99-33980. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; Suspension of Minimum Surf Clam Size for 2000

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 250 (Thursday, December 30, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 73435-73436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33980]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 122299B]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Surf Clam 
and Ocean Quahog Fishery; Suspension of Minimum Surf Clam Size for 2000

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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[[Page 73436]]

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 2000 
fishing year. This action is taken under the authority of the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries 
(FMP), which allows for the annual suspension of the minimum size limit 
based upon set criteria. The intended effect is to relieve the industry 
from a regulatory burden that is not necessary as the majority of surf 
clams harvested are larger than the minimum size limit.

DATES: Effective January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
978-281-9104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 648.72 (c) of the regulations 
implementing the FMP allows the Regional Administrator, Northeast 
Region (Regional Administrator), to suspend annually, by publication of 
a notification 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 or more 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 August meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
(Council) accepted the recommendations of its Surf clam/Ocean Quahog 
Committee and voted to recommend that the Regional Administrator 
suspend the minimum size limit. Commercial surf clam shell length data 
for 1999 indicate that only 10.3 percent of the samples were composed 
of surf clams that were less than 4.75 inches (12.07 cm). Based on 
these data, the Regional Administrator adopts the Council's 
recommendation and publishes this notification to suspend the minimum 
size limit for Atlantic surf clams for the period January 1, 2000, 
through December 31, 2000.
    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: December 27, 1999.
George H. Darcy,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-33980 Filed 12-29-99; 8:45 am]
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