[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 10 (Friday, January 15, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2600-2601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1001]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 010699B]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Summer Flounder 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 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) of commercial summer flounder quota to 
the Commonwealth of Virginia from its 1999 quota. NMFS adjusted the 
quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state 
involved.

DATES: Effective January 12, 1999, through December 31, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary M. Grim, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9326.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder 
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. 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 are 
described in Sec. 648.100.
    The initial total commercial quota for summer flounder for the 1999 
calendar year was set equal to 11,111,191 lb (5,039,951 kg) (63 FR 
72203, December 31, 1998). The resulting quota for Virginia is 
2,368,569 lb (1,074,365 kg) and for North Carolina is 3,049,589 lb 
(1,383,270 kg).
    The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) was published December 17, 1993 (58 FR 
65936), and allows two or more states, under mutual agreement and with 
the concurrence of the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, (Regional 
Administrator) to transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota. 
The Regional Administrator is required to consider the criteria set 
forth in Sec. 648.100(e)(1) in the evaluation of requests for quota 
transfers or combinations.
    North Carolina has agreed to transfer 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) of its 
1999

[[Page 2601]]

commercial quota to Virginia. The Regional Administrator has determined 
that the criteria set forth in Sec. 648.100(e)(1) have been met, and 
publishes this notification of quota transfer. The revised quotas for 
the calendar year 1999 are: Virginia, 2,373,569 lb (1,076,633 kg); and 
North Carolina, 3,044,589 lb (1,381,002 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 648 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: January 11, 1999.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-1001 Filed 1-12-99; 3:29 pm]
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