80 FR 57104 - Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; 2016 Fishing Quotas for Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 183 (September 22, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 183 (September 22, 2015)
| Page Range | 57104-57104 | |
| FR Document | 2015-24013 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 183 (Tuesday, September 22, 2015)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 57104] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-24013] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 900124-0127] RIN 0648-XE164 Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; 2016 Fishing Quotas for Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS suspends the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2016 fishing year. NMFS also announces that the quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2016 will remain status quo. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to notify the public of the allowable harvest levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive Economic Zone if the previous year's quota specifications remain unchanged. DATES: Effective January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9341. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations implementing the fishery management plan (FMP) for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries at 50 CFR 648.75(b)(3) authorize the Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), to suspend annually, by publication of a notification in the Federal Register, the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams. This action may be taken unless discard, catch, and biological sampling data indicate that 30 percent or more of the Atlantic surfclam resource have a shell length less than 4.75 inches (120 mm), and the overall reduced size is not attributable to harvest from beds where growth of the individual clams has been reduced because of density-dependent factors. At its June 2015 meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council voted to recommend that the Regional Administrator suspend the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2016 fishing year. Commercial surfclam data for 2015 were analyzed to determine the percentage of surfclams that were smaller than the minimum size requirement. The analysis indicated that 19.2 percent of the overall commercial landings were composed of surfclams that were less than the 4.75-in (120-mm) default minimum size. While still below the 30-percent trigger, this is a higher percentage of small clams than we have seen in previous years. A new stock assessment is planned for 2016, and may provide additional information about the health of this stock and whether density-dependent factors may have contributed to the increased prevalence of small clams. Based on the information available, the Regional Administrator concurs with the Council's recommendation, and is suspending the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams in the upcoming fishing year (January 1 through December 31, 2016). The FMP for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries requires that NMFS issue a notice in the Federal Register of the upcoming year's quota, even in cases where the quota remains unchanged from the previous year. At its June 2015 meeting, the Council voted that no action be taken to change the quota specifications for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs for the 2016 fishing year. As a result, we are announcing that the 2015 quota levels of 3.4 million bu (181 million L) for Atlantic surfclams, 5.3 million bu (284 million L) for ocean quahogs, and 100,000 Maine bu (3.524 million L) for Maine ocean quahogs, as announced in the Federal Register on December 20, 2013 (78 FR 77005), remain effective for the 2016 fishing year. Classification This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: September 17, 2015. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-24013 Filed 9-21-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![57104 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 183 / Tuesday, September 22, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
of its 2015 commercial Atlantic bluefish DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE size requirement. The analysis indicated
quota to the State of Rhode Island. that 19.2 percent of the overall
These quota adjustments are necessary National Oceanic and Atmospheric commercial landings were composed of
to comply with the Bluefish Fishery Administration surfclams that were less than the 4.75-
Management Plan quota transfer in (120-mm) default minimum size.
provision. This announcement informs 50 CFR Part 648 While still below the 30-percent trigger,
the public of the revised commercial [Docket No. 900124–0127] this is a higher percentage of small
quota for each state involved. clams than we have seen in previous
DATES: Effective September 21, 2015,
RIN 0648–XE164
years. A new stock assessment is
through December 31, 2015. Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog planned for 2016, and may provide
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Fisheries; 2016 Fishing Quotas for additional information about the health
Lichwell, Fishery Management Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean of this stock and whether density-
Specialist, (978)–281–9112. Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum dependent factors may have contributed
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit to the increased prevalence of small
Regulations governing the bluefish clams. Based on the information
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
available, the Regional Administrator
The regulations require annual Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
concurs with the Council’s
specification of a commercial quota that Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce. recommendation, and is suspending the
is apportioned among the coastal states minimum size limit for Atlantic
from Florida through Maine. The ACTION: Temporary rule.
surfclams in the upcoming fishing year
process to set the annual commercial SUMMARY: NMFS suspends the (January 1 through December 31, 2016).
quota and the percent allocated to each minimum size limit for Atlantic
state are described in § 648.162. The FMP for the Atlantic surfclam
surfclams for the 2016 fishing year. and ocean quahog fisheries requires that
The final rule implementing NMFS also announces that the quotas
Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery NMFS issue a notice in the Federal
for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean Register of the upcoming year’s quota,
Management Plan published in the quahog fisheries for 2016 will remain
Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 FR even in cases where the quota remains
status quo. Regulations governing these unchanged from the previous year. At
45844), and provided a mechanism for fisheries require NMFS to notify the
transferring bluefish quota from one its June 2015 meeting, the Council voted
public of the allowable harvest levels for
state to another. Two or more states, that no action be taken to change the
Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs
under mutual agreement and with the from the Exclusive Economic Zone if quota specifications for Atlantic
concurrence of the Administrator, the previous year’s quota specifications surfclams and ocean quahogs for the
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS remain unchanged. 2016 fishing year. As a result, we are
(Regional Administrator), can transfer or announcing that the 2015 quota levels of
DATES: Effective January 1, 2016,
combine bluefish commercial quota 3.4 million bu (181 million L) for
under § 648.162(e). The Regional through December 31, 2016.
Atlantic surfclams, 5.3 million bu (284
Administrator is required to consider FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
million L) for ocean quahogs, and
the criteria in § 648.162(e)(1) in the Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst,
978–281–9341. 100,000 Maine bu (3.524 million L) for
evaluation of requests for quota transfers Maine ocean quahogs, as announced in
or combinations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
the Federal Register on December 20,
Maine has agreed to transfer 30,000 lb regulations implementing the fishery
management plan (FMP) for the Atlantic 2013 (78 FR 77005), remain effective for
(13,608 kg) of its 2015 commercial quota
surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries at the 2016 fishing year.
to Rhode Island. This transfer was
prompted by state officials in Rhode 50 CFR 648.75(b)(3) authorize the Classification
Island to ensure the state’s commercial Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region,
bluefish quota is not exceeded. The NMFS (Regional Administrator), to This action is authorized by 50 CFR
Regional Administrator has determined suspend annually, by publication of a part 648 and is exempt from review
that the criteria set forth in notification in the Federal Register, the under Executive Order 12866.
§ 648.162(e)(1) are met. The revised minimum size limit for Atlantic Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
bluefish quotas for calendar year 2015 surfclams. This action may be taken
unless discard, catch, and biological Dated: September 17, 2015.
are: Maine, 5,037 lb (2,284 kg); and
Rhode Island, 536,826 lb (243,500 kg), sampling data indicate that 30 percent Alan D. Risenhoover,
based on the final 2015 Atlantic or more of the Atlantic surfclam Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
Bluefish Specifications (80 FR 46848; resource have a shell length less than National Marine Fisheries Service.
August 6, 2015). 4.75 inches (120 mm), and the overall [FR Doc. 2015–24013 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am]
reduced size is not attributable to BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Classification harvest from beds where growth of the
This action is taken under 50 CFR individual clams has been reduced
part 648 and is exempt from review because of density-dependent factors.
under Executive Order 12866. At its June 2015 meeting, the Mid-
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Atlantic Fishery Management Council
voted to recommend that the Regional
Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
Dated: September 17, 2015. Administrator suspend the minimum
Alan D. Risenhoover, size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 2016 fishing year. Commercial surfclam
National Marine Fisheries Service. data for 2015 were analyzed to
[FR Doc. 2015–24014 Filed 9–21–15; 8:45 am] determine the percentage of surfclams
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P that were smaller than the minimum
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Document Created: 2015-12-15 09:35:25
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:35:25
| 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. | |
| Dates | Effective January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016. | |
| Contact | Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9341. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 57104 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE16 |
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