[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 30, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 58700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23267]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 900124-0127]
RIN 0648-XD515


Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; 2015 Fishing Quotas 
for Atlantic Surfclams and Ocean Quahogs; and Suspension of Minimum 
Atlantic Surfclam Size Limit

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

ACTION: Temporary reule.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS suspends the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams 
for the 2015 fishing year. NMFS also announces that the quotas for the 
Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2015 will remain 
status quo. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to 
notify the public in the Federal Register of the allowable harvest 
levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive 
Economic Zone if the previous year's quota specifications remain 
unchanged.

DATES: Effective January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
978-281-9341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations implementing the fishery 
management plan (FMP) for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog 
fisheries at 50 CFR 648.75(b)(3), authorize the Administrator, Greater 
Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), to suspend annually, by 
publication of a notification in the Federal Register, the minimum size 
limit for Atlantic surfclams. This action may be taken unless discard, 
catch, and biological sampling data indicate that 30 percent or more of 
the Atlantic surfclam resource have a shell length less than 4.75 
inches (120 mm), and the overall reduced size is not attributable to 
harvest from beds where growth of the individual clams has been reduced 
because of density-dependent factors.
    At its June 2014 meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council voted to recommend that the Regional Administrator suspend the 
minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2015 fishing year. 
Commercial surfclam data for 2014 were analyzed to determine the 
percentage of surfclams that were smaller than the minimum size 
requirement. The analysis indicated that 5.9 percent of the overall 
commercial landings were composed of surfclams that were less than 4.75 
in (120 mm). Based on these data, the Regional Administrator concurs 
with the Council's recommendation, and suspends the minimum size limit 
for Atlantic surfclams from January 1 through December 31, 2015.
    The FMP for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries 
requires that NMFS issue notification in the Federal Register of the 
upcoming year's quota, even in cases where the quota remains unchanged 
from the previous year. At its June 2014 meeting, the Council also 
voted that no action be taken to change the quota specifications for 
Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs for the 2015 fishing year, and 
recommended maintaining the 2014 quota levels of 3.4 million bu (181 
million L) for Atlantic surfclams, 5.3 million bu (284 million L) for 
ocean quahogs, and 100,000 Maine bu (3.524 million L) for Maine ocean 
quahogs, as announced in the Federal Register on December 20, 2013 (78 
FR 77005).

Classification

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

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

    Dated: September 24, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-23267 Filed 9-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P