97-32195. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; Minimum Clam Size for 1998

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 64765-64766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32195]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 900124-0127; I.D. 112897E]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Surf Clam 
and Ocean Quahog Fishery; Minimum Clam Size for 1998

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

ACTION: 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 (12.07 cm) for Atlantic surf clams is suspended for the 1998 
fishing year. The intended effect is to relieve the industry from a 
regulatory burden that is not necessary as the vast majority of surf 
clams harvested are larger than the minimum size limit.

DATES: January 1, 1998, through December 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
508-281-9104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 648.72(c) of the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries (FMP) allows 
the Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, to suspend annually 
by publication of an announcement in the Federal Register, the minimum 
size limit for Atlantic surf clams. This action

[[Page 64766]]

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 
(12.07 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 1997 meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (Council) accepted the recommendations of its Scientific and 
Statistical Committee and Surf Clam/Ocean Quahog Committee and voted to 
recommend that the Regional Administrator suspend the minimum size 
limit for surf clams in 1998. Commercial surf clam shell length data 
for 1997 indicate that only 15.25 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 announcement to suspend the minimum 
size limit for Atlantic surf clams for the period January 1, 1998, 
through December 31, 1998.
     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 3, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-32195 Filed 12-8-97; 8:45 am]
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