[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 205 (Monday, October 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73059-73061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25654]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE971
Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of scoping meetings on Federal permits to harvest queen
snapper and cardinal snapper (Snapper Unit 2) from Puerto Rico EEZ
waters.
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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council is considering
establishing federal permits to harvest queen snapper and cardinal
snapper (Snapper Unit 2) from Puerto Rico EEZ waters and is conducting
scoping meetings to obtain public comments regarding this matter.
Dates and Addresses
November 14, 2016, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Corporaci[oacute]n de Pescadores
Unidos, Playa H[uacute]cares, Sector El Morillo, Carr. #3 Km. 65.9,
Naguabo, Puerto Rico;
November 15, 2016, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.--Mayag[uuml]ez Holiday Inn, 2701
Hostos Avenue, Mayag[uuml]ez, Puerto Rico
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
270 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-
1903, telephone: (787) 766-5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The goal of these scoping meetings is to
allow the public to comment on the options listed below and to provide
alternative options not yet considered by the Council and NMFS, on
federal permits to harvest queen snapper and cardinal snapper (Snapper
Unit 2) from Puerto Rico EEZ waters.
Actions and Alternatives
Action 1: Establish a commercial permit to harvest queen snapper
and cardinal snapper (Snapper Unit 2 [SU2]) from the Puerto Rico
exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Option 1 (No Action): Do not require a commercial permit for
harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 2: Require a commercial permit for harvest of queen snapper
and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ. If Option 2 is selected,
the Council must also select Option 3, 4, or 5.
Sub-option A: Establish an open access commercial permit for
harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ,
with no limit on the number of permits that may be issued.
Sub-option B: Establish a limited entry commercial permit for
harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ
in which, following some period of eligibility, no new permits would be
issued. If this sub-option is chosen, guidelines for transferring
permits would need to be established.
Option 3: Recognize the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and
Environmental Resources (PRDNER) commercial queen snapper and cardinal
snapper harvest permit as the required commercial permit for harvest of
queen snapper and cardinal snapper in the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 4: Require a federal permit as the required commercial
permit for harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the
Puerto Rico EEZ.
[[Page 73060]]
Sub-option A: The required federal permit would be assigned to the
individual fisher or to their business, and therefore valid regardless
of the vessel from which the fisher is operating.
Sub-option B: The required federal permit would be assigned to a
vessel and therefore valid for all licensed fishers operating from that
vessel.
Option 5: Require either the Puerto Rico commercial queen snapper
and cardinal snapper harvest permit, or a separate federal commercial
SU2 harvest permit, for commercial harvest of queen snapper and
cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Action 2: Permit eligibility.
Option 1 (No Action): Do not establish eligibility requirements for
obtaining a commercial permit to harvest queen snapper and cardinal
snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 2: Require the applicant for a commercial permit to harvest
queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to hold a
valid commercial license to fish in the U.S. EEZ.
Option 3: Require the applicant for a commercial permit to harvest
queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to provide
proof of previous queen snapper or cardinal snapper harvest activity
during a specific period of time.
Sub-option A: Use the most recent three years of reported
commercial landings of queen snapper and/or cardinal snapper to
determine eligibility.
Sub-option B: Require the fisher to provide evidence of commercial
queen snapper and/or cardinal snapper landings for at least three of
the most recent five years for which landings data are available.
Sub-option C: Other.
Option 4: Require the applicant for a commercial permit to harvest
queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to provide
proof of average annual landings of queen snapper and cardinal snapper
during the specific period of time identified in Option 3.\1\
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\1\ Choosing Option 4 assumes that Option 3 was first chosen.
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Sub-option A: Minimum reported average annual landings of x pounds
whole weight.
Sub-option B: Minimum reported average annual landings of y pounds
whole weight.
Sub-option C: Minimum reported average annual landings of z pounds
whole weight.
Option 5: Other/Alternate Eligibility Requirements?
Action 3: Allowable gear.
Option 1 (No Action): Do not define allowable gear for commercial
harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from Puerto Rico EEZ
waters.
Option 2: Define the allowable gear for commercial harvest of queen
snapper and cardinal snapper from Puerto Rico EEZ waters.
Sub-option A: Manual hook-and-line (no power retrieval).
Sub-option B: Bandit gear.
Sub-option C: Other.
Action 4: Allowable number of fishing trips.
Option 1 (No Action): Do not specify a maximum number of allowable
fishing trips per year for commercial harvest of queen snapper and
cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 2: Specify a maximum number of allowable fishing trips per
year for commercial harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from
the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Sub-option A: x trips.
Sub-option B: y trips.
Sub-option C: z trips.
Sub-option D: Other.
Action 5: Commercial trip limits.
Option 1 (No Action): Do not specify a commercial trip limit for
queen snapper and cardinal snapper harvested from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 2: Specify a commercial trip limit (in pounds) for queen
snapper and cardinal snapper harvested from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Sub-option A: x pounds whole weight.
Sub-option B: y pounds whole weight.
Sub-option C: z pounds whole weight.
Sub-option D: Other.
Action 6: * Reporting method for fishers commercially permitted to
harvest queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 1 (No Action): Do not establish a method to report landings
of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ. PRDNER
requires commercial catch reporting forms be used to report commercial
harvest of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from Puerto Rico
territorial and EEZ waters. Forms can be submitted in-person, by fax,
or by email.
Option 2: Require permitted commercial fishers to report landings
of queen snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ using a
form specifically designed for this purpose. Forms can be submitted in-
person, by fax, or by email.
Option 3: Require fishers to record and report landings of queen
snapper and cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ using an
electronic methodology. Forms will be submitted electronically via a
pre-established communications conduit.
Option 4: Allow fishers reporting landings of queen snapper and
cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to choose between the PRDNER
commercial catch reporting form or an electronic reporting method.
* Note--Fishers permitted to harvest queen snapper and cardinal
snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ, who also harvest queen snapper and
cardinal snapper from territorial waters, would be required to report
landings from both areas.
Action 7: Frequency of reporting for fishers permitted to harvest
queen snapper and cardinal snapper from Puerto Rico EEZ waters.
Option 1 (No Action): Do not specify a frequency for submitting
landings reports of queen snapper and cardinal snapper. Puerto Rico
requires that fishers submit landings reports of commercially harvested
queen snapper and cardinal snapper from territorial waters within 60
days of the fishing activity.
Option 2: Require fishers permitted to harvest queen snapper and
cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to submit landings reports
daily, regardless of fishing activity or lack thereof.
Option 3: Require fishers permitted to harvest queen snapper and
cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to submit landings reports
within 24 hours following completion of a fishing trip for which queen
snapper and cardinal snapper were harvested from the Puerto Rico EEZ.
Option 4: Require fishers permitted to harvest queen snpper and
cardinal snapper from the Puerto Rico EEZ to submit landings reports
weekly, regardless of fishing activity or lack thereof.
Option 5: Other?
Copy of the Scoping Document can be can be found at the Caribbean
Council Web site at caribbeanfmc.com.
Written comments can be sent to the Council not later than November
30, 2016, by regular mail to the address below, or via email to
[email protected]
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. For more information or request for sign language
interpretation and other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A.
Rol[oacute]n, Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
270 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico,
00918-1903, telephone (787) 766-5926, at least 5 days prior to the
meeting date.
[[Page 73061]]
Dated: October 19, 2016.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-25654 Filed 10-21-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P