[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56217-56218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22215]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC859
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Shrimp Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic States
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing
permit; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries
Foundation, Inc (Foundation). If granted, the EFP would authorize the
applicant, with certain conditions, to collect and retain limited
numbers of specimens that would otherwise be prohibited from possession
and retention. This study, to be conducted in the exclusive economic
zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South Atlantic, is intended
to characterize catch and bycatch within the shrimp fisheries of the
Gulf and South Atlantic.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 15, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by ``NOAA-NMFS-2013-
0141'', by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0141, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Susan Gerhart, Southeast
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to
[[Page 56218]]
remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted
in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Gerhart, 727-824-5305; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is requested under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.), and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted
fishing.
The applicant proposes research as part of the Cooperative Research
Program, which is intended to involve commercial fishermen in the
collection of fundamental fisheries information. The described research
is part of a long-term observer program that began in 1992, and that
can be expected to continue in the future. Resource collection efforts
support the development and evaluation of fisheries management and
regulatory options.
The EFP would exempt the activities described herein from
regulations at 50 CFR part 622, as they affect fish and invertebrates
managed by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management
Councils (Councils). The EFP covers these Council-managed species that
may be taken during standard fishing activities of the commercial
shrimp fishery of the southeast United States. The EFP would exempt
personnel from the Foundation from fishery regulations such as bag
limits, size limits, quotas, seasonal restrictions, and gear
authorizations as specified in 50 CFR part 622, Subparts A through R
for reef fish, red drum, coastal migratory pelagics, and spiny lobster
in the Gulf of Mexico, and snapper-grouper, coastal migratory pelagics,
dolphin and wahoo, and spiny lobster in the South Atlantic.
The EFP would authorize Foundation observers aboard commercial
shrimp vessels to temporarily possess all necessary specimens from the
catch for documentation and to permanently retain approximately 500
specimens of federally-managed finfishes and invertebrates that would
otherwise be prohibited from possession and retention through December
31, 2018. The described research is part of a long-term observer
program that began in 1992, and that can be expected to continue in the
future, therefore, the 5-year time period for the EFP is appropriate
for this research effort. Specimens would be collected from Federal
waters of the Gulf and South Atlantic, and sampling would occur during
normal fishing operations of the trawl gear component of the penaeid
shrimp commercial sector. Sampling would occur year-round. These
species would be retained only in the event of the need for subsequent
shore-side identification or as documentation of quality assurance in
the data collection process. Data collection for this study would
support improved information about the catch, bycatch, discards, and
the ability to reduce bycatch for species taken by the shrimp fisheries
of the Gulf and South Atlantic. These data would provide insight on a
stock's resilience to fishing, and would help improve estimates of
long-term biological productivity of the stocks. Currently, these data
are unavailable, and it is anticipated that project results will yield
valuable data within these fisheries.
NMFS finds this application warrants further consideration. Based
on a preliminary review, NMFS intends to issue an EFP. The limited
sampling program and associated methodology listed in the EFP is not
expected to impact the fishery stocks; the estimated 500 specimens to
be retained through the duration of the EFP represents a small fraction
of average annual landings.
Conditions the agency will impose on this permit, if it is granted,
include but are not limited to, a prohibition of conducting research
within marine protected areas, marine sanctuaries, or special
management zones, without additional authorization. Additionally, NMFS
will prohibit the possession of Nassau or goliath grouper, and require
any sea turtles taken incidentally during the course of fishing or
scientific research activities to be handled with due care to prevent
injury to live specimens, observed for activity, and returned to the
water. All Foundation-associated personnel who conduct onboard sampling
activities have undergone formal sea turtle handling training through
NMFS, and are considered NMFS-designated agents while conducting work
under the identified Cooperative Agreements.
A final decision on issuance of the EFP will depend on a NMFS
review of public comments received on the application, consultations
with the affected states, the Councils, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and a
determination that the EFP is consistent with all applicable laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 9, 2013.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-22215 Filed 9-11-13; 8:45 am]
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