Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer
Federal Register, Volume 78 Issue 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2013)
Federal Register Volume 78, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2013)
Rules and Regulations
Pages 76765-76766
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2013-30217
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
Docket No. 121009528-2729-02
RIN 0648-XD025
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of Maryland is transferring a portion of its 2013 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of Connecticut. NMFS is adjusting the quotas and announcing the revised commercial quota for each state involved.
DATES: Effective December 17, 2013, through December 31, 2013.
Page 76766
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carly Bari, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9224.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are in 50 CFR part 648, and require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from North Carolina through Maine. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state are described in Sec. 648.100.
The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which was published on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for summer flounder quota to be transferred from one state to another. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), can transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under Sec. 648.102(c)(2). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the criteria in Sec. 648.102(c)(2)(i) to evaluate requests for quota transfers or combinations.
Maryland has agreed to transfer 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of its 2013 commercial quota to Connecticut. This transfer was prompted by the diligent efforts of state officials in Connecticut not to exceed the commercial summer flounder quota. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set forth in Sec. 648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. The revised summer flounder commercial quotas for calendar year 2013 are: Maryland, 223,269 lb (101,273 kg); and Connecticut, 273,605 lb (125,105 kg).
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: December 16, 2013.
Sean F. Corson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
FR Doc. 2013-30217 Filed 12-17-13; 11:15 am
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