[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 9, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 11584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4607]



[[Page 11584]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 041110317-4364-02; I.D. 030305D]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder 
Fishery; Quota Transfer

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

ACTION:  Commercial summer flounder quota transfer from North Carolina 
to Virginia.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is 
transferring 243,292 lb (110,357 kg) of commercial summer flounder 
quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia from its 2005 quota. By this 
action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial 
quota for each state involved.

DATES: Effective March 4, 2005 through December 31, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mike Ruccio, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9104, FAX (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder 
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 North Carolina through Maine. The process to set 
the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state are 
described in Sec.  648.100.
    The initial total commercial quota for summer flounder for the 2005 
calendar year was set equal to 18,180,002 lb (8,246,395 kg). The 
percent allocated to vessels landing summer flounder in North Carolina 
is 27.44584 percent, and in Virginia is 21.31676 percent. This resulted 
in an initial commercial quota for North Carolina of 4,989,654 lb 
(2,263,292 kg), and for Virginia of 3,875,387 (1,757,864 kg) (70 FR 
303, January 4, 2005). The 2005 allocation for North Carolina was 
further reduced to 4,932,017 lb (2,237,148 kg), and for Virginia to 
3,830,622 lb (1,737,559 kg), due to research set-aside.
    The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the FMP that was 
published on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for 
summer flounder quota to be transferred from one state to another. Two 
or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the 
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), can 
transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under Sec.  
648.100(d). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the 
criteria set forth in Sec.  648.100(d)(3) in the evaluation of requests 
for quota transfers or combinations.
    North Carolina has agreed to transfer 243,292 lb (110,357 kg) of 
its 2005 commercial quota to Virginia. The Regional Administrator has 
determined that the criteria set forth in Sec.  648.100(d)(3) have been 
met. The revised quotas for calendar year 2005 are: North Carolina, 
4,688,725 lb (2,126,806 kg); and Virginia, 4,073,914 lb (1,847,927 kg).

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: March 3, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4607 Filed 3-4-05; 3:39 pm]
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