[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 72934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23802]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 041110317-4364-02; I.D. 112905B]


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: Temporary rule; inseason quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is 
transferring 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 December 5, 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 final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan which 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 4,975 lb (2,257 kg) of its 
2005 commercial quota to Virginia to cover a landing of a North 
Carolina vessel disabled at sea and subsequently granted safe harbor in 
Virginia. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria 
set forth in Sec.  648.100(d)(3) have been met. The revised summer 
flounder quotas for calendar year 2005, inclusive of all previous 
adjustments and transfers published on October 18, 2005 (70 FR 60449), 
are: North Carolina, 4,604,347 lb (2,088,532 kg), and Virginia, 
4,018,881 lb (1,822,964 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: December 2, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-23802 Filed 12-5-05; 2:09 pm]
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