final 2020 allocations were
published on June 29, 2020 (85 FR 38794).
The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) 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 NMFS Greater Atlantic
Regional Administrator, can request approval to transfer or combine
bluefish commercial quota under Sec. 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii).
The Regional Administrator must approve any such transfer based on the
criteria in Sec. 648.162(e). In evaluating requests to transfer a
quota or combine quotas, the Regional Administrator shall consider
whether: 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 FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Massachusetts is transferring 15,000 lb (6,804 kg) of bluefish
commercial quota to Rhode Island through mutual agreement of the
states. This transfer was requested to ensure that Rhode Island would
not exceed its 2020 state quota. The revised bluefish quotas for 2020
are: Massachusetts, 170,838 lb (77,491 kg); and Rhode Island, 313,366
lb (142,140 kg).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 648.162(e)(1)(i) through
(iii), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempted
from review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 4, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-27044 Filed 12-4-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
