81_FR_95308 81 FR 95060 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of Connecticut

81 FR 95060 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of Connecticut

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 248 (December 27, 2016)

Page Range95060-95060
FR Document2016-31194

NMFS announces that the 2016 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of Connecticut has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in Connecticut for the remainder of calendar year 2016. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise Connecticut that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in Connecticut.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 95060]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31194]



[[Page 95060]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 150903814-5999-02]
RIN 0648-XF096


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder 
Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of Connecticut

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 2016 summer flounder commercial quota 
allocated to the State of Connecticut has been harvested. Vessels 
issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder 
fishery may not land summer flounder in Connecticut for the remainder 
of calendar year 2016. Regulations governing the summer flounder 
fishery require publication of this notification to advise Connecticut 
that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders 
and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available 
for landing summer flounder in Connecticut.

DATES:  Effective 0001 hours, December 22, 2016, through December 31, 
2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Hanson, (978) 281-9180, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual 
specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned on a percentage 
basis among the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina. The 
process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to 
each state is described in Sec.  648.102.
    The initial commercial quota for summer flounder for the 2016 
calendar year was set equal to 8,124,035 lb (3,684,997 kg) (80 FR 
80689, December 28, 2015). The percent allocated to vessels landing 
summer flounder in Connecticut is 2.25708 percent, resulting in a 
commercial quota of 183,366 lb (83,173 kg). This allocation was 
adjusted to 187,166 lb (84,897 kg) to account for quota transfers from 
other states.
    The NMFS Administrator for the Greater Atlantic Region (Regional 
Administrator), monitors the state commercial landings and determines 
when a state's commercial quota has been harvested. NMFS is required to 
publish notification in the Federal Register advising and notifying 
commercial vessels and dealer permit holders that, effective upon a 
specific date, the state's commercial quota has been harvested and no 
commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in that 
state. The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer 
reports and other available information, that the 2016 Connecticut 
commercial summer flounder quota will be harvested by December 22, 
2016.
    Section 648.4(b) provides that Federal permit holders agree, as a 
condition of the permit, not to land summer flounder in any state that 
the Regional Administrator has determined no longer has commercial 
quota available. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, December 22, 2016, 
landings of summer flounder in Connecticut by vessels holding summer 
flounder commercial Federal fisheries permits are prohibited for the 
remainder of the 2016 calendar year. Effective 0001 hours, December 22, 
2016, federally permitted dealers are also notified that they may not 
purchase summer flounder from federally permitted vessels that land in 
Connecticut for the remainder of the calendar year.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the 
opportunity for public comment because it would be contrary to the 
public interest. This action closes the summer flounder fishery for 
Connecticut until January 1, 2017, under current regulations. The 
regulations at Sec.  648.103(b) require such action to ensure that 
summer flounder vessels do not exceed quotas allocated to the states. 
If implementation of this closure was delayed to solicit prior public 
comment, the quota for this fishing year will be exceeded, thereby 
undermining the conservation objectives of the Summer Flounder Fishery 
Management Plan. The Assistant Administrator further finds, pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-day delayed 
effectiveness period for the reason stated above.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 21, 2016.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-31194 Filed 12-21-16; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

