[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 217 (Monday, November 13, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 52249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24534]



[[Page 52249]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-6594-02]
RIN 0648-XF807


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
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 North Carolina is 
transferring a portion of its 2017 commercial bluefish quota to the 
State of Rhode Island. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply 
with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer 
provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 
commercial quotas for North Carolina and Rhode Island.

DATES: Effective November 7, 2017, through December 31, 2017.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish 
fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. The 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 are 
described in Sec.  648.162 and the initial 2017 allocations were 
published on March 13, 2017 (82 FR 13402).
    The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery 
Management Plan published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 
FR 45844), and provided a mechanism for transferring bluefish 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 of a transfer of bluefish 
commercial quota under Sec.  648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The 
Regional Administrator must first approve any such transfer based on 
the criteria in Sec.  648.162(e).
    North Carolina is transferring 100,000 lb (45,359 kg) of Atlantic 
bluefish commercial quota to Rhode Island. This transfer was requested 
by state officials in Rhode Island to ensure their 2017 commercial 
bluefish quota would not be exceeded. Both states have agreed to the 
transfer and certified that it meets all pertinent state requirements. 
The revised bluefish quotas for calendar year 2017 are now: North 
Carolina, 2,638,704 lb (1,196,896 kg); and Rhode Island, 681,563 lb 
(309,152 kg); based on the initial quotas published in the 2016-2018 
Atlantic Bluefish Specifications and subsequent transfers.

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: November 7, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24534 Filed 11-7-17; 4:15 pm]
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