[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62650-62651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25460]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 020215032-2127 02; I.D. 092402A]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; Readjustment to 2002 Quotas; Commercial Quota Adjustments for 
Maryland and Virginia

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

ACTION: Commercial quota adjustments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces adjustments to the 2002 commercial Atlantic 
bluefish quota for the States of Maryland and the Commonwealth of 
Virginia. This action complies with regulations implementing the 
Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Bluefish (FMP), which require that 
landings in excess of a state's commercial quota be deducted from that 
state's quota the following year. The FMP also allows two or more 
states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the 
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), to 
transfer or combine part or all of their annual commercial quota. The 
Regional Administrator must consider the criteria set forth in Sec.  
648.160(f)(1) in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or 
combinations. The public is advised that quota adjustments have been 
made and is informed of the revised quotas for the affected states.

DATES: Effective October 7, 2002 through December 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles A. Raizin, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing Atlantic bluefish 
management measures are found at 50 CFR part 648, subpart J. The 
regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is 
apportioned among the Atlantic coastal states from Maine through North 
Carolina. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the 
percent allocated to each state is described in Sec.  648.160. The 
final specifications for the 2001 Atlantic bluefish fishery set a total 
commercial quota equal to 9.58 million lb (4.35 million kg)(66 FR 
23625; May 9, 2001). Maryland and Virginia's quota shares were 
calculated to be 287,662 lb (130,518 kg) and

[[Page 62651]]

1,138,412 lb (516,521 kg), respectively. However, in 2001, both 
Maryland and Virginia transferred a portion of their quotas to other 
states, leaving their final adjusted quotas at 87,662 lb (39,774 kg) 
for Maryland and 738,412 lb (335,033 kg) for Virginia.
    Section 648.160(e)(2) provides that all landings in a state shall 
be applied against that state's annual commercial quota. Any landings 
in excess of the state's quota must be deducted from that state's 
annual quota for the following year.
    Based on dealer reports and other available information, NMFS has 
determined that, in 2001, the State of Maryland landed 130,451 lb 
(59,188 kg) and the Commonwealth of Virginia landed 790,477 lb (358,655 
kg) of bluefish causing overages of 42,789 lb (19,414 kg) and 52,065 lb 
(23,623 kg) for Maryland and Virginia, respectively.
    On June 6, 2002, final specifications for the 2002 commercial 
Atlantic bluefish became effective (67 FR 38909). Total commercial 
harvest was specified at 10.5 million lb (4.76 million kg). Maryland 
and Virginia's shares of the quota were 315,189 lb (142,967 kg) and 
1,247,348 lb (565,787 kg), respectively. Consistent with the 
regulations regarding the disposition of overages, the 2002 Atlantic 
bluefish commercial quota for Maryland is hereby reduced by 42,789 lb 
(19,414 kg) to 272,400 lb (123,593 kg). The 2002 Atlantic bluefish 
commercial quota for Virginia is hereby reduced by 52,065 lb (23,623 
kg) to 1,195,283 lb (541,833 kg).

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: October 1, 2002.
Virginia M. Fay,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service
[FR Doc. 02-25460 Filed 10-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S