[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24489]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: October 4, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 625
[I.D. 092694B]
Summer Flounder Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of commercial quota transfer.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring
23,085 lb (10,471 kg) of commercial summer flounder quota to the State
of Connecticut. NMFS adjusted the quotas and announces the revised
commercial quota for each state involved.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 29, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hannah Goodale, 508-281-9101.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing Amendment 2 to the
Fishery Management Plan for the Summer Flounder Fishery are found at 50
CFR part 625. 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. 625.20.
The commercial quota for summer flounder for the 1994 calendar year
was set equal to 16,005,560 lb (7,260,000 kg), and the allocations to
each state were published March 7, 1994 (59 FR 10586). At that time,
New Jersey was allocated a quota of 2,676,928 lb (1,214,234 kg), and
Connecticut was allocated a quota of 361,258 lb (163,864 kg). The 1994
quotas for several states were adjusted for overages occurring in 1993,
as required under Sec. 625.20(d)(2), on May 25, 1994 (59 FR 26971).
Since Connecticut's quota was not exceeded in 1993, its 1994 quota was
unaffected by this adjustment; the New Jersey quota after the
adjustment for overages was 2,533,830 lb (1,149,338 kg).
The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the FMP was published
December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), and allows two or more states, under
mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the Director, Northeast
Region, NMFS, (Regional Director) to transfer or combine summer
flounder commercial quota. The Regional Director is required to
consider the criteria set forth in Sec. 625.20(f)(1) in the evaluation
of requests for quota transfers or combinations.
New Jersey has agreed to transfer 23,085 lb (10,471 kg) of
commercial quota to Connecticut. The Regional Director has determined
that the criteria set forth in Sec. 625.20(f) have been met, and
publishes this notification of quota transfers. The revised quotas for
the calendar year 1994 are: New Jersey, 2,510,745 lb (1,138,855 kg);
and Connecticut, 384,343 lb (174,335 kg).
This action does not alter any of the conclusions reached in the
environmental impact statement prepared for Amendment 2 to the FMP
regarding the effects of summer flounder fishing activity on the human
environment. Amendment 2 established procedures for setting an annual
coastwide commercial quota for summer flounder and a formula for
determining commercial quotas for each state. The quota transfer
provision was established by Amendment 5 to the FMP and the
environmental assessment prepared for Amendment 5 found that the action
had no significant impact on the environment. Under section
6.02b.3(b)(i)(aa) of NOAA Administrative Order 216-6, this action is
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare additional
environmental analyses. This is a routine administrative action that
reallocates commercial quota within the scope of previously published
environmental analyses.
Classification
This action is taken under 50 CFR part 625 and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 28, 1994.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries, Conservation and Management, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-24489 Filed 9-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
