[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-31648]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 27, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 652
[Docket No. 900124-0127; I.D. 120794A]
Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of suspension of surf clam minimum size limit.
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SUMMARY: NMFS informs the public that the minimum size limit of 4.75
inches (12.065 cm) for Atlantic surf clams is suspended for the 1995
fishing year. The intended effect is to reduce a regulatory burden
while safeguarding the resource.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1995, through December 31, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Resource Policy Analyst,
National Marine Fisheries Service, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA
01930; telephone: 508-281-9104.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A final rule implementing Amendment 8 to the Fishery Management
Plan for the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery (FMP) was
published on June 14, 1990 (55 FR 24184). Section 652.22(a)(1) allows
the Director, Northeast Region, NMFS, (Regional Director) to suspend
annually, by publication of a document in the Federal Register, the
minimum size limit for Atlantic surf clams. This action may be taken
unless discard, catch, and survey data indicate that 30 percent of the
Atlantic surf clam resource is smaller than 4.75 inches (12.065 cm),
and the overall reduced size is not attributable to beds where growth
of the individual clams has been reduced because of density-dependent
factors.
At its September meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (Council) accepted the recommendations of its Statistical and
Scientific Committee and Surf Clam/Ocean Quahog Committee and voted to
recommend that the Regional Director suspend the minimum size limit.
NMFS port agents conducted a random sample of landed surf clams in
1994. Results indicate that only 27.33 percent of the sample was
composed of clams that were less than 4.75 inches (12.065 cm). Based on
the sampling results, the Regional Director adopts the Council's
recommendation and publishes this notice to suspend the minimum size
limit for Atlantic surf clams for the period January 1, 1995, through
December 31, 1995.
Classification
This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 652 and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 20, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-31648 Filed 12-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
