[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 249 (Friday, December 27, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78994-78995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32619]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 020215032-2127 02; I.D. 121702A]


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 State of North Carolina has 
transferred 43,000 lb (19,504.5 kg) of its 2002 commercial quota to the 
State of Maryland; and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has 
transferred 150,000 lb (68,038.9 kg) of its 2002 commercial quota to 
the State of New York. The revised quotas for the calendar year 2002 
following the transfer are: North Carolina, 3,323,384 lb (1,507,461.6 
kg); Maryland, 315,400 lb (143,063.0 kg); Massachusetts, 555,254 lb 
(251,859.0 kg); and New York, 1,449,372 lb (657,424.1 kg). NMFS has 
adjusted the quotas and announces the revised commercial quotas. This 
action is permitted under the regulations implementing the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Bluefish Fishery (FMP) and is intended to 
prevent negative economic impacts to the Maryland and New York 
commercial bluefish fisheries.

DATES:  Effective December 26, 2002 through December 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Hannah Goodale, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, (978) 281-9101, 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 quota and the percent allocated to each state is 
described in Sec.  648.160.
     The FMP allows two or more states, under mutual agreement and with 
the concurrence of the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, 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.
    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 North Carolina and Maryland were 
3,366,384 (1,526,966 kg), and 315,189 lb (142,967 kg), respectively. 
Effective, October 8, 2002, (67 FR 62650) Maryland's quota was reduced 
by 42,789 lb (19,408.8 kg) to 272,400 lb (123,558.6 kg). North Carolina 
has agreed to transfer 43,000 lb (19,504.5 kg) to Maryland. The revised 
quotas for the calendar year 2002 following the transfer are: North 
Carolina, 3,323,384 (1,507,461.6 kg) and Maryland, 315,400 lb 
(143,063.0 kg).
    The initial 2002 commercial quotas for Massachusetts and New York 
were 705,254 lb (319,897.8 kg) and 1,090,436 lb (494,613.4 kg), 
respectively. Effective

[[Page 78995]]

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). Effective October 
10, 2002, (67 FR 63311) New York's quota was increased as the result of 
a quota transfer by 425,000 lb (192,776.8 kg) to 1,299,372 lb (589,284 
kg). Massachusetts has agreed to transfer 150,000 lb (68,038.8 kg) of 
its 2002 commercial quota to New York. The revised quotas for the 
calendar year 2002 are: Massachusetts, 555,254 lb (251,859.0 kg) and 
New York, 1,449,372 lb (657,424.1 kg).
    The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set 
forth in Sec.  648.160(f)(1) have been met. This action does not alter 
any of the conclusions reached in the environmental assessment for the 
2002 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish fishery. 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: Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 18, 2002.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-32619 Filed 12-26-02; 8:45 am]
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