[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5737-5738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02041]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD647
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States, Dolphin and
Wahoo Fishery Off the Atlantic States, and Coral and Coral Reefs
Fishery in the South Atlantic; Exempted Fishing Permit
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of two applications for exempted fishing
permits; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of two applications for exempted
fishing permits (EFPs), one from Dr. Janelle Fleming, on behalf of the
Eastern Carolina Artificial Reef Association (ECARA); and one from Dr.
James Morris of the National Ocean Service (NOS). If granted, the EFPs
would authorize the deployment of Maine lobster traps, crab pot
Christmas trees, and horizontal structures (fish attracting devices) at
several sites in the Federal waters off North Carolina to determine the
efficacy of these gear types for attracting and collecting invasive
lionfish.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 5, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the applications, identified by
``NOAA-NMFS-2015-0018'', 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-2015-0018, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Kate Michie, 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 remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Michie, 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 fishing activities proposed under each EFP are similar in
nature; therefore, both EFP requests are being announced in a single
Federal Register notice. However, NMFS will consider each application
separately and make independent determinations about whether to issue
each EFP. The EFP requests involve activities covered by regulations
implementing the Fishery Management Plans (FMP) for federally managed
fisheries of the South Atlantic Region, which prohibit the use of fish
traps in the South Atlantic (50 CFR 622.9). The ECARA request
authorization to deploy two sets of five Maine lobster traps with crab
pot Christmas trees. The NOS applicant requests authorization to deploy
one set of five Maine lobster traps with crab pot Christmas trees and
horizontal structures. Crab pot Christmas trees are a vertical,
pyramid-shaped structure with many branch-type projections.
[[Page 5738]]
Crab pot Christmas trees would be used as fish attracting devices in
both projects. The horizontal structures are horizontal and concave
structures elevated off the bottom with four legs similar to an upside
down satellite dish or a small round table. This structure type has
been documented to attract large aggregations of lionfish. In both
projects, the Maine lobster traps and accompanying attracting devices
would be set along artificial reef sites, natural reef sites, rocky
reef bottom, and a flat sandy area in Federal waters off North
Carolina.
The ECARA applicant has requested the EFP be effective from the
date of issuance through December 31, 2016, and the NOS applicant has
requested the EFP be effective from the date of issuance through
December 31, 2018.
The purpose of these studies are to support continued research on
traps that could be used for collecting invasive lionfish off eastern
North Carolina artificial reefs, and to determine their efficacy as
fish attracting devices. Additionally, the ECARA project intends to
assess consumers' preference for lionfish as an exotic food source in a
restaurant setting to determine if Carteret County, NC, would support a
consumer market for the species.
In both studies, each string of five Maine lobster traps and crab
pot Christmas trees/horizontal structures will be connected by a chain
with no buoy lines to the surface, and deployed along designated hard
bottom features with a distance of 30 ft (9.14 m) to 50 ft (15.24 m)
between each trap. After deployment, divers will verify the position of
the traps to ensure the traps are located between 20 ft (6.10 m) and 30
ft (9.14 m) from the designated bottom feature. Trap deployment would
occur year-round along the North Carolina coast from 3 miles offshore,
and up to 360 ft (109.68 m) in depth. The traps will be deployed for at
least 48 hours and no longer than 3 weeks. After 48 hours, divers will
count and identify the number of fish inside and around the traps, and
record video prior to hauling the traps.
Video images will be used to assess the success of the crab pot
Christmas trees and horizontal structures as attracting devices for
lionfish, and other fish species. Under the ECARA project, fish
captured in the Maine lobster traps will be quantified to the lowest
possible taxon, measured, photographed/video documented, and released
alive. Any egg bearing lobsters captured in a trap will be returned to
the water and released alive. Captured lionfish will be counted,
measured, and prepared for consumption at nearby restaurants. These
lionfish will be offered, free of charge, to patrons as part of the
consumer demand assessment portion of the research project. Under the
NOS project, fish caught in the Maine lobster traps will be removed
from the traps, returned to the water and released alive.
NMFS finds these applications warrant further consideration based
on a preliminary review. Possible conditions the agency may impose on
this permit, if they are granted, include but are not limited to, a
prohibition of conducting research within marine protected areas,
marine sanctuaries, special management zones, or artificial reefs
without additional authorization, and use of escape panels on the Maine
lobster traps. Additionally, NMFS will 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. A final
decision on issuance of each of the EFPs will depend on NMFS' review of
public comments received on the application, consultations with the
affected state, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and the
U.S. Coast Guard, and a determination that they are consistent with all
applicable laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 29, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-02041 Filed 2-2-15; 8:45 am]
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