[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 15, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 32021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15133]


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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.

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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. 99-15133 Filed 6-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F