Years > 2013 > December, 2013 > Friday, December 27, 2013
Next Article Next
Next Previous Article
78 FR 249 pgs. 78786-78787 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; 2014 Commercial Summer Flounder Quota Adjustments

Type: RULEVolume: 78Number: 249Pages: 78786 - 78787
Docket number: [Docket No. 121009528-2729-02]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2013-31070 Filed 12-26-13; 8:45 am]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version
Pages: 78786, 78787

[top] page 78786

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 121009528-2729-02]

RIN 0648-XD026

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; 2014 Commercial Summer Flounder Quota Adjustments

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Announcement of 2014 commercial summer flounder state quotas.

SUMMARY:

NMFS is announcing the commercial summer flounder state quotas for fishing year 2014. The 2014 summer flounder specifications were established in December 2012. This notice incorporates any previously unaccounted for overages from fishing year 2012 and any known overages to date from fishing year 2013. These commercial state quotas may change as a result of a recent stock assessment and a recommendation by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

DATES:

Effective January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Moira Kelly, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281-9218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission cooperatively manage the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. Specifications in these fisheries include the acceptable biological catch (ABC) limit, various catch and landing subdivisions (such as the commercial and recreational sector annual catch limits (ACLs)), annual catch targets (ACTs), sector-specific landing limits (i.e., the commercial fishery quota and recreational harvest limit (RHL)), and research set-aside (RSA) established for the upcoming fishing year. Typically, these specifications are set on an annual basis and announced in the Federal Register in December of each year. Because the summer flounder stock assessment was scheduled for July 2013 and the normal specification schedule would be delayed, the Council established specifications for the 2014 summer flounder fishery in December 2012 (December 31, 2012; 77 FR 76942). These specifications included the initial state allocations, as well as the state allocations after adjusting for RSA.

An important component of the annual specifications rulemaking is the notification of the commercial summer flounder state quota and overages. Overages are calculated using final landings data from the previous fishing year and landings from the current fishing year through October 31. In this case, previously unaccounted for overages from fishing year 2012 are combined with known overages from fishing year 2013, through October 31, 2013. As a result, the 2014 summer flounder state quotas, adjusted for RSA and overages, are as follows:
FMP percent share 2014 Initial quota 2014 Initial quota, less RSA Quota overages (through 10/31/13) Adjusted 2014 quota, less RSA and overages
State lb kg lb kg lb kg lb kg
ME 0.04756 5,579 2,533 5,417 2,457 0 0 5,417 2,457
NH 0.00046 54 24 52 24 0 0 52 24
MA 6.82046 800,091 363,242 776,788 352,345 28,199 12,791 748,589 339,554
RI 15.68298 1,839,732 835,240 1,786,147 810,183 0 0 1,786,147 810,183
CT 2.25708 264,772 120,207 257,061 116,601 0 0 257,061 116,601
NY 7.64699 897,050 407,261 870,922 395,044 79,355 35,995 791,587 359,058
NJ 16.72499 1,961,967 890,735 1,904,823 864,013 0 0 1,904,823 864,013
DE 0.01779 2,087 947 2,026 919 52,384 23,760 -50,358 -22,842
MD 2.03910 239,202 108,598 232,235 105,340 0 0 232,235 105,340
VA 21.31676 2,500,616 1,135,282 2,427,783 1,101,224 0 0 2,427,783 1,101,224
NC 27.44584 3,219,604 1,461,703 3,125,829 1,417,852 0 0 3,125,829 1,417,852
Total 100.00 11,730,754 5,326,000 11,389,082 5,166,000 155,376 70,476 11,284,065 5,118,366


[top] On October 9, 2013, the Council met to discuss whether adjustments to the previously established 2014 specifications were necessary as a result of the updated stock assessment, and to establish fishing year 2015 page 78787 specifications for the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The Council determined that an adjustment was necessary for the 2014 summer flounder specifications. Table 2 below summarizes the established 2014 summer flounder specifications, as well as the specifications that the Council voted to recommend in October 2013. The Council has not yet submitted the specifications package to be reviewed by NMFS; nor has NMFS made a determination that these adjustments would be implemented. The state quotas listed in Table 1 will be in effect until and unless otherwise changed through proposed and final rulemaking.

2014 Specifications million lb mt October 2013 council recommended 2014 specifications million lb mt
ABC 22.24 10,088 21.94 9,950
Commercial ACL 12.05 5,467 12.87 5,837
Recreational ACL 10.19 4,621 9.07 4,113
Commercial ACT 12.05 5,467 12.87 5,837
Recreational ACT 10.19 4,621 9.07 4,113
Comm. Quota (less 3% for RSA) 11.39 5,166 10.51 4,767
RHL (less 3% for RSA) 7.59 3,444 7.01 3,178

Authority:

16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: December 23, 2013.

Emily H. Menashes,

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

[FR Doc. 2013-31070 Filed 12-26-13; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P