[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 76917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30032]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 121009528-2729-02]
RIN 0648-XD656


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; quota transfer.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of Maine is transferring a 
portion of its 2014 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of 
Connecticut. NMFS is adjusting the quotas and announcing the revised 
commercial quota for each state involved.

DATES: Effective December 18, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder 
fishery are in 50 CFR part 648, and 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.  
648.102.
    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, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), 
can transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under Sec.  
648.102(c)(2). The Regional Administrator is required to consider the 
criteria in Sec.  648.102(c)(2)(i) to evaluate requests for quota 
transfers or combinations.
    Maine has agreed to transfer 4,900 lb (2,222.6 kg) of its 2014 
commercial quota to Connecticut. The quota transfer from Maine to 
Connecticut was prompted by the diligent efforts of state officials in 
Connecticut not to exceed the commercial summer flounder quota. This 
quota transfer is conditioned. In the event that landings of summer 
flounder occur in Maine during the remaining months of 2014 resulting 
in an overage of Maine's summer flounder commercial quota as a result 
of this transfer, Connecticut has agreed to transfer 2015 summer 
flounder quota to Maine sufficient to cover the overage. The Regional 
Administrator has determined that the criteria set forth in Sec.  
648.102(c)(2)(i) have been met. The revised summer flounder commercial 
quotas for calendar year 2014 are: Maine, 98 lb (44.45 kg); and 
Connecticut, 242,106 lb (109,817.4 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: December 18, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-30032 Filed 12-18-14; 4:15 pm]
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