[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 52 (Monday, March 19, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12744-12745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4886]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 061020273[dash]7001[dash]03; I.D. 031207A]


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; inseason quota transfer.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is 
transferring 69,558 lb (31,551 kg) of commercial summer flounder quota 
to the Commonwealth of Virginia from its 2007 quota. By this action, 
NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for 
each state involved.

DATES: Effective March 16, 2007 through December 31, 2007, unless NMFS 
publishes a superseding document in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Potts, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9341, FAX (978) 281-9135.

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 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.  648.100.
    The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which was published 
on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for summer 
flounder quota to be transferred from one state to another. Two or more 
states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the 
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), can 
transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under Sec.  
648.100(d). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the 
criteria set forth in Sec.  648.100(d)(3) in the evaluation of requests 
for quota transfers or combinations.
    North Carolina has agreed to transfer 69,558 lb (31,551 kg) of its 
2007 commercial quota to Virginia to cover

[[Page 12745]]

landings of eight North Carolina vessels granted safe harbor in 
Virginia due to winter storm conditions between February 13 and 15, 
2007. The Regional Administrator has determined that the criteria set 
forth in Sec.  648.100(d)(3) have been met. The revised quotas for 
calendar year 2007 are: North Carolina, 2,680,308 lb (1,215,767 kg); 
and Virginia, 2,208,376 lb (1,001,703 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: March 12, 2007.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-4886 Filed 3-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S