[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26414-26415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10593]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD265
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional
Administrator), has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted
Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the required
information and warrants further consideration. This EFP would allow
commercial fishing vessels from the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's
Alliance to possess and land barndoor skate, a prohibited species, for
the purpose of collecting scientific data on barndoor skate and
investigate a premium market for barndoor skate seafood products.
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for
proposed EFPs.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 23, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``Comments on Barndoor Skate EFP.''
Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS,
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on
Barndoor Skate EFP.''
Fax: (978) 281-9135.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carly Bari, Fisheries Management
Specialist, 978-281-9224, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance
submitted a complete application for an EFP on April 11, 2014. The EFP
would authorize 14 vessels to possess and land barndoor skate, which
would otherwise be prohibited in accordance with 50 CFR 648.322(e)(1).
The project entitled ``Research into life history characteristics,
catch composition, and fishing mortality of barndoor skate (Dipturus
laevis) in existing non-directed gillnet fisheries and initial analysis
and development of market for barndoor skate seafood products,'' would
allow fishermen to retain barndoor skate on their Northeast
multispecies and monkfish fishing trips to obtain scientific data
including where and when barndoor skates are caught, collect barndoor
skate length, weight, and sex data, and collect fish health condition
data. In addition, vessels would have restricted authorization to land
barndoor skate to evaluate if a premium market can be developed for
barndoor skate seafood products (primarily wings).
There has been increasing evidence in the Northeast Fisheries
Science Center trawl surveys and observed discard data that barndoor
skate populations have been recovering. However, the stock is not yet
rebuilt. The applicant has requested the exemption to improve the
understanding of the barndoor skate resource, and to investigate a
premium barndoor skate market without increasing barndoor skate
mortality.
Data would be collected by participating vessels using gillnet gear
for at least 25 trips during each quarter of the fishing year. The
study area would include the late winter/early spring fishing grounds
in southern New England and the summer/fall fishing grounds on Georges
Bank. All trips would take place in the following statistical areas:
521, 526, 533, 534, 537,
[[Page 26415]]
and 541. Biological data would be collected for the first 10 barndoor
skate caught for each net hauled, and for the first 50 barndoor skate
caught on each trip. For each haul on a research trip, participating
vessels would document gear characteristics, haul time, location,
depth, air temperature, estimated total catch, catch composition, as
well as sex, length, and weight. In addition, a health index protocol
developed for skates would be used to characterize the health of
barndoor skates that are caught in an attempt to improve the
understanding of barndoor skate mortality. A technician would accompany
some of the trips to ensure consistency and accuracy of the data
collected.
To evaluate a barndoor skate wing market, investigators would track
barndoor and non-barndoor skate landings, ex-vessel price, and market
volume on a quarterly basis. Efforts will also be made to develop or
improve best handling practices to increase product quality and value.
All intact barndoor skates, which have no significant visible gear-
related trauma, would be measured and returned to the water as quickly
as possible. Barndoor skates that are brought on-board moribund or with
moderate or extensive trauma will be retained for sale commercially.
The applicant states that authorization to land barndoor skates that
are in poor condition, which would otherwise be discarded, will not
increase the overall barndoor skate mortality. Vessels would be limited
to 500 lb (227 kg) of barndoor skate wings (approximately 1,135 lb (515
kg) whole weight) per trip and they would need to be stored and sold
separately from other skate products. Barndoor skates caught in excess
of the possession limit would be discarded as soon as practicable. The
project would be limited to a maximum weight of 168,000 lb (76.2 mt) of
barndoor skate wing landings, an amount of barndoor skate deemed
necessary to achieve the research objectives, while mitigating
potential impacts to the barndoor skate resource.
If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and
extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and
extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed
essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have
minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially
approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope
of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 5, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-10593 Filed 5-7-14; 8:45 am]
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