[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 28668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14263]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 080626787-8788-01]
RIN 0648-XP54
2009 Monkfish Research Set-Aside Program
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; reallocation of set-aside days-at-sea.
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SUMMARY: NMFS notifies the public of the reallocation of monkfish
research days-at-sea (DAS) as exempted DAS. These are DAS that were set
aside under the 2009 Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, but
were not distributed through the NOAA grant process. These exempted DAS
may be used for the conduct of monkfish related research activities
during fishing year (FY) 2009 (May 1, 2009, through April 30, 2010).
Requests for a monkfish DAS exemption must be submitted with a complete
application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP).
DATES: Effective June 17, 2009 through April 30, 2010. Projects
involving the use of exempted DAS, under this program, must be
completed on or before April 30, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Applications for an EFP must be sent to the Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison McHale, Fishery Policy
Analyst, by phone 978-281-9103 or by fax 978-281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (70 FR
21927, April 28, 2005) established the Monkfish RSA Program, which
annually sets aside 500 monkfish DAS from the total number of monkfish
DAS allocated to limited access monkfish vessels to be used for
cooperative monkfish research programs. Amendment 2 also established a
Monkfish Exemption Program, which requires the Regional Administrator
(RA) to reallocate as exempted DAS any monkfish research DAS not
allocated through the Monkfish RSA Program. These exempted DAS may be
then used by vessels for the conduct of monkfish research activities
during the current fishing year (e.g., FY 2009).
On July 11, 2008, NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register
announcing the 2009 Monkfish RSA Program (73 FR 40052), and solicited
proposals for monkfish research activities to be conducted under this
RSA program. Five proposals were received as part of this solicitation,
and three were granted awards totaling 449 monkfish research DAS. As a
result, there are 51 DAS available to be reallocated as exempted DAS
during FY 2009. Therefore, the RA, pursuant to the regulations
governing the monkfish fishery at 50 CFR 648.92(c)(1)(v), reallocates
these unused research DAS from the FY 2009 Monkfish RSA Program, as
exempted DAS, that may be used for the conduct of monkfish research
projects during FY 2009.
All requests for monkfish DAS exemptions under the Monkfish DAS
Exemption Program must be submitted to the RA along with a complete
application for an EFP. The requirements for submitting a complete EFP
application are provided in the regulations implementing the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act at Sec. 600.745(b).
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C.553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice and
comment would be unnecessary and contrary to the public interest
because the action is administrative in nature, and because it provides
the public (i.e., researchers) the opportunity to reduce costs
associated with conducting monkfish related research activities.
Additionally, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the
30-day delay in effective date because the action is administrative in
nature.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 11, 2009.
Kristen C. Koch,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-14263 Filed 6-16-09; 8:45 am]
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