Fishery conservation and management: Northeastern United States fisheries— Atlantic bluefish; correction,

[Federal Register: March 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 52)]

[Rules and Regulations]

[Page 13776-13777]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr17mr06-14]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 051128313-6029-02; I.D.111705C]

RIN 0648 AT20

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fisheries; 2006 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications; Quota Adjustment; 2006 Research Set-aside Project

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

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY: NMFS is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of February 24, 2006. The document issued final specifications for the 2006 Atlantic bluefish fisheries. Inadvertently, Table 1 of the final rule contained incorrect individual state commercial quota allocations (after adjusting for the research set-aside quota). This document corrects that error.

DATES: Effective March 27, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Van Pelt, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281-9244, fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The final rule, including final quota specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fisheries, was published in the Federal Register on February 24, 2006 (71 FR 9471). The final rule presented a new alternative (different than the alternative published in the proposed rule) to ensure that recreational harvest limits would not be

[[Page 13777]]

exceeded. Table 1 listed incorrect individual state commercial quota allocations in the columns entitled ``2006 Commercial Quota (lb) with Research Set-Aside'' and ``2006 Commercial Quota (kg) with Research Set-Aside.'' The amounts that appear in the row entitled ``Total'' remain the same. The following corrections are made:

  1. On page 9473, Table 1. Commercial State-by-State Allocations for 2006 as Adjusted by the Research Set-Aside (RSA) is corrected to read as follows:

Table 1. Corrected Commercial State-by-State Allocations for 2006 as Adjusted by the RSA

States

Quota

2006 Commercial Quota

2006 Commercial 2006 Commercial

Quota (lb)

Quota (kg)

Percent

(lb)

(kg)

With Research Set- With Research Set- Share

Aside

Aside

ME

0.6685

54,022

24,504

53,230

24,145 NH

0.4145

33,496

15,194

33,005

14,971 MA

6.7167

542,783

246,205

534,823

242,592 RI

6.8081

550,169

249,555

542,101

245,893 CT

1.2663

102,331

46,417

100,830

45,736 NY

10.3851

839,230

380,672

826,923

375,086 NJ

14.8162 1,197,311

543,097

1,179,753

535,127 DE

1.8782

151,779

68,847

149,553

67,836 MD

3.0018

242,578

110,033

239,021

108,418 VA

11.8795

959,994

435,450

945,915

429,060 NC

32.0608 2,590,864 1,175,208

2,552,869

1,157,962 SC

0.0352

2,845

1,290

2,803

1,271 GA

0.0095

768

348

756

343 FL

10.0597

812,934

368,744

801,012

363,333 Total

100.0001 8,081,096 3,665,561

7,962,586

3,611,769

\1\ Metric tons and kilograms are as converted from pounds and may not necessarily add due to rounding.

The Assistant Administrator for fisheries, NOAA (AA) 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 impracticable and contrary to the public interest. This rule corrects a calculation error in the state allocations for bluefish in the final rule published on February 24, 2006 (71 FR 9471). When the final state allocations where calculated to reflect the new transfer amount, NMFS inadvertently made an error in calculation; i.e., the table that revised the individual state quota allocations carried over a conversion factor that did not correctly account for the RSA quota based on the new proportion (recreational/commercial split). Providing for a public comment period for this rule would prevent the correction of the aforementioned final rule before it becomes effective. Publication of incorrect state quota allocations could cause some unnecessary confusion among those states whose allocation is different from the levels previously calculated. The correction provides a slightly higher allocation to each of the states.

The AA further finds pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) good cause to waive the thirty (30) delayed effectiveness period for the reasons stated above. This rule corrects a calculation error in the state allocations for bluefish in the final rule published on February 24, 2006 (71 FR 9471). When the final state allocations were calculated to reflect the new transfer amount, NMFS inadvertently made an error in calculation; i.e., the table that revised the individual state quota allocations carried over a conversion factor that did not correctly account for the RSA quota based on the new proportion (recreational/ commercial split). Providing for a 30-day delay in effectiveness for this rule would prevent the correction of the aforementioned final rule before it becomes effective. Publication of incorrect state quota allocations could cause some unnecessary confusion among those states whose allocation is different from the levels previously calculated.

This rule has been determined to be not significant under Executive Order 12866.

Dated: March 13, 2006. James W. Balsiger, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 06-2617 Filed 3-16-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT