[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 169 (Thursday, August 30, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45833-45834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21950]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 600 and 660

[I.D. 080601E]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Application for an Exempted Fishing 
Permit

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing 
permit (EFP); request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces receipt of an application for an EFP from the 
California Department of Fish and Game. The EFP application applies to 
vessels with valid California state delivery permits fishing for 
chilipepper rockfish with small footrope trawl gear south of 40  
deg.10' N. lat. If awarded, the EFP would allow federally managed 
groundfish species to be landed in excess of cumulative trip limits and 
a portion of the chilipepper rockfish caught to be sold for profit, 
providing the vessels carry state-sponsored observers. Observers would 
collect data that are otherwise not available. This EFP proposal is 
intended to promote the objectives of the Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) by providing data that can be used to 
enhance management of the groundfish fishery.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 1, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP application are available from Becky Renko 
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600

[[Page 45834]]

Sand Point Way N.E., Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0070.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Renko 206-526-6140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by the FMP and 
implementing regulations at 50 CFR 600.745 and 50 CFR 660.350.
    At the June 2001 Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) 
meeting, the State of California presented NMFS with an EFP 
application. The primary purpose of the exempted fishing activity would 
be to measure bycatch rates of bocaccio and other rockfish species 
associated with the small footrope chilipepper trawl fishery in Federal 
waters south of 40  deg.10' N. lat. Fishing for chilipepper rockfish, 
which is an abundant and commercially important species off California, 
is constrained south of 40O10' N. lat. by efforts to rebuild bocaccio, 
an overfished rockfish species. Fishers believe that the small footrope 
trawl fishery for chilipepper rockfish can be prosecuted with a much 
lower rockfish bycatch rate than is currently assumed.
    If issued, this EFP will allow participating vessels to retain and 
sell for profit, chilipepper rockfish up to 25,000 lbs (11.34 mt) per 
month. Once a vessel has harvested a specified portion of its bocaccio 
trip limit, it may no longer fish for and land chilipepper rockfish. 
All other incidentally caught species would also continue to be counted 
against the individual vessel's cumulative trip limits. Vessels fishing 
under the EFP would be required to retain all rockfish (Sebastes and 
Sebastolobus). Proceeds from the sale of rockfish that are in excess of 
each vessel's trip limits will be forfeited to the State of California. 
Requiring the retention of all rockfish is expected to provide 
information to evaluate the broader application of a full retention 
program in the groundfish fleet. Observer data collected during this 
project are expected to benefit the management of the groundfish 
fishery by: (1) providing information on catch rates of incidentally 
caught species, including bocaccio rockfish, by fishing location, (2) 
allowing for the collection of biological data that is otherwise not 
available from landed catch, and (3) providing data that can be used to 
evaluate the full retention of rockfish as a management measure. If the 
EFP is issued, approximately 30 vessels would be eligible to 
participate under this EFP because of their historic participation in 
this fishery. Up to five vessels may operate under this permit at any 
one time. The fishing periods identified in the EFP are proposed for 
May through September, 2002.
    In accordance with regulations at 50 CFR 600.745 and 660.306 (f), 
NMFS has determined that the proposal warrants further consideration 
and consulted with the Council. The Council considered the EFP 
application during its June 11-15, 2001, meeting and recommended that 
NMFS issue the EFP. A copy of the application is available for review 
from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). Regulations issued under the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Managmeent Act require publication of 
this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on applications for proposed EFPs. Based on the outcome of this 
EFP, this action may lead to further rulemaking.

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

    Dated: August 24, 2001.
Dean Swanson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-21950 Filed 8-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S