[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15329-15331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06057]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XF289
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit
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, has made a preliminary
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application
submitted by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) contains
all of the required information and warrants further consideration.
This EFP would exempt participating vessels from the following types of
fishery regulations: Minimum fish size restrictions; fish possession
limits for species not protected under the Endangered Species Act
(ESA); gear-specific fish possession restrictions for the purpose of
at-sea sampling; and, in limited situations for research purposes only,
retaining and landing prohibited fish species. Regulations under the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require
publication of this notification to provide interested parties the
opportunity to comment on EFP applications.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 12, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``Comments on NEFSC Study Fleet 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
NEFSC Study Fleet EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9232, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NEFSC submitted a complete application for
an EFP on February 21, 2017, to enable data collection activities that
the regulations on commercial fishing would otherwise restrict.
The NEFSC Study Fleet Program was established in 2002 to more fully
characterize commercial fishing operations and to leverage sampling
opportunities to augment NMFS data collection programs. NEFSC contracts
commercial fishing vessels to collect tow-by-tow catch and
environmental data, and to fulfill specific biological sampling needs.
To collect these data, NEFSC Study Fleet Program obtains an EFP to
secure the necessary waivers for these vessels to possess and land fish
that would otherwise be prohibited by regulations. The EFP would exempt
31 Federally permitted commercial fishing vessels from the following
regulations while participating in the Study Fleet Program and
operating under NEFSC managed projects: Minimum fish size
[[Page 15330]]
restrictions; fish possession limits for species not protected under
the ESA; gear-specific fish possession restrictions for the purpose of
at-sea sampling; and, in limited situations for research purposes only,
retaining and landing prohibited fish species. Table 1 lists the
specific regulations that would be exempted by this permit. The
participating vessels would be obligated to comply with all applicable
requirements and restrictions specified at 50 CFR part 648, unless
specifically exempted in this EFP.
Fishing vessel crews trained by the NEFSC Study Fleet Program would
sort, weigh, and measure fish that are to be discarded. In the course
of sampling, some discarded species would be on deck slightly longer
than under normal sorting procedures, which requires an exemption from
the following restrictions: Minimum fish size; fish possession limits;
prohibited fish species, not including species protected under the ESA;
and gear-specific fish possession restrictions for at-sea sampling.
Participating vessels would also be authorized to retain and land,
in limited situations for research purposes only, fish species and/or
sizes that are not in compliance with fishing regulations. The vessels
would be authorized to retain specific amounts of particular species in
whole or round weight condition, which would be delivered upon landing
to NMFS staff. To ensure that the collection needs of the Study Fleet
Program are not exceeded, participating vessels are required to obtain
a formal Biological Sampling Request in writing from the NEFSC Study
Fleet Program prior to landing any sublegal fish. None of the landed
biological samples from these trips would be sold for commercial use,
or utilized for any purpose other than scientific research.
All catch would be attributed to the appropriate commercial fishing
quota, and vessels would not be exempt from any inseason quota closure.
For vessels on a groundfish sector trip, all catch of Northeast
multispecies stocks allocated to sectors would be deducted from its
sector's Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a stock has
been reached in a sector, vessels would no longer be allowed to fish in
that stock area, unless its sector acquires additional ACE for the
limiting stock. For common pool vessels, all catch of Northeast
multispecies stocks would be counted toward the appropriate trimester
total allowable catch (TAC). Common pool vessels would be subject to
applicable trimester total allowable catch (TAC) closures.
Table 1--Specific Regulations Covered by the Proposed Exempted Fishing
Permit
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NEFSC Study Fleet Program EFP
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Number of vessels...................... 36.
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part 648 Size limits:
Sec. 648.83 NE multispecies
minimum sizes.
Sec. 648.93 Monkfish minimum
fish size.
Sec. 648.147 Black sea bass
minimum fish size.
Possession restrictions:
Sec. 648.86(a) Haddock.
Sec. 648.86(b) Atlantic cod.
Sec. 648.86(c) Atlantic
halibut.
Sec. 648.86(d) Small-mesh
multispecies.
Sec. 648.86(l) Zero retention
of Atlantic wolffish and
windowpane flounder.
Sec. 648.86(o) Possession
limits implemented by Regional
Administrator.
Sec. 648.94 Monkfish
possession limit.
Sec. 648.322 Skate possession
and landing restrictions.
Sec. 648.145 Black sea bass
possession limits.
Sec. 648.92(b)(2)(i)
Prohibition from landing NE
multispecies on monkfish-only
day-at-sea.
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NEFSC Study Fleet Program Biological Sampling Needs
As described above, participating vessels would only collect and
land biological samples after the NEFSC issues a formal request in
writing. Table 2 details the Study Fleet Program's sampling needs.
Table 2--Study Fleet Program's Biological Sample Collection Needs
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Individual fish Maximum weight
Species Stock area * Gear types Collection per collection allowed per trip Maximum allowance
frequency period (lb) (lb)
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Windowpane Flounder............. GOM, GB........... OTF, DRS.......... Monthly........... 40 ea./mo......... 30................ 360.
Monkfish........................ GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, GNS, DRS..... Monthly........... 15 ea/mo SNE, 15 750............... 9,000.
ea/mo GOM.
Haddock......................... GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, LLB, GNS, DRS Monthly/Seasonal.. 40 ea/mo.......... 320............... 1,600.
Atlantic Cod.................... GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, LLB, GNS, DRS Monthly........... 120 ea/mo......... 270............... 7,200.
Barndoor Skate.................. GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, GNS, DRS..... Quarterly......... 20 ea/qtr......... 150............... 600.
Thorny Skate.................... GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, GNS, DRS..... Quarterly......... 20 ea/qtr......... 150............... 600.
Black Sea Bass.................. GB, SNE........... PTF, OTF.......... Monthly........... 30 ea/mo.......... 180............... 2,160.
Atlantic Wolffish............... GOM, GB........... OTF, GNS, LLB..... Monthly........... 40 ea/mo.......... 160............... 3,500.
Cusk............................ GOM, GB........... OTF,GNS, LLB...... Monthly........... 40 ea/mo.......... 140............... 3,600.
Atlantic Halibut................ GOM, GB........... OTF, GNS, LLB..... Monthly........... 20 ea/mo.......... 500............... 6,000.
[[Page 15331]]
Butterfish...................... SNE, MA........... OTM............... Monthly........... 150 ea/mo......... 75................ 900.
Atlantic Herring................ Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 100............... 1,200.
River Herring/Shad.............. Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea/mo of ea 100 of ea. species 1,200 of ea.
species. species.
Round Herring................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 100............... 1,200.
Silver Hake..................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 260............... 3,120.
Atlantic Mackerel............... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 260............... 3,120.
HND, PUR.
Shortfin Squid.................. Any Area.......... OTM, OTF.......... Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 75................ 900.
Sand Lance...................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 25................ 300.
Longfin Squid................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF.......... Monthly........... 100 ea/mo......... 75................ 900.
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* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GB), Southern New England (SNE)
Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF), bottom longline (LLB), sink gillnet (GNS), sea scallop dredge (DRS), fish pot (PTF), hand lines, auto jig
(HND), purse seine (PUR), otter trawl midwater (OTM), pair trawl midwater (PTM).
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 impact that does not change the scope 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: March 22, 2017.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-06057 Filed 3-27-17; 8:45 am]
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