[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 222 (Friday, November 17, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57685-57686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-28415]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 625

[Docket No. 930832-3314; I.D. 110795A]


Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Transfer From Maryland 
to New York

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

ACTION: Commercial quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of Maryland is transferring 
50,000 lb (22,680 kg) of commercial summer flounder quota to the State 
of New York. NMFS adjusted the quotas and announces the revised 
commercial quota for each state involved.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 13, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lucy Helvenston, 508-281-9347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing Amendment 2 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Summer Flounder Fishery (FMP) are found 
at 50 CFR part 625. The regulations 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 percentage allocated to each state is described in 
Sec. 625.20.
    The commercial quota for summer flounder for the 1995 calendar year 
was set equal to 14,690,407 lb (6,663,456 kg), and the allocations to 
each state were published February 16, 1995 (60 FR 8958). At that time, 
Maryland was 

[[Page 57686]]
allocated a quota of 299,551 lb (135,874 kg), and New York was 
allocated a quota of 1,123,374 lb (509,554 kg).
    The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the FMP was published 
December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), and allows two or more states, under 
mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the Director, Northeast 
Region, NMFS (Regional Director), to transfer or combine summer 
flounder commercial quota. The Regional Director is required to 
consider the criteria set forth in Sec. 625.20(f)(1), in the evaluation 
of requests for quota transfers or combinations.
    Maryland has agreed to transfer 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) of commercial 
quota to New York. The Regional Director has determined that the 
criteria set forth in Sec. 625.20(f)(1) have been met, and publishes 
this notification of quota transfers. The revised quotas for the 
calendar year 1995 are: Maryland, 249,551 lb (113,194 kg); and New 
York, 1,173,374 lb (532,233 kg).
    This action does not alter any of the conclusions reached in the 
environmental impact statement prepared for Amendment 2 to the FMP 
regarding the effects of summer flounder fishing activity on the human 
environment. Amendment 2 established procedures for setting an annual 
coastwide commercial quota for summer flounder and a formula for 
determining commercial quotas for each state. The quota transfer 
provision was established by Amendment 5 to the FMP and the 
environmental assessment prepared for Amendment 5 found that the action 
had no significant impact on the environment. Under section 
6.02b.3(b)(i)(aa) of NOAA Administrative Order 216-6, this action is 
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare additional 
environmental analyses. This is a routine administrative action that 
reallocates commercial quota within the scope of previously published 
environmental analyses.

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR part 625 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: November 13, 1995.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-28415 Filed 11-13-95; 4:50 pm]
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