[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 47 (Monday, March 13, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13402-13404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04864]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-6594-02]
RIN 0648-XF247


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; 2017 Sector Quota Transfer Adjustment

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer adjustment.

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SUMMARY: This action adjusts the previously established 2017 Atlantic 
bluefish sector transfer amount from the recreational fishery to the 
commercial fishery. Updated information from 2016 catch estimates 
indicate that the 2017 transfer amount may be increased, which adjusts 
the 2017 bluefish recreational harvest limit and commercial quota 
values. This action notifies the public of these adjustments.

DATES: This action is effective March 10, 2017, through December 31, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: The Atlantic bluefish specifications final rule (81 FR 
51370; August 4, 2016) that established the initial 2017 commercial 
quota and recreational harvest limit is accessible via the Internet at 
www.regulations.gov. Copies of the original specifications document, 
including the Environmental Assessment and Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis (EA/IRFA), and other supporting documents, are 
available on request from Dr. Christopher M. Moore, Executive Director, 
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Suite 201, 800 North State 
Street, Dover, DE 19901. These documents are also accessible via the 
Internet at http://www.mafmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish fishery are found 
in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. In August 2016, we implemented the 
Atlantic bluefish fishery specifications for the 2016 through 2018 
fishing years. These specifications, consistent with the Atlantic 
Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) specification setting process, 
included the contingency that the estimated sector transfer of quota 
for 2017 would be re-evaluated and adjusted with realized recreational 
landings from the preceding year (2016). The process to transfer quota 
from the recreational to the commercial sector of the bluefish fishery 
is described in Sec.  648.162(b)(2).

Final Sector Transfer and Specification Adjustments

    A transfer of quota from the recreational fishery to the commercial 
fishery is permitted under the FMP up to a commercial fishery quota of 
10.5 million lb (4,763 mt), provided the combined expected recreational 
landings and the commercial quota do not exceed the total allowable 
landings (TAL), and the recreational fishery is not projected to exceed 
its harvest limit. The initial 2017 bluefish specifications contained 
an estimated sector quota transfer based on recreational catch data 
projected from available 2015 recreational landings. That transfer 
amount (2,561,747 lb; 1,161 mt) was calculated so that the initial 2017 
recreational harvest limit was equal to the expected 2015 recreational 
landings,

[[Page 13403]]

and the final commercial quota did not exceed 10.5 million lb, 
consistent with the FMP requirement outlining the transfer process. 
This resulted in an initial 2017 commercial quota of 6,070,867 lb 
(2,753 mt) and an initial 2017 recreational harvest limit of 11,581,548 
lb (5,253 mt). The bluefish quota management system for the commercial 
fishery has been timely and effective at constraining catch in the 
past, and no state is expected to exceed their quota. However, 
recreational bluefish catches can be more variable, so the Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council recommended that we re-evaluate the 
suggested sector quota transfer each year, consistent with the FMP 
requirements, as additional, updated recreational fishery data become 
available.
    The preliminary 2016 Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) 
catch estimates for the full year became available in February, 
providing the most recent complete recreational data for 2016. The 2016 
recreational bluefish catch estimate (see Table 1) is lower than the 
2015 projected value (11,581,548 lb, 5,253 mt) used to calculate the 
initial 2017 transfer in the 2016-2018 bluefish specifications, so we 
are adjusting the transfer amount and resulting quotas accordingly in 
this notice. Using these updated recreational landings to project 2017 
catch, we are implementing an adjusted transfer of 5,033,101 lb (2,282 
mt) from the recreational to commercial sector; resulting in a revised 
harvest limit of 9,653,715 lb (4,379 mt), and a revised commercial 
quota of 8,542,221 lb (3,874 mt). Consistent with the FMP protocol, we 
calculated the size of the transfer so that the 2017 recreational 
harvest limit is equal to the updated 2016 recreational landings 
estimate, and the final commercial quota does not exceed 10.5 million 
lb. The adjusted 2017 specifications are shown in Table 1. When final 
data become available later this spring, we will determine if any 
adjustments to this transfer amount are necessary.

         Table 1--Adjusted 2017 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications
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                                                       2017
                                         -------------------------------
                                                lb              mt
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OFL.....................................      26,444,448          11,995
ABC.....................................      20,641,883           9,363
ACL.....................................      20,641,883           9,363
Management Uncertainty..................               0               0
Commercial ACT..........................       3,509,120           1,592
Recreational ACT........................      17,132,763           7,770
Commercial Discards.....................               0               0
Recreational Discards*..................       2,445,947           1,109
Commercial TAL..........................       3,509,120           1,592
Recreational TAL*.......................      14,686,816           6,661
Combined TAL............................      18,195,936           8,253
Expected Recreational Landings..........       9,653,715           4,379
Transfer................................       5,033,101           2,282
Commercial Quota........................       8,542,221           3,874
Recreational Harvest Limit..............       9,653,715           4,379
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* Recreational discards and TAL have also been updated from those
  outlined in the 2016-2018 specifications based on updated 2016 MRIP
  information.

    This sector transfer is included in the Atlantic bluefish 
regulations, and is therefore consistent with the objectives of the FMP 
and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Final Recreational Possession Limit

    As a result of the revised sector transfer of 5,033,101 lb (2,282 
mt) described above, the final, adjusted recreational harvest limit for 
the 2017 bluefish fishery is 9,653,715 lb (4,379 mt). Regardless of 
this adjustment, and consistent with the recommendation of the Council, 
the daily recreational possession limit for 2017 remains up to 15 fish 
per person, with a year-round open recreational season.

Final State Commercial Allocations

    As required by regulations and described in Sec.  648.162, the 
2016-2018 bluefish specifications set an initial distribution of 
commercial quota for 2017 among the coastal states from Maine through 
Florida. Due to the increase in the 2017 commercial quota resulting 
from this sector quota transfer, these state-by-state allocations are 
also revised based on percentages specified in the FMP. The final, 
adjusted state commercial quotas for 2017 are shown in Table 2. No 
states exceeded their quota in 2016, so we are not implementing any 
accountability measures for the 2017 fishing year.

                       Table 2--Final 2017 Bluefish Commercial State-by-State Allocations
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                                                                                            2017 Quota
                              State                                 FMP percent  -------------------------------
                                                                       share            kg              lb
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ME..............................................................          0.6685          25,902          57,105
NH..............................................................          0.4145          16,061          35,408
MA..............................................................          6.7167         260,251         573,755
RI..............................................................          6.8081         263,793         581,563
CT..............................................................          1.2663          49,065         108,170
NY..............................................................         10.3851         402,390         887,118
NJ..............................................................         14.8162         574,081       1,265,633
DE..............................................................          1.8782          72,774         160,440

[[Page 13404]]

 
MD..............................................................          3.0018         116,310         256,420
VA..............................................................         11.8795         460,293       1,014,773
NC..............................................................         32.0608       1,242,255       2,738,704
SC..............................................................          0.0352           1,364           3,007
GA..............................................................          0.0095             368             812
FL..............................................................         10.0597         389,782         859,322
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................        100.0001       3,874,690       8,542,230
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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: March 7, 2017.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-04864 Filed 3-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P