[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 80 (Monday, April 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23258-23259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09649]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD883
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,
[[Page 23259]]
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination
that two Exempted Fishing Permit applications contain all of the
required information and warrant further consideration. These Exempted
Fishing Permits would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish outside
of the limited access scallop regulations in support of research
conducted by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation. The Exempted Fishing
Permits would exempt participating vessels from the crew size
restriction; and possession limits and minimum size requirements for
sampling purposes only. These exemptions are in support of research
conducted on trips to test gear modifications for bycatch reduction in
the scallop dredge fishery.
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 Exempted Fishing Permits.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 12, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``CFF Research Sampling 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
CFF Research Sampling EFP.''
Fax: (978) 281-9135.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fisheries Management
Specialist, 978-282-8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Five proposals submitted by the Coonamesset
Farm Foundation (CFF) have been favorably reviewed and are pending
final approval by NOAA's Grants Management Division under the 2015
Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, including one in
support of a project titled, ``Determining the Impacts of Dredge Bag
Modifications on Flatfish Bycatch in the LAGC Scallop Fishery.'' All
grants would include RSA Compensation fishing trips to harvest the set-
aside award in order to procure the necessary funds for completing the
research.
CFF submitted two complete applications for EFPs on March 24, 2015,
and March 25, 2015, to enable data collection activities during
research and compensation fishing trips associated with the five
Scallop RSA projects, which include allowing seven commercial fishing
vessels to exceed the crew size regulations at 50 CFR 648.51(c) in
order to place a researcher on the vessel, and temporarily exempt the
participating vessels from possession limits and minimum size
requirements specified in 50 CFR part 648, subsections B and D through
O, for sampling purposes only. Any fishing activity conducted outside
the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited,
including landing fish in excess of a possession limit or below the
minimum size.
Experimental fishing activity conducted on both the research
project and the compensation fishing trips would test gear
modifications that adhere to current scallop gear regulations in an
attempt to reduce finfish bycatch in the dredge fishery. Gear
modifications that would be tested include the use of alternative
materials for shoes, the use of lights or cameras mounted to the dredge
frame, and replacing the skirt with two rows of 12-inch (30.48-cm)
square mesh. It would also include modifying the twine top by placing
rows of 12-inch (30.48-cm) square mesh forward of, but not overlapping
the remainder rows of 10-inch (25.40-cm) diamond mesh. All trips would
take place in scallop fishing areas open to the entire Atlantic sea
scallop fishery.
Exemption from crew size limits is needed because a research
technician would accompany vessels on some of the compensation fishing
trips to collect catch data associated with different dredge
modifications. The crew size exemption would be for approximately 30
DAS per EFP. The additional crew would only be in support of data
collection activities, and would not process catch to be landed for
sale. Exemption from possession limit and minimum sizes would support
catch sampling activities, and ensure the vessel is not in conflict
with possession regulations while collecting catch data. All catch
above a possession limit or below a minimum size would be discarded as
soon as practicable following data collection.
For all EFP trips, scallop catch would be evaluated by the number
of baskets caught and a total catch weight would be obtained by the
researcher. Total weight of bycatch species and individual measurements
to the nearest centimeter would also be obtained by the researcher. If
the volume of the catch is large, subsampling protocols would be
necessary. All bycatch would be returned to the sea as soon as
practicable following data collection. All research trips would
otherwise be conducted in a manner consistent with normal commercial
fishing conditions and catch would be retained for sale.
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: April 22, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-09649 Filed 4-24-15; 8:45 am]
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