Rule2021-23054
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers from NJ to RI and MD to NC
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 22, 2021
Effective
October 21, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces that the states of New Jersey and Maryland are transferring a portion of their 2021 commercial bluefish quota to the States of Rhode Island and North Carolina, respectively. These quota adjustments are 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 New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, and North Carolina.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 202 (Friday, October 22, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 202 (Friday, October 22, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58595-58596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23054]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 201209-0332]
RTID 0648-XB525
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish
Fishery; Quota Transfers from NJ to RI and MD to NC
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification; quota transfers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the states of New Jersey and Maryland are
transferring a portion of their 2021 commercial bluefish quota to the
States of Rhode Island and North Carolina, respectively. These quota
adjustments are 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 New Jersey,
Rhode Island, Maryland, and North Carolina.
DATES: Effective October 21, 2021, through December 31, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9225.
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 Sec. 648.162, and the final 2021 allocations were
published on December 16, 2020 (85 FR 81421).
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 Sec. 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii).
The Regional Administrator must approve any such transfer based on the
criteria in Sec. 648.162(e). In evaluating requests to transfer a
quota or combine
[[Page 58596]]
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.
New Jersey is transferring 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) to Rhode Island,
and Maryland is transferring 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) to North Carolina
through mutual agreement of the states. These transfers were requested
to ensure that Rhode Island and North Carolina would not exceed their
2021 state quota. The revised bluefish quotas for 2021 are: New Jersey,
290,082 lb (131,579 kg); Rhode Island, 253,434 lb (114,955 kg);
Maryland 53,084 lb (24,078 kg); and, North Carolina, 957,377 lb
(434,259 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.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 19, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23054 Filed 10-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 22, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.