Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers From MD to RI, 48449 [2022-17010]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 152 / Tuesday, August 9, 2022 / Rules and Regulations
the Regional Administrator projects that
96 percent of the Illex DAH is harvested.
The closure of the directed fishery shall
be in effect for the remainder of that
fishing period, with incidental catches
allowed as specified at § 648.26.
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[FR Doc. 2022–16993 Filed 8–8–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 220126–0034; RTID 0648–
XC249]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery;
Quota Transfers From MD to RI
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notification; quota transfers.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
State of Maryland is transferring a
portion of its 2022 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 Maryland and Rhode
Island.
DATES: Effective August 8, 2022, through
December 31, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Deighan, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281–9184.
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 2022 allocations were published
on February 2, 2022 (87 FR 5739).
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
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:25 Aug 08, 2022
Jkt 256001
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
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.
Maryland is transferring 30,000 lb
(13,608 kg) to Rhode Island through
mutual agreement of the states. This
transfer was requested to ensure Rhode
Island would not exceed its 2022 state
quota. The revised bluefish quotas for
2022 are: Maryland, 70,698 lb (32,068
kg) and Rhode Island, 324,956 lb
(147,398 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: August 3, 2022.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–17010 Filed 8–8–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[Docket No. 220216–0049; RTID 0648–
XC227]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; ‘‘Other Rockfish’’ in
the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas of the Gulf of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting retention
of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of
Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary
SUMMARY:
Frm 00019
Fmt 4700
to prevent exceeding the 2022 total
allowable catch of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in
the Western and Central Regulatory
Areas of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), August 6, 2022,
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31,
2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Obren Davis, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. Regulations governing
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50
CFR parts 600 and 679.
The 2022 total allowable catch (TAC)
of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is
940 metric tons (mt) as established by
the final 2022 and 2023 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the GOA
(87 FR 11599, March 2, 2022).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), has
determined that the 2022 ‘‘other
rockfish’’ TAC in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA
will soon be reached. Therefore, NMFS
is requiring that ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of
the GOA be treated as prohibited
species in accordance with § 679.21(b),
as described under § 679.21(a), for the
remainder of the year, except other
rockfish species in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA
caught by catcher vessels using hookand-line, pot, or jig gear as described in
§ 679.20(j).
Classification
50 CFR Part 679
PO 00000
48449
Sfmt 4700
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
part 679, which was issued pursuant to
section 304(b), and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there
is good cause to waive prior notice and
an opportunity for public comment on
this action, as notice and comment
would be impracticable and contrary to
the public interest, as it would prevent
NMFS from responding to the most
recent fisheries data in a timely fashion
and would delay prohibiting retention
of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Western and
Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA.
NMFS was unable to publish a notice
E:\FR\FM\09AUR1.SGM
09AUR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 48449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17010]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 220126-0034; RTID 0648-XC249]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish
Fishery; Quota Transfers From MD to RI
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification; quota transfers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of Maryland is transferring a
portion of its 2022 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 Maryland and Rhode Island.
DATES: Effective August 8, 2022, through December 31, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Deighan, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9184.
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 2022 allocations were
published on February 2, 2022 (87 FR 5739).
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.
Maryland is transferring 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) to Rhode Island
through mutual agreement of the states. This transfer was requested to
ensure Rhode Island would not exceed its 2022 state quota. The revised
bluefish quotas for 2022 are: Maryland, 70,698 lb (32,068 kg) and Rhode
Island, 324,956 lb (147,398 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: August 3, 2022.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-17010 Filed 8-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
