[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 42315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11940]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 051104293-5344-02; I.D. 071306A]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; 
Adjustment to the 2006 Winter II Quota

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS adjusts the 2006 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, 2006, through December 31, 
2006.

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 4 of 
the final 2006 quota specifications for summer flounder, scup, and 
black sea bass (70 FR 77060, December 29, 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 2006, the Winter II quota is 1,901,983 lb (862,725 kg), and the 
best available landings information indicates that 1,827,598 lb 
(828,985 kg) remain of the Winter I quota of 5,382,589 lb (2,441,501 
kg). Consistent with the intent of Framework 3, the full amount of 
unused 2006 Winter I quota is transferred to Winter II, resulting in a 
revised 2006 Winter II quota of 3,729,581 lb (1,691,709 kg). In 
addition to the quota transfer, the 2006 Winter II possession limit is 
increased, consistent with the rollover specifications established in 
the 2006 final rule (70 FR 77060), to 6,500 lb (2,948 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 20, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-11940 Filed 7-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S