[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 74308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25908]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-6225-01]
RIN 0648-XE949


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; Quota Transfers

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; approval of quota transfers.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces its approval of two transfers of 2016 
commercial bluefish quota from the States of New Hampshire and North 
Carolina to the State of New York. The approval of these transfers 
complies with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota 
transfer provision. This announcement also informs the public of the 
revised commercial quotas for New Hampshire, North Carolina, and New 
York.

DATES: Effective October 25, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. The regulations 
require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned 
among the coastal states from Maine through Florida. The process to set 
the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state are 
described in Sec.  648.162.
    The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery 
Management Plan published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 
FR 45844), and provided a mechanism for transferring commercial 
bluefish quota from one state to another. Two or more states, under 
mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the Administrator, Greater 
Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), can request approval of 
a transfer of bluefish commercial quota under Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) 
through (iii). The Regional Administrator must first approve any such 
transfers based on the criteria in Sec.  648.162(e).
    New Hampshire has agreed to transfer 20,000 lb (9,072 kg), and 
North Carolina 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) of their 2016 commercial bluefish 
quotas to New York. These states have certified that the transfers meet 
all pertinent state requirements. These quota transfers were requested 
by New York to ensure that its 2016 quota would not be exceeded. The 
Regional Administrator has approved these quota transfers based on his 
determination that the criteria set forth in Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) 
through (iii) have been met. The revised bluefish quotas for calendar 
year 2016 are: New Hampshire, 247 lb (112 kg); North Carolina, 
1,341,100 lb (608,313kg) and New York, 747, 289 lb (338,965 kg). These 
quota adjustments revise the quotas specified in the final rule 
implementing the 2016-2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications published 
on August 4, 2016 (81 FR 51370), and reflect all subsequent commercial 
bluefish quota transfers completed to date. For information of previous 
transfers for fishing year 2016 visit the Greater Atlantic Region's 
quota monitoring page at http://go.usa.gov/xZT8H.

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: October 21, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-25908 Filed 10-25-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P