[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61994-61995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26227]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 111220786-1781-01]
RIN 0648-XE241
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder
Fishery; Commercial Quota Available for the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 2015 summer flounder commercial
fishery within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reopening to allow
permitted vessels to fully harvest remaining commercial summer flounder
quota as of October 12, 2015.
[[Page 61995]]
Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication
of this rule to advise Massachusetts that quota remains available to be
landed, and to inform Federal vessel and dealer permit holders that
Federal commercial summer flounder quota is available for landing in
Massachusetts.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours October 12, 2015, through December 31,
2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, (978) 281-9112, or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder
fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual
specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned on a percentage
basis among the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina. The
process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to
each state is described in Sec. 648.103(b).
The total commercial quota for summer flounder for the 2015 fishing
year is 11,069,410 lb (5,020,999 kg) (79 FR 78311, December 30, 2014).
The percent allocated to vessels landing summer flounder in
Massachusetts is 6.82046 percent, resulting in a commercial quota of
754,985 lb (342,455 kg). The 2015 Massachusetts allocation was adjusted
to 760,785 lb (340,165 kg) to reflect the 2014 quota overages and the
transfer of quota from other states. On September 17, 2015, NMFS closed
the 2015 commercial summer flounder fishery in Massachusetts based on
up-to-date catch information. Analysis after the closure indicates that
16,294 lb (7,390 kg) of the760,785 lb (340,165 kg) of Massachusetts
commercial summer flounder quota remains unharvested. Therefore, we are
reopening the Federal fishery concurrent with the Massachusetts action
to open state waters to allow for full utilization of the 2015
Massachusetts commercial summer flounder quota.
The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator),
has determined that there is still commercial summer flounder quota
available for harvest in Massachusetts. NMFS is required to publish
notification in the Federal Register advising and notifying commercial
vessels and dealer permit holders that, effective upon a specific date,
the commercial fishery will re-open.
Therefore, effective 0001 hours October 12, 2015, vessels holding
summer flounder commercial Federal fisheries permits can again land
summer flounder in Massachusetts until the commercial state quota is
fully harvested. Effective 0001 hours October 12, 2015, federally
permitted dealers can also purchase summer flounder from federally
permitted vessels that land in Massachusetts until the commercial state
quota is fully harvested.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds good
cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the
opportunity for public comment because it would be contrary to the
public interest. This action reopens the summer flounder fishery for
Massachusetts until the state commercial summer flounder quota is fully
harvested, under current regulations. If implementation of this
reopening were delayed to solicit prior public comment, the quota for
this fishing year would not be fully harvested, thereby undermining the
conservation objectives of the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan.
The AA further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good cause to
waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period for the reason stated
above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 8, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-26227 Filed 10-9-15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P