[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63311-63312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26014]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 020215032-2127 02; I.D. 100102E]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; Commercial Quota Transfers

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

ACTION: Commercial quota transfers.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia and the 
States of Florida and Rhode Island have transferred 100,000 lb (45,372 
kg), 200,000 lb (90,744 kg), and 125,000 lb (56,689 kg), respectively, 
of their 2002 adjusted commercial quotas to New York. The revised 
quotas for the calendar year 2002 following the transfer are: Virginia, 
1,095,283 lb (496,952 kg), Florida, 856,269 lb (388,507 kg), Rhode 
Island 589,851 lb (267,506 kg), and New York, 1,299,372 lb (589,284 
kg).
    NMFS has adjusted the quotas and announces the revised commercial 
quotas for Virginia, Florida, Rhode Island, and New York. This action 
is permitted under the regulations implementing the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Bluefish Fishery (FMP) and is intended to reduce discards 
and prevent negative economic impacts to the New York commercial 
bluefish fishery.

DATES: Effective October 10, 2002 through December 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9104, fax (978) 281-9135, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
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 Maine through Florida. The process to set the 
annual commercial

[[Page 63312]]

quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in Sec.  
648.160.
    The total commercial quota for bluefish for the 2002 calendar year 
was set equal to 10,500,000 lb (4,762,720 kg) (66 FR 23625, May 9, 
2002). The resulting quotas for New York, Virginia, Florida, and Rhode 
Island were 1,090,436 lb (494,753 kg), 1,247,348 lb (565,787 kg), 
1,056,269 lb (479,115 kg), and 714,851 lb (324,251 kg), respectively. 
Effective, September 12, 2002, (67 FR 57758) New York's quota was 
reduced by 216,064 lb (98,033 kg) to 874,372 lb (396,721 kg) and, 
effective October 8, 2002, (FR) Virginia's quota was reduced by 52,065 
lb (23,623 kg) to 1,195,283 lb (541,833 kg).
    The FMP 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 bluefish quotas. 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.
    Virginia, Florida, and Rhode Island have agreed to transfer 100,000 
lb (45,372 kg), 200,000 lb (90,744 kg), and 125,000 lb (56,689 kg), 
respectively, of their 2002 adjusted commercial quotas to New York. The 
revised quotas for the calendar year 2002 following the transfer are: 
Virginia, 1,095,283 lb (496,952 kg), Florida, 856,269 lb (388,507 kg), 
Rhode Island 589,851 lb (267,506 kg), and New York, 1,299,372 lb 
(589,284 kg).
    The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set 
forth in Sec.  648.160(f)(1) have been met.

Classification

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

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

    Dated: October 2, 2002.
Virginia M. Fay,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-26014 Filed 10-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S