[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 10286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5894]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 625

[I.D. 022996D]


Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Transfer from North 
Carolina to Virginia

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 North Carolina is 
transferring 5,773 lb (2,619 kg) of commercial summer flounder quota to 
the Commonwealth of Virginia. NMFS adjusted the quotas and announces 
the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 12, 1996.

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 percent allocated to each state is described in 
Sec. 625.20.
    The commercial quota for summer flounder for the 1996 calendar year 
was set equal to 11,111,298 lb (5,040,000 kg), and the allocations to 
each state were published January 4, 1996 (61 FR 291). At that time, 
the State of North Carolina was allocated a quota of 3,049,589 lb 
(1,383,270 kg) and the Commonwealth of Virginia was allocated a quota 
of 2,368,569 lb (1,074,365 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.
    The State of North Carolina has agreed to transfer 5,773 lb (2,619 
kg) of commercial quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Regional 
Director has determined that the criteria set forth in 
Sec. 625.20(f)(1) have been met, and hereby publishes this notification 
of quota transfers. The revised quotas for the calendar year 1996 are: 
North Carolina, 3,043,816 lb (1,380,652 kg); and Virginia, 2,374,342 lb 
(1,076,983 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 sections 
6.02b.3(b)(i)(aa) and (ii)(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: March 6, 1996.
Donald J. Leedy,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-5894 Filed 3-12-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F