[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12452-12453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4689]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[I.D. 021401B]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Applications for Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs)

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

ACTION: Notification of a proposal for EFPs to conduct experimental 
fishing; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), has made a preliminary determination to 
approve an application for an EFP that would allow up to 12 vessels to 
conduct fishing operations otherwise restricted by regulations 
governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United States. The Gulf of 
Maine Aquarium Development Corporation and Maine Department of Marine 
Resources have submitted an application for an EFP that warrants 
further consideration. The experimental fishery to be conducted under 
the EFP would investigate the bycatch of multispecies and catch of 
northern shrimp in Gulf of Maine waters that are not currently open to 
this fishery. The goal of the research is to determine whether a shrimp 
fishery can be conducted southeast of the Loran 25600 line within 
acceptable multispecies bycatch limits in order to provide additional 
economic opportunity to the shrimp fleet and alleviate fishing pressure 
on shrimp in nearshore waters. This notice is intended to provide 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed 
experimental fishery.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Patricia Kurkul, Regional 
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark on the outside of the envelope ``Comments on 
Proposed Experimental Fishery.'' Comments also may be sent via 
facsimilar (fax) to 978-281-9135. Comments will not be accepted if 
submitted via e-mail or Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Warren, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations that govern exempted 
experimental fishing, at 50 CFR 600.745, allow the Regional 
Administrator to authorize for certain purposes the targeting or 
incidental harvest of managed species that would otherwise be 
prohibited. An EFP to authorize such activity may be issued, provided 
that there is adequate opportunity for the public to comment on the EFP 
application, and that the conservation goals and objectives of the 
Fishery Management Plan are not compromised.
    The Gulf of Maine Aquarium Development Corporation of Portland, 
Maine (ME), and the Maine Department of Marine Resources of Boothbay 
Harbor, ME submitted to NMFS on November 2, 2000, an application for an 
EFP to conduct research in the northern shrimp fishery in the Gulf of 
Maine. The research would target shrimp southeast of the area in which 
fishing is currently allowed, with the objective of determining whether 
a shrimp fishery can be conducted within acceptable multispecies 
bycatch limits. The underlying goal of the research is to provide 
additional economic opportunity to the northern shrimp fleet and 
alleviate fishing pressure on shrimp in nearshore waters.

[[Page 12453]]

    The Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 
regulations specify minimum fishing gear mesh sizes in the Gulf of 
Maine/Georges Bank (GOM/GB) Regulated Mesh Area in order to protect 
multispecies. There are several exemptions, however, that allow 
fisheries that utilize mesh size smaller than the allowable to be 
conducted in this area. One of the exemptions to the GOM/GB Regulated 
Mesh Area is the Small Mesh Northern Shrimp Fishery Exemption Area, 
which allows the targeting of northern shrimp. One of the principle 
requirements associated with this exemption area is a requirement to 
use a finfish excluder device (FED) to ensure a minimal level of 
multispecies bycatch. Justification of the Small Mesh Northern Shrimp 
Fishery Exemption Area was based upon the testing of the Nordmore 
Grate, a FED that was tested from 1991 to 1992, in the Gulf of Maine 
northwest of the Loran 25600 line. Based upon those experimental 
trawls, the Small Mesh Northern Shrimp Fishery Exemption Area was 
implemented, with the border being formed in part by the Loran 25600 
line.
    Based on results from the experimental fishery, the Small Mesh 
Northern Shrimp Fishery Exemption Area could be expanded if there is 
information to determine that the percentage of regulated species 
caught as bycatch is sufficiently small, on a per trip basis, such that 
fishing mortality objectives of the FMP will not be jeopardized.
    According to the applicant, up to 12 vessels would be issued EFPs 
to allow targeting of shrimp using small mesh on 12, 3-day trips from 
April 15 through May 31, 2001. A contractor for sea sampling will be 
selected through the ``Request for Proposal'' process, and observers 
will accompany all trips. For the first half of each trip, the nets 
will be consistent with the requirements of the Small Mesh Northern 
Shrimp Fishery Exemption Area (FED with 1-inch maximum spacing). For 
the second half of each trip, the nets will contain a 3/4-inch 
(0.01905-m)-spaced Nordmore grate. At some time during each of the 
first 2 days of each trip, vessels will make a one half-hour tow with 
no grate in the net to serve as a control tow. When six trips (18 days) 
of fishing have been completed, the rate of groundfish bycatch will be 
estimated and submitted to NMFS. Depending upon the level of bycatch, 
the experiment will either be terminated, continue unaltered, or 
continue under new procedures (using only the 3/4-inch (0.01905-m)-
spaced grate).
    EFPs would be required to exempt vessels from certain management 
measures of the FMP, including the time, area, and FED restrictions of 
the Small Mesh Northern Shrimp Fishery Exemption Area, and Gulf of 
Maine Rolling Closures.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 20, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4689 Filed 2-26-01; 8:45 am]
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