[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 147 (Tuesday, August 2, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44291-44292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15222]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 030912231-3266-02; I.D. 071905B]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; 
Adjustment to the 2005 Winter II Quota

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS adjusts the 2005 Winter II commercial scup quota and 
possession limit. This action complies with Framework Adjustment 3 
(Framework 3) to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery 
Management Plan, which established a process to allow the rollover of 
unused commercial scup quota from the Winter I period to the Winter II 
period.

DATES: This rule is effective November 1, 2005 through December 31, 
2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, (978) 281-9279.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a final rule in the Federal 
Register on November 3, 2003 (68 FR 62250), implementing a process, for 
years in which the full Winter I commercial scup quota is not 
harvested, to allow unused quota from the Winter I period to be added 
to the quota for the Winter II period, and to allow adjustment of the 
commercial possession limits for the Winter II period commensurate with 
the amount of quota rolled over from the Winter I period. Table 5 of 
the final 2005 quota specifications for summer flounder, scup, and 
black sea bass (70 FR 303, January 4, 2005) presented detailed 
information regarding Winter II possession limits, based on the amount 
of scup to be rolled over from Winter I to Winter II.
    For 2005, the Winter II quota is 1,949,962 lb (884,487 kg), and the 
best available landings information indicates that 2,223,502 lb 
(1,008,564 kg) remain of the Winter I quota of 5,518,367 lb (2,503,089 
kg). Consistent with the intent of Framework 3, the full amount of 
unused 2005 Winter I quota is transferred to Winter II, resulting in a 
revised 2005 Winter II quota of 4,173,464 lb (1,893,051 kg). In 
addition to the quota transfer, the 2005 Winter II

[[Page 44292]]

possession limit is increased, consistent with the rollover 
specifications established in the 2005 final rule (70 FR 303), to 3,500 
lb (1,588 kg) per trip to provide an appropriate opportunity for 
fishing vessels to obtain the increased Winter II quota.

Classification

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

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

    Dated: July 26, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-15222 Filed 8-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S