82_FR_57614 82 FR 57382 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of New Jersey

82 FR 57382 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of New Jersey

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 232 (December 5, 2017)

Page Range57382-57382
FR Document2017-26176

NMFS announces that the 2017 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued a Federal commercial summer flounder permit may not land summer flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2017, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notice to advise vessel and dealer permit holders that Federal commercial quota is no longer available to land summer flounder in New Jersey.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 232 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017) 
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 57382]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26176]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 161017970-6999-02]
RIN 0648-XF856


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

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 2017 summer flounder commercial quota 
allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued 
a Federal commercial summer flounder permit may not land summer 
flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2017, unless 
additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another 
state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require 
publication of this notice to advise vessel and dealer permit holders 
that Federal commercial quota is no longer available to land summer 
flounder in New Jersey.

DATES: Effective November 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

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 coastwide commercial quota for summer flounder for the 2017 
calendar year is 5,658,260 lb (2,566,544 kg) (81 FR 93842, December 22, 
2016). The percent allocated to vessels landing summer flounder in New 
Jersey is 16.72499 percent, resulting in an initial commercial quota of 
946,512 lb (429,331 kg). New Jersey conducted one quota transfer of 380 
lb (172 kg) to Rhode Island on October 4, 2017 (82 FR 46936), reducing 
its commercial quota to 946,132 lb (429,158 kg).
    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 a notice 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 summer flounder quota is available to land in that state. 
The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports and 
other available information, that the 2017 New Jersey commercial summer 
flounder quota will be harvested by December 11, 2017.
    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 November 30, 2017, landing of 
summer flounder in New Jersey by vessels holding summer flounder 
commercial Federal fisheries permits is prohibited for the remainder of 
the 2017 calendar year, unless additional quota becomes available 
through a transfer and is announced in the Federal Register. Effective 
November 30, 2017, federally permitted dealers are also notified that 
they may not purchase summer flounder from vessels that land in New 
Jersey for the remainder of the calendar year, or until additional 
quota becomes available through a transfer from another state.

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 commercial summer flounder 
fishery for New Jersey through December 31, 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: November 30, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-26176 Filed 11-30-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

57382 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 5, 2017 / Rules and Regulations PART 1130—INFORMAL COMPLAINTS this notice to advise vessel and dealer Administrator has determined no longer permit holders that Federal commercial has commercial quota available. ■ 9. The authority citation for part 1130 quota is no longer available to land Therefore, effective November 30, 2017, is revised to read as follows: summer flounder in New Jersey. landing of summer flounder in New Authority: 49 U.S.C. 1321, 13301(f), 14709. DATES: Effective November 30, 2017 Jersey by vessels holding summer through December 31, 2017. flounder commercial Federal fisheries ■ 10. In § 1130.1, revise paragraph (a) to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: permits is prohibited for the remainder read as follows: Cynthia Hanson, (978) 281–9180, or of the 2017 calendar year, unless § 1130.1 When no damages sought. Cynthia.Hanson@noaa.gov. additional quota becomes available SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: through a transfer and is announced in (a) Form and content; copies. Informal the Federal Register. Effective complaint may be by letter or other Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are found at 50 CFR November 30, 2017, federally permitted writing and will be serially numbered dealers are also notified that they may and filed. The complaint must contain part 648. The regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that not purchase summer flounder from the essential elements of a formal vessels that land in New Jersey for the complaint as specified at 49 CFR 1111.2 is apportioned on a percentage basis among the coastal states from Maine remainder of the calendar year, or until and may embrace supporting papers. additional quota becomes available The original and one copy must be filed through North Carolina. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the through a transfer from another state. with the Board. percent allocated to each state is Classification * * * * * described in § 648.102. [FR Doc. 2017–26153 Filed 12–4–17; 8:45 am] The coastwide commercial quota for This action is required by 50 CFR part BILLING CODE 4915–01–P summer flounder for the 2017 calendar 648 and is exempt from review under year is 5,658,260 lb (2,566,544 kg) (81 Executive Order 12866. FR 93842, December 22, 2016). The DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE The Assistant Administrator for percent allocated to vessels landing Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause summer flounder in New Jersey is National Oceanic and Atmospheric pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive 16.72499 percent, resulting in an initial Administration prior notice and the opportunity for commercial quota of 946,512 lb (429,331 public comment because it would be kg). New Jersey conducted one quota 50 CFR Part 648 contrary to the public interest. This transfer of 380 lb (172 kg) to Rhode action closes the commercial summer [Docket No. 161017970–6999–02] Island on October 4, 2017 (82 FR flounder fishery for New Jersey through 46936), reducing its commercial quota RIN 0648–XF856 December 31, 2017, under current to 946,132 lb (429,158 kg). The NMFS Administrator for the regulations. The regulations at Fisheries of the Northeastern United § 648.103(b) require such action to States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Greater Atlantic Region (Regional Administrator) monitors the state ensure that summer flounder vessels do Commercial Quota Harvested for the not exceed quotas allocated to the states. State of New Jersey commercial landings and determines when a state’s commercial quota has If implementation of this closure was AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries been harvested. NMFS is required to delayed to solicit prior public comment, Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and publish a notice in the Federal Register the quota for this fishing year will be Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), advising and notifying commercial exceeded, thereby undermining the Commerce. vessels and dealer permit holders that, conservation objectives of the Summer effective upon a specific date, the state’s Flounder Fishery Management Plan. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. commercial quota has been harvested The Assistant Administrator further SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the and no commercial summer flounder finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), 2017 summer flounder commercial quota is available to land in that state. good cause to waive the 30-day delayed quota allocated to the State of New The Regional Administrator has effectiveness period for the reason Jersey has been harvested. Vessels determined, based on dealer reports and stated above. issued a Federal commercial summer other available information, that the Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. flounder permit may not land summer 2017 New Jersey commercial summer Dated: November 30, 2017. flounder in New Jersey for the flounder quota will be harvested by remainder of calendar year 2017, unless Emily H. Menashes, December 11, 2017. additional quota becomes available Section 648.4(b) provides that Federal Acting Director, Office of Sustainable through a transfer from another state. permit holders agree, as a condition of Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. Regulations governing the summer the permit, not to land summer flounder [FR Doc. 2017–26176 Filed 11–30–17; 4:15 pm] flounder fishery require publication of in any state that the Regional BILLING CODE 3510–22–P sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:53 Dec 04, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\05DER1.SGM 05DER1


Document Created: 2017-12-04 23:44:58
Document Modified: 2017-12-04 23:44:58
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 November 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017.
ContactCynthia Hanson, (978) 281-9180, or [email protected]
FR Citation82 FR 57382 
RIN Number0648-XF85
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