81_FR_83940 81 FR 83715 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer

81 FR 83715 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 225 (November 22, 2016)

Page Range83715-83715
FR Document2016-28089

NMFS announces its approval of a transfer of 2016 commercial bluefish quota from the State of Maine to the State of Rhode Island. The approval of the transfer complies with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement also informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for Maine and Rhode Island.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 225 (Tuesday, November 22, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 22, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 83715]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28089]



[[Page 83715]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-6225-01]
RIN 0648-XF035


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; Quota Transfer

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; approval of quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces its approval of a transfer of 2016 commercial 
bluefish quota from the State of Maine to the State of Rhode Island. 
The approval of the transfer complies with the Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement 
also informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for Maine and 
Rhode Island.

DATES: Effective November 21, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. The 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 are 
described in Sec.  648.162.
    The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery 
Management Plan was 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 Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, 
NMFS (Regional Administrator), can request approval of a transfer of 
bluefish commercial quota under Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). 
The Regional Administrator must first approve any such transfer based 
on the criteria in Sec.  648.162(e).
    Maine and Rhode Island have requested the transfer of 32,000 pounds 
(lb) (14,515 kilogram (kg)) of bluefish commercial quota from Maine to 
Rhode Island. Both states have certified that the transfer meets all 
pertinent state requirements. This quota transfer was requested by 
Rhode Island to ensure that its 2016 quota would not be exceeded. The 
Regional Administrator has approved this quota transfer based on his 
determination that the criteria set forth in Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) 
through (iii) have been met. The revised bluefish quotas for calendar 
year 2016 are: Maine, 655 lb (297 kg); and Rhode Island, 464,561 lb 
(210,721 kg). These quota adjustments revise the quotas specified in 
the final rule implementing the 2016-2018 Atlantic Bluefish 
Specifications published on August 4, 2016 (81 FR 51370), and reflect 
all subsequent commercial bluefish quota transfers completed to date. 
For information of previous transfers for fishing year 2016 visit: 
http://go.usa.gov/xZT8H.

