```

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 95138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28201]

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 231221-0314; RTID 0648-XE492]

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; Quota Transfer From Massachusetts to North Carolina

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; quota transfer.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is 
transferring a portion of their 2024 commercial bluefish quota to the 
State of North Carolina. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply 
with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer 
provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2024 
commercial bluefish quotas for Massachusetts and North Carolina.

DATES: Effective November 29, 2024, through December 31, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Rigdon, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9336.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. These 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 is 
described in Sec.  648.162, and the final 2024 allocations were 
published on January 2, 2024 (89 FR 34).
    The final rule implementing amendment 1 to the FMP, as published in 
the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 FR 45844), provided a 
mechanism for transferring bluefish commercial quota from one state to 
another. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the 
concurrence of the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can 
request approval to transfer or combine bluefish commercial quota under 
Sec.  648.162(e). The Regional Administrator is required to consider 
three criteria in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or 
combinations: (1) the transfers would not preclude the overall annual 
quota from being fully harvested; (2) the transfers address an 
unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery; and (3) the 
transfers are consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act). The Regional Administrator has determined these criteria 
have been met for the transfers approved in this notification.
    Massachusetts is transferring 65,000 lb (29,484 kg) to North 
Carolina through mutual agreement of the states. This transfer was 
requested to ensure North Carolina would not exceed its 2024 state 
quota. The revised bluefish quotas for 2024 are: Massachusetts, 155,862 
lb (70,698 kg) and North Carolina, 1,030,996 lb (467,652 kg).

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 648.162(e)(1)(i) through 
(iii), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempted 
from review under Executive Order 12866.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: November 26, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-28201 Filed 11-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
```