[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 50 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13463-13464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5047]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 071030625-7696-02]
RIN 0648-XG20


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; 
Reduction of Winter I Commercial Possession Limit

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the reduction of the scup coastwide commercial 
possession limit from Maine through North Carolina for the Winter I 
period. Regulations governing the scup fishery require publication of 
this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through North 
Carolina that 80 percent of the commercial quota allocated to the 
Winter I period is projected to be harvested and to announce that the 
possession limit for a Federal vessel permit holder is reduced to 1,000 
lb (454 kg) of scup per trip. This possession limit will remain in 
effect until the end of the Winter I period (through April 30, 2008) or 
until the Winter I quota allocation has been fully harvested, which 
ever occurs first.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, March 16, 2008, through April 30, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Bryant, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9244.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the scup fishery are 
found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations at Sec.  648.120(c) require 
the Northeast Regional Administrator to publish annual scup quota 
allocations and the percentage of landings attained during the Winter I 
period at which the possession limits would be reduced. On December 31, 
2007, NMFS published the final rule for the summer flounder, scup, and 
black sea bass specifications in the Federal Register (72 FR 74197). 
This final rule requires NMFS to publish a notification in the Federal 
Register advising and notifying commercial vessels and dealer permit 
holders that the commercial scup possession limit will be reduced once 
80 percent of the Winter I Period quota is projected to be harvested. 
Based upon recent projections, the Regional Administrator anticipates 
that the 80

[[Page 13464]]

percent of the Federal commercial quota of 2,388,611 lb (1,083 mt) for 
the 2008 Winter I period will be harvested by March 15, 2008. 
Therefore, to maintain the integrity of the 2009 Winter I period quota 
by avoiding quota overages, the commercial scup possession limit will 
be reduced from 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) to 1,000 lb (454 kg) of scup per 
trip. This possession limit will remain in effect until the end of the 
Winter I period (through April 30, 2008) or until the Winter I quota 
allocation has been fully harvested, which ever occurs first.

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: March 10, 2008.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-5047 Filed 3-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S