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: November 17, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-28089 Filed 11-21-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 225 / Tuesday, November 22, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 83715 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Island. Both states have certified that FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: the transfer meets all pertinent state Ariel Jacobs, NMFS PIRO Sustainable National Oceanic and Atmospheric requirements. This quota transfer was Fisheries, 808–725–5182. Administration requested by Rhode Island to ensure SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July that its 2016 quota would not be 22, 2016, NMFS restricted the retention, 50 CFR Part 648 exceeded. The Regional Administrator transshipment and landing of bigeye [Docket No. 151130999–6225–01] has approved this quota transfer based tuna captured by longline gear in the on his determination that the criteria set western and central Pacific Ocean RIN 0648–XF035 forth in § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii) (WCPO) because the U.S. longline have been met. The revised bluefish fishery reached 2016 U.S. bigeye tuna Fisheries of the Northeastern United quotas for calendar year 2016 are: States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; limit of 3,554 mt (81 FR 45982, July 15, Maine, 655 lb (297 kg); and Rhode 2016). Regulations at 50 CFR 300.224(d) Quota Transfer Island, 464,561 lb (210,721 kg). These provide an exception to this closure for AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries quota adjustments revise the quotas bigeye tuna caught by U.S. longline Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and specified in the final rule implementing vessels identified in a valid specified Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 2016–2018 Atlantic Bluefish fishing agreement under 50 CFR Commerce. Specifications published on August 4, 665.819(c). Further, 50 CFR ACTION: Temporary rule; approval of 2016 (81 FR 51370), and reflect all 665.819(c)(9) authorized NMFS to quota transfer. subsequent commercial bluefish quota attribute catches of bigeye tuna made by transfers completed to date. For U.S. longline vessels identified in a SUMMARY: NMFS announces its approval information of previous transfers for valid specified fishing agreement to the of a transfer of 2016 commercial fishing year 2016 visit: http:// U.S. territory to which the agreement bluefish quota from the State of Maine go.usa.gov/xZT8H. applies. to the State of Rhode Island. The Effective on September 9, 2016, approval of the transfer complies with Classification NMFS specified a 2016 catch limit of the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery This action is taken under 50 CFR 2,000 mt of longline-caught bigeye tuna Management Plan quota transfer part 648 and is exempt from review for the U.S. territories of American provision. This announcement also under Executive Order 12866. Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth informs the public of the revised Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. of the Northern Mariana Islands or commercial quotas for Maine and Rhode Dated: November 17, 2016. CNMI (81 FR 63145, September 14, Island. 2016). NMFS also authorized each Emily H. Menashes, DATES: Effective November 21, 2016, territory to allocate up to 1,000 mt of its Acting Director, Office of Sustainable through December 31, 2016. Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 2,000 mt bigeye tuna limit to U.S. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid [FR Doc. 2016–28089 Filed 11–21–16; 8:45 am] longline fishing vessels permitted to fish Lichwell, Fishery Management BILLING CODE 3510–22–P under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Specialist, (978) 281–9112. Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (FEP). Regulations governing the Atlantic DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE On September 9, 2016, the Western bluefish fishery are found in 50 CFR Pacific Fishery Management Council, 648.160 through 648.167. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric through its Executive Director, regulations require annual specification Administration transmitted to NMFS a specified fishing of a commercial quota that is agreement between the CNMI and Quota apportioned among the coastal states 50 CFR Part 665 Management, Inc. (QMI) dated April 14, from Maine through Florida. The [Docket No. 151023986–6763–02] 2016. NMFS reviewed the agreement process to set the annual commercial and determined that it was consistent quota and the percent allocated to each RIN 0648–XE284 with the requirements at 50 CFR state are described in § 648.162. 665.819, the FEP, the Magnuson-Stevens The final rule implementing Pacific Island Pelagic Fisheries; 2016 Fishery Conservation and Management Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery Commonwealth of the Northern Act, and other applicable laws (81 FR Management Plan was published in the Mariana Islands Bigeye Tuna Fishery; 64356, September 20, 2016). The criteria Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 FR Closure that a specified fishing agreement must 45844), and provided a mechanism for AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries meet, and the process for attributing transferring bluefish quota from one Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and longline-caught bigeye tuna, followed state to another. Two or more states, Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the procedures in 50 CFR 665.819— under mutual agreement and with the Commerce. Territorial catch and fishing effort concurrence of the Administrator, ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. limits. Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS In accordance with 50 CFR 300.224(d) (Regional Administrator), can request SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the U.S. and 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9), NMFS began approval of a transfer of bluefish pelagic longline fishery for bigeye tuna attributing bigeye tuna caught in the commercial quota under in the western and central Pacific Ocean WCPO by vessels identified in the § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The because the fishery will reach the 2016 CNMI/QMI agreement to the CNMI, sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES Regional Administrator must first allocation limit for the Commonwealth beginning on September 9, 2016. NMFS approve any such transfer based on the of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). monitored catches of longline-caught criteria in § 648.162(e). This action is necessary to comply with bigeye tuna by the CNMI longline Maine and Rhode Island have regulations managing this fish stock. fisheries, including catches made by requested the transfer of 32,000 pounds DATES: Effective 12:01 a.m. local time U.S. longline vessels operating under (lb) (14,515 kilogram (kg)) of bluefish December 1, 2016, through December the CNMI/QMI agreement. Based on this commercial quota from Maine to Rhode 31, 2016. monitoring, NMFS forecasted that the VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:34 Nov 21, 2016 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\22NOR1.SGM 22NOR1


Document Created: 2018-02-14 08:29:31
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 08:29:31
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionTemporary rule; approval of quota transfer.
DatesEffective November 21, 2016, through December 31, 2016.
ContactReid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9112.
FR Citation81 FR 83715 
RIN Number0648-XF03
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