95060 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 248 / Tuesday, December 27, 2016 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE commercial landings and determines Dated: December 21, 2016. when a state’s commercial quota has Alan D. Risenhoover, National Oceanic and Atmospheric been harvested. NMFS is required to Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, Administration publish notification in the Federal National Marine Fisheries Service. Register advising and notifying [FR Doc. 2016–31194 Filed 12–21–16; 4:15 pm] 50 CFR Part 648 commercial vessels and dealer permit BILLING CODE 3510–22–P [Docket No. 150903814–5999–02] holders that, effective upon a specific date, the state’s commercial quota has RIN 0648–XF096 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE been harvested and no commercial Fisheries of the Northeastern United quota is available for landing summer National Oceanic and Atmospheric States; Summer Flounder Fishery; flounder in that state. The Regional Administration Commercial Quota Harvested for the Administrator has determined, based State of Connecticut upon dealer reports and other available 50 CFR Part 648 information, that the 2016 Connecticut AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries [Docket No. 160816746–6999–02] commercial summer flounder quota will Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and be harvested by December 22, 2016. RIN 0648–XE819 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. Section 648.4(b) provides that Federal Fisheries of the Northeastern United ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. permit holders agree, as a condition of States; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean the permit, not to land summer flounder Quahog Fishery; 2017–2018 Fishing SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the in any state that the Regional Quotas 2016 summer flounder commercial Administrator has determined no longer quota allocated to the State of has commercial quota available. AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Connecticut has been harvested. Vessels Therefore, effective 0001 hours, Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and issued a commercial Federal fisheries December 22, 2016, landings of summer Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), permit for the summer flounder fishery flounder in Connecticut by vessels Commerce. may not land summer flounder in holding summer flounder commercial ACTION: Final rule. Connecticut for the remainder of Federal fisheries permits are prohibited calendar year 2016. Regulations SUMMARY: This final rule implements for the remainder of the 2016 calendar governing the summer flounder fishery status quo commercial quotas for the year. Effective 0001 hours, December 22, require publication of this notification Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog 2016, federally permitted dealers are fisheries for 2017, suspends the to advise Connecticut that the quota has also notified that they may not purchase been harvested and to advise vessel minimum shell size for Atlantic summer flounder from federally surfclams for 2017, and provides permit holders and dealer permit permitted vessels that land in projected status quo quotas for 2018. holders that no Federal commercial Connecticut for the remainder of the This action is necessary to establish quota is available for landing summer calendar year. allowable harvest levels of Atlantic flounder in Connecticut. DATES: Effective 0001 hours, December Classification surfclams and ocean quahogs that will 22, 2016, through December 31, 2016. prevent overfishing and allow This action is required by 50 CFR part harvesting of optimum yield. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Hanson, (978) 281–9180, or 648 and is exempt from review under DATES: This rule is effective January 1, Cynthia.Hanson@noaa.gov. Executive Order 12866. 2017, through December 31, 2017. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Administrator for ADDRESSES: Copies of the Regulations governing the summer Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause Environmental Assessment (EA), flounder fishery are found at 50 CFR pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive Supplemental Information Report (SIR), part 648. The regulations require annual prior notice and the opportunity for and other supporting documents for specification of a commercial quota that public comment because it would be these specifications are available from is apportioned on a percentage basis contrary to the public interest. This the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management among the coastal states from Maine action closes the summer flounder Council, 800 North State Street, Suite through North Carolina. The process to fishery for Connecticut until January 1, 201, Dover, DE 19901. The EA and SIR set the annual commercial quota and the 2017, under current regulations. The are also accessible via the internet at: percent allocated to each state is regulations at § 648.103(b) require such www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/. described in § 648.102. action to ensure that summer flounder FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The initial commercial quota for vessels do not exceed quotas allocated Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, summer flounder for the 2016 calendar to the states. If implementation of this 978–281–9341. year was set equal to 8,124,035 lb closure was delayed to solicit prior SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The (3,684,997 kg) (80 FR 80689, December public comment, the quota for this Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog 28, 2015). The percent allocated to fishing year will be exceeded, thereby Fishery Management Plan (FMP) vessels landing summer flounder in undermining the conservation requires that NMFS, in consultation Connecticut is 2.25708 percent, objectives of the Summer Flounder with the Mid-Atlantic Council, specify asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES resulting in a commercial quota of quotas for surfclam and ocean quahog Fishery Management Plan. The 183,366 lb (83,173 kg). This allocation for up to a 3-year period, with annual Assistant Administrator further finds, was adjusted to 187,166 lb (84,897 kg) reviews if multiple year quotas are pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good to account for quota transfers from other established. It is the policy of the cause to waive the 30-day delayed states. Council that the catch limits selected The NMFS Administrator for the effectiveness period for the reason allow sustainable fishing to continue at Greater Atlantic Region (Regional stated above. that level for at least 10 years for Administrator), monitors the state Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. surfclams, and 30 years for ocean VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:06 Dec 23, 2016 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00152 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\27DER1.SGM 27DER1


Document Created: 2018-02-14 09:13:18
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 09:13:18
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; closure.
DatesEffective 0001 hours, December 22, 2016, through December 31, 2016.
ContactCynthia Hanson, (978) 281-9180, or [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 95060 
RIN Number0648-XF09
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR