[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7940-7943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3331]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 950117016-5016-01; I.D. 010995C]
RIN 0648-ZA13


Financial Assistance for Research and Development Projects to 
Provide Information for the Full and Wise Use and Enhancement of 
Fishery Resources in the Gulf of Mexico and off the U.S. South Atlantic 
Coastal States; MARFIN

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of proposed areas of program emphasis; request for 
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Funds are expected to be available for the fiscal year (FY) 
1996 Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN) financial assistance program 
to assist persons in carrying out research projects that optimize the 
use of the U.S. fishing industry (recreational and commercial), in the 
Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South Atlantic (North Carolina to Florida), 
including fishery biology, resource assessment, social-economic 
assessment, management and conservation, selective harvesting methods, 
and fish handling and processing. Emphasis is on research that will 
enhance social and economic benefits from living marine resources. NMFS 
issues this notice to solicit public comments on proposed emphasis 
areas for the FY 1996 financial assistance program. This is not a 
solicitation for proposals.

DATES: Public comment on the proposed areas of program emphasis for the 
FY 1996 MARFIN solicitation will be accepted until March 13, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ms. Ellie Roche, Competitive Programs 
Manager, Cooperative Programs Division, Southeast Regional Office, 
National Marine Fisheries Service, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, 
St. Petersburg, FL 33702. For availability of documents referenced in 
this notice, contact the Southeast Regional Office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ellie Roche, 813-570-5324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) is authorized under 15 U.S.C. 
713c-3(d) to enter into cooperative agreements for research and 
development addressed to all aspects of U.S. fisheries. Funding is 
expected to be available in FY 1996 for financial assistance under the 
MARFIN program to manage and enhance the use of fishery resources in 
the Gulf and off the South Atlantic States of North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Georgia and Florida. U.S. fisheries include any marine 
fishery that is or may be engaged in by U.S. citizens and citizens of 
the Northern Mariana Islands. The phrase ``fishing industry'' includes 
both the commercial and recreational sectors of U.S. fisheries. This 
program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
under program number [[Page 7941]] 11.433 Marine Fisheries Initiative. 
(See ADDRESSES for document availability.)
    A notice of availability of financial assistance for the FY 1996 
MARFIN program is expected to be published in the Federal Register 
after public comments have been received on the proposed areas of 
emphasis in this notice.

II. Proposed Areas of Emphasis for the FY 1996 MARFIN Program

    Research needs identified in fishery management plans (FMPs) and 
amendments prepared by the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Councils (Councils) and the Gulf and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commissions (Commissions) are included. For availability of these and 
other documents referenced here, see ADDRESSES. Proposed areas of 
special emphasis for FY 1996 include:

A. Bycatch.

    The bycatch of biological organisms by various fishing gears can 
have wide-reaching impacts from a fisheries management and an 
ecological standpoint, with the following major concerns:
    1. Shrimp trawl bycatch. Studies are needed to contribute to the 
regional shrimp trawler bycatch program (including the rock shrimp 
fishery) being conducted by NMFS in cooperation with state fisheries 
management agencies, commercial and recreational fishing organizations 
and interests, environmental organizations, universities, Councils, and 
Commissions. Specific guidance and research requirements are contained 
in the Regional Bycatch Plan available from NMFS. In particular, the 
studies should address:
    a. Data collection and analyses to expand and update current 
bycatch estimates temporally and spatially from offshore, nearshore, 
and inshore waters, emphasizing areas of greatest impact by shrimping. 
Sampling effort should include estimates of numbers, weight and random 
samples of size (age) structure of associated bycatch complex with 
emphasis on those overfished species under the jurisdiction of the 
Councils.
    b. Assessment of the status and condition of fish stocks 
significantly impacted by shrimp trawler bycatch, with emphasis given 
to overfished species under the jurisdiction of the Councils. Other 
sources of fishing and nonfishing mortality should be considered and 
quantified as well.
    c. Identification, development, and evaluation of gear, non-gear 
and tactical fishing options to reduce bycatch.
    d. Improved methods for communicating with and improving technology 
and information transfer to the shrimp industry.
    e. Social and economic impacts of management options to reduce 
shrimp fishery bycatch.
    2. Pelagic longline fisheries. A number of pelagic longline 
fisheries exist in the Gulf and South Atlantic, targeting highly 
migratory species such as tunas, sharks, billfish and swordfish. 
Priority areas include:
    a. Development and evaluation of gear and fishing tactics to 
minimize bycatch of undersized and unwanted species, including sea 
turtles, marine mammals and overfished finfish species/stocks.
    b. Assessment of the impact of longline bycatch on related 
fisheries, including biological, social, and economic factors and 
effects.
    3. Reef fish fisheries. The reef fish complex is exploited by a 
variety of fishing gear and tactics. The following research on bycatch 
of reef fish species is needed:
    a. Development and evaluation of gear and fishing tactics to 
minimize the bycatch of undersized and unwanted species, including sea 
turtles and marine mammals.
    b. Characterization and assessment of the impact of longline, 
bandit gear and trap bycatch of undersized target species, including 
release mortality.
    4. Finfish trawl fisheries. Studies are needed on quantification 
and qualification of the bycatch in finfish trawl fisheries, such as 
the flounder and fly-net fisheries in the South Atlantic.
    5. Gillnet fisheries. Studies are needed on quantification and 
qualification of the bycatch in coastal and shelf gillnet fisheries for 
sciaenids, scombrids, bluefish, dogfish, clupeids and sharks of the 
South Atlantic area (particularly interaction with sea turtles and 
marine mammals), and sea turtle bycatch for the coastal gillnet fishery 
off Louisiana.

B. Reef Fish.

    Some species within the reef fish complex are showing signs of 
being overfished, either through directed efforts or because they are 
bycatch of other fisheries. The ecology of reef fish makes them 
vulnerable to overfishing, because they tend to concentrate over 
specific types of habitat with patchy distribution. This behavior 
pattern can make traditional fishery statistics misleading. Priority 
research areas include:
    1. Collection of basic biological data for species in commercially 
and recreationally important fisheries.
    a. Age and growth of reef fish.
    (1) Description of age and growth patterns, especially for red, 
vermilion, gray, and cubera snappers; gray triggerfish; gag; black 
grouper; spottail pinfish; hogfish; red porgy and other less dominant 
forms in the management units for which data are lacking.
    (2) Contributions to the development of annual age-length keys and 
description of age structures for exploited populations for all species 
in the complex addressed in the Reef Fish Management Plans for the Gulf 
and South Atlantic, prioritized by importance in the total catch.
    (3) Design of sampling systems to provide a production-style aging 
program for the reef fish fishery. Effective dockside sampling programs 
are needed over a wide geographic range, especially for groupers, to 
collect information on reproductive state, size, age, and sex. These 
research needs are discussed in the report of the workshop on grouper 
reproduction held in Panama City, FL, in November 1993.
    b. Reproduction studies of reef fish.
    (1) Maturity schedules, fecundity and sex ratios of commercially 
and recreationally important reef fish, especially gray triggerfish, 
gag, and red porgy in the Gulf and South Atlantic.
    (2) Studies of all species to characterize the actual reproductive 
contribution of females, by age.
    (3) Identification and characterization of spawning aggregations by 
species, area, size group and season. Information on the effects of 
fishing on changes of sex ratios for gag, red grouper, and scamp, and 
disruption of aggregations is especially needed.
    (4) Investigations of the reproductive biology of gag, red grouper 
and other grouper species as addressed in the recommendations of the 
workshop on grouper reproduction held in Panama City, FL, in November 
1993.
    c. Recruitment of reef fish.
    (1) Source of recruitment in Gulf and South Atlantic waters, 
especially for snappers, groupers and amberjacks.
    (2) Annual estimation of the absolute or relative recruitment of 
juvenile gag, gray snapper and lane snapper to estuarine habitats off 
the west coast of Florida and to similar estuarine nursery habitats 
along the South Atlantic Bight; development of an index of juvenile gag 
recruitment for the South Atlantic based on historical databases and/or 
field studies.
    (3) Research to evaluate the contribution of live-bottom habitat 
and the habitat areas of particular concern (Oculina banks) off Fort 
Pierce, FL, to reef fish recruitment.
    d. Stock structure of reef fish. [[Page 7942]] 
    (1) Movement and migration patterns of commercially and 
recreationally valuable reef fish species, especially gag in the Gulf 
and South Atlantic and greater amberjack between the South Atlantic and 
Gulf.
    (2) Biochemical/immunological techniques to allow field separation 
of lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish from greater 
amberjack to facilitate accurate reporting of catch.
    (3) Stock structure for wreckfish in the South Atlantic, and for 
greater amberjack in the Gulf and South Atlantic.
    2. Population assessment of reef fish.
    a. Effect of reproductive mode and sex change (protogynous 
hermaphroditism) on population size and characteristics, with reference 
to sizes of fish exploited in the fisheries and the significance to 
proper management.
    b. Source and quantification of natural and human-induced 
mortalities, including release mortality estimates for charter, 
headboat and private recreational vessels, especially for red snapper 
and the grouper complex.
    c. Determination of the habitat and limiting factors for important 
reef fish resources in the Gulf and South Atlantic.
    d. Description of habitat and fish populations in the deep reef 
community and the prey distributions supporting the community.
    e. Development of statistically valid indices of abundance for 
important reef fish species in the South Atlantic and Gulf, especially 
red grouper, jewfish and Nassau grouper.
    f. Assessment of tag performance on reef fish species, primarily 
snappers and groupers. Characteristics examined should include shedding 
rate, effects on growth and survival, and ultimately, the effects of 
these characteristics on estimations of vital population parameters.
    g. Stock assessments to establish the status of major recreational 
and commercial species. Innovative methods are needed for stock 
assessments of aggregate species, including the effect of fishing on 
genetic structure and the incorporation of sex change for protogynous 
hermaphrodites into stock assessment models.
    h. Fishery-independent assessments of spawning aggregations of gag, 
scamp, yellowedge and other groupers, using hydroacoustic and 
underwater video technology.
    i. Assessment of Florida Bay recovery actions on reef fish 
recruitment and survival.
    3. Management of reef fish.
    a. Research in direct support of management, including catch-and-
release mortalities, by gear and depth.
    b. Evaluation of the use of reef fish marine reserves as an 
alternative or supplement to current fishery management measures and 
practices, especially in the South Atlantic. Field studies should focus 
on the Experimental Oculina Reef Reserve and Florida Keys National 
Marine Sanctuary sites and contrast these with control open sites.
    c. Characterization and evaluation of the biological, economic, and 
social impacts.
    d. Evaluation of vessel logs and log data for monitoring the 
fishery; for providing biological, economic, and social information for 
management; and matching log data to Trip Information Program samples 
for indices of effort.

C. Sharks.

    The Secretarial fishery management plan (FMP) for sharks identifies 
a number of research needs, including:
    1. Characterization of the commercial and recreational fisheries 
from historical and current databases. Emphasis should be on species 
composition, bycatch, stock identification, size, sex ratios and catch-
per-unit-effort by season, area, and gear type.
    2. Collection and analysis of basic biological data on movements, 
habitats, growth rates, mortality rates, age structure and reproduction 
parameters. These data are of particular importance for blacktip and 
sandbar sharks.
    3. Determination of baseline cost and returns for commercial 
fisheries that land sharks, and estimations of demand curves for shark 
products and recreational shark fisheries.
    4. Development of species profiles and stock assessments for sharks 
taken in significant quantities by commercial, recreational, and 
bycatch fisheries. Assessments can be species-specific or for species 
groups, following those identified in the Atlantic Sharks FMP.
    5. Identification of coastal sharks using laboratory methodologies.
    6. Identification of nursery area and methods to protect young 
sharks.
    7. Evaluation of present regulations and improvement of methods to 
determine landings.

D. Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fisheries.

    The commercial and recreational demand for migratory coastal 
pelagics has led to overfishing for certain species, including some 
stocks of king and Spanish mackerel. Additionally, some are 
transboundary with Mexico and other countries and may ultimately demand 
international management attention. Current high priorities include:
    1. Recruitment indices for king and Spanish mackerel, cobia, 
dolphin, and bluefish, primarily from fishery-independent data sources.
    2. Assessment and management models for coastal pelagic resources 
that are dominated by single year classes, such as Spanish mackerel, 
dolphin, and bluefish.
    3. Fishery-independent methods of assessing stock abundance of king 
and Spanish mackerel.
    4. Release mortality data for all coastal pelagic species.
    5. Improved catch statistics for all species in Mexican waters, 
with special emphasis on king mackerel. This includes length-frequency 
and life history information.
    6. Information on populations of coastal pelagics overwintering off 
Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic States of North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, especially concerning population size, 
age and movement patterns.
    7. Development of a practical method for aging dolphin.
    8. Basic biostatistics for cobia and dolphin to develop age-length 
keys and maturation schedules for stock assessments.
    9. Impact of bag limits on total catch and landings of king and 
Spanish mackerel.
    10. Demand and supply functions for recreational and commercial 
king mackerel fisheries. Emphasis should be on changes in marginal 
values of producer and consumer surplus, since the studies would be 
used in allocation frameworks where total values are not necessarily 
required.
    11. Determination of the stock structure of king mackerel from 
South Atlantic and Gulf waters.
    12. Sociological and anthropological surveys of coastal pelagic 
fisheries.
    13. Economic surveys of coastal pelagic fisheries.

E. Highly Migratory Pelagic Species.

    A number of pelagic fisheries exist in the Gulf and South Atlantic 
that target highly migratory species such as tunas, sharks, and 
swordfish. Changes in the temporal and spatial components of fishing 
effort, and fishing gear and tactics need to be characterized and the 
effects quantified. Priority areas include:
    1. Characterization of specific longline fisheries, including 
targeted species, stock identification, catch-per-unit- effort, and 
biological parameters (e.g., sex ratios and reproductive state) by gear 
type, area and season.
    2. Evaluation of vessel log data for monitoring the 
fisheries. [[Page 7943]] 
    3. Dependence of vessels and persons engaged in pelagic longlining 
on other fisheries. Particular emphasis should be placed on the extent 
to which the capital and/or labor engages in other fisheries at 
particular times of the year and reasons for this switching behavior.

F. Groundfish and Estuarine Fishes.

    Substantial stocks of groundfish and estuarine species occur in the 
Gulf and South Atlantic. Most of the database for assessments comes 
from studies conducted by NMFS and state fishery management agencies. 
Because of the historic and current size of these fish stocks, their 
importance as predator and prey species, and their current or potential 
use as commercial and recreational fisheries, more information on their 
biology and life history is needed. General research needs are:
    1. Red drum.
    a. Size and age-structure of the offshore adult stock in the Gulf.
    b. Life history parameters and stock structure for the Gulf and the 
South Atlantic. Research should include determination of migratory 
patterns, long-term changes in abundance, growth rates and age 
structure. Specific research needs for Atlantic red drum are fecundity 
estimates, as a function of length and weight, and improved coastwide 
coverage for age-length keys.
    c. Catch-and-release mortality rates from inshore and nearshore 
waters.
    2. Life history and stock structure for weakfish, menhaden, spot 
and croaker in the Gulf and the South Atlantic. Research should include 
determination of migratory patterns, long-term changes in abundance, 
growth rates and age structure, and comparisons of the inshore and 
offshore components of recreational and commercial fisheries.
    3. Improved catch and effort statistics from recreational and 
commercial fisheries, including development of age-length keys for size 
and age structure of the catch, to develop production models.

G. Coastal Herrings.

    Preliminary studies indicate that substantial stocks of coastal 
herrings occur in the Gulf and South Atlantic. Most of the available 
data are generated from fishery-independent surveys conducted by NMFS 
and state fishery management agencies. Because of the size of these 
stocks; their importance as prey, and in some instances, as predator 
species; their potential for development as commercial and recreational 
fisheries needs to be understood. General research needs include:
    1. Collection, collation, and analysis of available fishery-
independent and fishery-dependent data from state and Federal surveys, 
with emphasis on species and size composition, seasonal distribution 
patterns, biomass, bycatch, and environmental relationships.
    2. Description and quantification of predator-prey relationships 
between coastal herring species and carnivores such as mackerels, 
tunas, swordfish, billfish, sharks, bluefish, and others in high demand 
by commercial and recreational fisheries.

H. Crabs and Lobsters.

    1. Monitoring of fecundity and sex/size frequencies for examination 
of spawning potential in relation to overfishing criteria for stone 
crab and spiny lobster.
    2. Development of recruitment, population assessment and management 
models for stone crab and spiny lobster.
    3. Determination of the relationship between the reproductive cycle 
characteristics of spiny lobster in Florida and those in the Gulf.
    4. Re-evaluation of spiny lobster short mortality to determine 
changes since effort restrictions were implemented.
    5. Estimation of stone crab regenerated claw production versus new 
recruits to the fishery from landings observations.
    6. Evaluation of spiny lobster catches from North Carolina, South 
Carolina, and Georgia.

I. Sea Turtle Conservation.

    The conservation of endangered and threatened sea turtles in the 
Southeast Region requires further investigation into life history 
parameters and ecological requirements. The interaction of sea turtles, 
fishing gear (excluder devices) and inshore/offshore fisheries also 
needs further refinement.

J. General.

    There are many other areas of research that need to be addressed 
for improved understanding and management of fishery resources. These 
include methods for data collection, management, analysis, and better 
conservation. Examples of high-priority research needs include:
    1. Assessment of the changes in recreational and commercial values 
that have resulted from past management practices for red drum, shrimp, 
mackerel, and reef fish.
    2. Development of improved methods and procedures for transferring 
technology and educating of constituency groups concerning fishery 
management and conservation programs. Of special importance are 
programs concerned with controlled access and introduction of 
conservation gear.
    3. Compilation of baseline socio-demographic data for describing 
the social and cultural framework of managed fisheries.
    4. Design and evaluation of innovative approaches to fishery 
management with special attention given to those approaches that 
control access to specific fisheries.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 713C-3(d)

    Dated: February 2, 1995.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-3331 Filed 2-9-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F