2020-25705. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer From MD to NC  

  • Start Preamble

    AGENCY:

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

    ACTION:

    Notification; quota transfer.

    SUMMARY:

    NMFS announces that the State of Maryland is transferring a portion of its 2020 commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina. 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 bluefish quotas for Maryland and North Carolina.

    DATES:

    Effective November 19, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

    Start Further Info

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Laura Hansen, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9225.

    End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental Information

    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 § 648.162, and the final 2020 allocations were published on June 29, 2020 (85 FR 38794).

    The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 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 to transfer or combine bluefish commercial quota under § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The Regional Administrator must approve any such transfer based on the criteria in § 648.162(e). In evaluating requests to transfer a quota or combine quotas, the Regional Administrator shall consider whether: The transfer or combinations would preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested; the transfer addresses an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery; and the transfer is consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

    Maryland is transferring 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) of bluefish commercial quota to North Carolina through mutual agreement of the states. This transfer was requested to ensure that North Carolina would not exceed its 2020 state quota. The revised bluefish quotas for 2020 are: Maryland, 53,054 lb (24,065 kg) and North Carolina, 1,001,058 lb (454,072 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.

    Start Authority

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

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    Dated: November 17, 2020.

    Jennifer M. Wallace,

    Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

    End Signature End Supplemental Information

    [FR Doc. 2020-25705 Filed 11-19-20; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Document Information

Effective Date:
11/19/2020
Published:
11/20/2020
Department:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Notification; quota transfer.
Document Number:
2020-25705
Dates:
Effective November 19, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
Pages:
74266-74266 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. 200623-0167, RTID 0648-XA626
PDF File:
2020-25705.pdf
Supporting Documents:
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers from MA to NC, DE to RI, and VA to NY
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer From Maine to Rhode Island
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer from MD to NC
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer from Virginia to North Carolina
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer from New Hampshire to North Carolina
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers From Maine to Rhode Island and New Jersey to North Carolina
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer from New Jersey to Rhode Island
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer From Virginia to Rhode Island
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfer from New Jersey to New York
» Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Revised 2020 and Projected 2021 Specifications and Recreational Management Measures
CFR: (1)
50 CFR 648