[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 183 (Monday, September 22, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55010-55011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24112]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 021223329-2329-01; I.D. 091203A]


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

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 Commonwealth of Virginia has 
transferred a total of 500,000 lb (226,860 kg) of commercial bluefish 
quota to the State of New York for 2003. NMFS has adjusted the quotas 
and announces the revised commercial quotas for Virginia 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 September 17, 2003 through December 31, 2003.

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 quota and the percent allocated to each state are 
described in Sec.  648.160.
    The initial total commercial quota for bluefish for the 2003 
calendar year was set equal to 10,460,058 lb (4,755,017 kg) (68 FR 
25305; May 12, 2003). The resulting quota for New York was 1,086,286 lb 
(492,870 kg), and for Virginia was 1,242,601 lb (563,794 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 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.
    Virginia has agreed to transfer 500,000 lb (226,860 kg) of its 2003 
commercial quota to New York. The revised quotas for the calendar year 
2003 are: Virginia, 742,601 lb (336,933 kg), and New York, 1,586,286 lb 
(719,730 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 2003 specifications for the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery. This is a routine administrative action that reallocates 
commercial quota within the scope of previously published environmental 
analyses.

[[Page 55011]]

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: September 16, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24112 Filed 9-17-03; 1:54 pm]
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