80 FR 11918 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 43 (March 5, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 43 (March 5, 2015)
| Page Range | 11918-11918 | |
| FR Document | 2015-05118 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 2015)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 11918] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-05118] [[Page 11918]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 Docket No. 140117052-4402-02] RIN 0648-XD799 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2015 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These quota adjustments are necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement is intended to inform the public of the revised commercial quota for each state involved. DATES: Effective March 2, 2015, through December 31, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9112. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are in 50 CFR 648.100-110. These regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from North Carolina through Maine. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state are described in Sec. 648.10(c)(1)(i). The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan provided a mechanism for summer flounder quota to be transferred from one state to another (December 17, 1993; 58 FR 65936). 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 the criteria in Sec. 648.102(c)(2)(i) when evaluating requests for quota transfers or combinations. North Carolina has agreed to transfer 10,860 lb (4,926 kg) of its 2015 commercial quota to Massachusetts. This transfer was prompted by landings of the F/V Poseidon, a North Carolina vessel that was granted safe harbor in Massachusetts due to a medical emergency, on February 8, 2015. As a result of these landings, a quota transfer is necessary to account for an increase in Massachusetts landings that would have otherwise accrued against the North Carolina quota. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set forth in Sec. 648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. These transfers are consistent with the criteria because they will not preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested, the transfers address an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery, and the transfers are consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The revised summer flounder commercial quotas for calendar year 2015 are: Massachusetts, 760,795 lb (345,091 kg); and North Carolina, 2,994,691 lb (1,358,368 kg). 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: March 2, 2015. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-05118 Filed 3-2-15; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![11918 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 43 / Thursday, March 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE of the F/V Poseidon, a North Carolina vessels using jig gear in the Central
vessel that was granted safe harbor in Regulatory Area of the GOA.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Massachusetts due to a medical DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
Administration emergency, on February 8, 2015. As a local time (A.l.t.), March 2, 2015,
result of these landings, a quota transfer through 1200 hours, A.l.t., June 10,
50 CFR Part 648 is necessary to account for an increase 2015.
Docket No. 140117052–4402–02] in Massachusetts landings that would FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
have otherwise accrued against the Obren Davis, 907–586–7228.
RIN 0648–XD799 North Carolina quota.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
The Regional Administrator has
Fisheries of the Northeastern United determined that the criteria set forth in manages the groundfish fishery in the
States; Summer Flounder Fishery; § 648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. These GOA exclusive economic zone
Quota Transfer transfers are consistent with the criteria according to the Fishery Management
because they will not preclude the Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and overall annual quota from being fully
harvested, the transfers address an Pacific Fishery Management Council
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under authority of the Magnuson-
Commerce. unforeseen variation or contingency in
the fishery, and the transfers are Stevens Fishery Conservation and
ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer. Management Act. Regulations governing
consistent with the objectives of the
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
State of North Carolina is transferring a Conservation and Management Act. The with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50
portion of its 2015 commercial summer revised summer flounder commercial CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
flounder quota to the Commonwealth of quotas for calendar year 2015 are: Regulations governing sideboard
Massachusetts. These quota adjustments Massachusetts, 760,795 lb (345,091 kg); protections for GOA groundfish
are necessary to comply with the and North Carolina, 2,994,691 lb fisheries appear at subpart B of 50 CFR
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea (1,358,368 kg). part 680.
Bass Fishery Management Plan quota The A season allowance of the 2015
transfer provision. This announcement Classification Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC)
is intended to inform the public of the This action is taken under 50 CFR apportioned to vessels using jig gear in
revised commercial quota for each state part 648 and is exempt from review the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA
involved. under Executive Order 12866. is 276 metric tons (mt), as established by
the final 2015 and 2016 harvest
DATES: Effective March 2, 2015, through Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. specifications for groundfish of the GOA
December 31, 2015. (80 FR 10250, February 25, 2015).
Dated: March 2, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Lichwell, Fishery Management the Administrator, Alaska Region,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
Specialist, 978–281–9112. National Marine Fisheries Service. NMFS (Regional Administrator) has
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: determined that the A season allowance
[FR Doc. 2015–05118 Filed 3–2–15; 4:15 pm]
Regulations governing the summer of the 2015 Pacific cod TAC
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
flounder fishery are in 50 CFR 648.100– apportioned to vessels using jig gear in
110. These regulations require annual the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA
specification of a commercial quota that DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE will soon be reached. Therefore, the
is apportioned among the coastal states Regional Administrator is establishing a
from North Carolina through Maine. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric directed fishing allowance of 271 mt
process to set the annual commercial Administration and is setting aside the remaining 5 mt
quota and the percent allocated to each as bycatch to support other anticipated
state are described in § 648.10(c)(1)(i). 50 CFR Part 679 groundfish fisheries. In accordance with
The final rule implementing § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional
Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder, [Docket No. 140918791–4999–02] Administrator finds that this directed
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery fishing allowance has been reached.
Management Plan provided a RIN 0648–XD800
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting
mechanism for summer flounder quota Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic directed fishing for Pacific cod by
to be transferred from one state to Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by vessels using jig gear in the Central
another (December 17, 1993; 58 FR Vessels Using Jig Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. After the
65936). Two or more states, under Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska effective date of this closure the
mutual agreement and with the maximum retainable amounts at
concurrence of the NMFS Greater AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
Atlantic Regional Administrator, can Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and during a trip.
transfer or combine summer flounder Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
commercial quota under § 648.102(c)(2). Commerce. Classification
The Regional Administrator is required ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. This action responds to the best
to consider the criteria in available information recently obtained
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
§ 648.102(c)(2)(i) when evaluating SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed from the fishery. The Assistant
requests for quota transfers or fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
combinations. jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area (AA), finds good cause to waive the
North Carolina has agreed to transfer of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action requirement to provide prior notice and
10,860 lb (4,926 kg) of its 2015 is necessary to prevent exceeding the A opportunity for public comment
commercial quota to Massachusetts. season allowance of the 2015 Pacific pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
This transfer was prompted by landings cod total allowable catch apportioned to U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
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Document Created: 2015-12-18 12:09:00
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 12:09:00
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Rules and Regulations | |
| Action | Temporary rule; quota transfer. | |
| Dates | Effective March 2, 2015, through December 31, 2015. | |
| Contact | Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9112. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 11918 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XD79 |
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