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:
-
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]
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