[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 125 (Tuesday, June 30, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 37181-37182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-16019]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 140117052-4402-02]
RIN 0648-XD985


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; quota transfer.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is 
transferring a portion of its 2015 commercial summer flounder quota to 
the Commonwealth of Virginia. These quota adjustments are necessary to 
comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery 
Management Plan quota transfer provision. This announcement is intended 
to inform the public of the revised commercial quota for each state 
involved.

DATES: Effective June 29, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder 
fishery are in 50 CFR 648.100 through 50 CFR 648.110. These 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.  648.10(c)(1)(i).
    The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan provided a mechanism 
for summer flounder quota to be transferred from one state to another 
(December 17, 1993; 58 FR 65936). Two or more states, under mutual 
agreement and with the

[[Page 37182]]

concurrence of the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can 
transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under Sec.  
648.102(c)(2). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the 
criteria in Sec.  648.102(c)(2)(i) when evaluating requests for quota 
transfers or combinations.
    North Carolina has agreed to transfer 7,340 lb (3,329 kg) of its 
2015 commercial summer flounder quota to Virginia. This transfer was 
prompted by landings of a North Carolina vessel that was granted safe 
harbor in Virginia due to mechanical failure on May 3, 2015. As a 
result of these landings, a quota transfer is necessary to account for 
an increase in Virginia landings that would have otherwise accrued 
against the North Carolina quota.
    The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set 
forth in Sec.  648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. The transfer is 
consistent with the criteria because it will not preclude the overall 
annual quota from being fully harvested, the transfer addresses an 
unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery, and the transfer is 
consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The revised summer flounder 
commercial quotas for calendar year 2015 are: Virginia, 2,401,568 lb 
(1,089,330 kg); and North Carolina, 2,976,243 lb (1,350,001 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: June 25, 2015.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-16019 Filed 6-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P