Fishery conservation and management: Northeastern United States fisheries— Summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass,

[Federal Register: June 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 114)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 32021]

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

[DOCID:fr15jn99-27]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 051899C]

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Availability of 1999 Revised Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA)

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a revised 1999 final FRFA.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that a revised FRFA for the final specifications for the 1999 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries has been prepared. This document is intended to advise appropriate persons that copies of the revised FRFA are available upon request.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the revised FRFA should be directed to Northeast Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298, Attention: Paul H. Jones, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281-9273.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul H. Jones, (978) 281-9273.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a final rule in the Federal Register of December 31, 1998 (63 FR 72203), establishing the final specifications for the 1999 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. Individuals were notified that copies of the Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and FRFA were available from the Northeast Regional Administrator (see ADDRESSES).

After receiving a query from the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources, NMFS' Northeast Fisheries Science Center staff reviewed the FRFA. This review led to the discovery of an error in the programs that were used to estimate the proportion of summer flounder landings that have historically been landed where summer flounder was 10 percent or less of the total weight of fish on board. The error was in the analysis of existing summer flounder data, not in the data itself. Therefore, it will not affect the stock assessment or the final 1999 specifications. Section 5.1.1.3 of the FRFA, Table 21 (Proportion of total summer flounder landings from trips where summer flounder was less than or equal to 10 percent of total weight of fish on board), was revised to correct the error. The revisions show that the proportion of summer flounder landings on trips comprised primarily of other species is lower than originally estimated in most states. However, NMFS maintains the recommendation for states to allocate 32.7 percent of their commercial quota for incidental landings to reduce discard because, as the biomass continues to increase, incidental catches will also increase.

NMFS has notified the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and state fisheries directors by letter of the error in the FRFA and reiterated NMFS' recommendation for states to continue to allocate 32.7 percent of their summer flounder commercial quota for incidental landings.

Dated: June 8, 1999. Gary C. Matlock, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-15133Filed6-14-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F