[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5837-5838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2631]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[ID. 012904A]


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 the Receipt an exempted fishing permit application, 
announcement of the intent to issue the EFP, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an exempted fishing permit (EFP) 
application from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). If 
awarded, this EFP will allow qualifying vessels to harvest and retain 
federally managed groundfish in excess of cumulative trip limits. This 
is otherwise prohibited. Vessels fishing under this EFP will be 
required to carry a federal fisheries observer during all EFP fishing. 
This EFP proposal is intended to promote the objectives of the Pacific 
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) by assessing the 
effectiveness of a new discard reduction strategy for the trawl 
fishery.

DATES: Comments must be received by February 23, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP application are available from Becky Renko 
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 
98115-0070.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Renko (206)526-6150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by the FMP and 
implementing regulations at 50 CFR 600.745 and 50 CFR 660.350.
    Dover sole, shortspine thornyhead, longspine thornyhead, and 
sablefish (DTS complex) are abundant and important upper continental 
slope species in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. Reductions in 
cumulative catch limits (trip limits) for the DTS complex in recent 
years have created strong incentives for vessels to high-grade their 
catch (keep only the most valuable fish) to maximize its value. In 
addition, differences between trip limits for the different DTS species 
may not accurately reflect the true ratios of the species that actually 
occur in the catch of the individual vessels. This could result in one 
species being discarded, because the trp limits of that species have 
been reached, while the vessel continues to fish for another species in 
the DTS complex. When the trip limits are reduced or when the ratios 
between species do not reflect what is actually harvested very high 
levels of discarded catch can result. An experimental research project 
conducted by ODFW in 2003 suggests that discarded catch levels can be 
reduced by redefining market categories and the associated price 
structure.
    The purpose of the proposed exempted fishing activity is to collect 
data that can be used to examine the feasability of using a new 
discard-reduction strategy as a management tool for the DTS complex 
trawl fishery. Written agreements between the vessel, processors and 
the State of Oregon will be used to redefine existing market categories 
for the DTS species; to create an EFP price for each redefined category 
of marketable DTS species; and to require the full retention of all 
marketable Dover sole and sablefish and all rockfish (Sebastes and 
Sebastolobus). Modest economic benefits to the participating vessels 
and processors are anticipated. If this EFP is successful, these 
benefits are expected to create an economic incentive that will 
encourage further development of this discard reduction approach.
    Three vessels from three different ports along the Oregon coast 
will be used to fish under this EFP. The EFP fishing will occur from 
March to June 2004. Because this EFP applies to vessels using large 
footrope trawl gear, all depth restrictions and cumulative limits 
restrictions specific to the use of large footrope trawl gear as 
announced in the Federal Register will apply to the EFP fishing. 
Vessels will be required to all marketable Dover sole and sablefish and 
all rockfish (including thornyheads). The proceeds from the sale of DTS 
species in excess of the EFP limits and non-DTS species that are 
retained in excess of cumulative trip limits as published in the 
Federal Register will be forfeited to the state of Oregon.
    During the effective dates of the EFP, participating vessels must 
carry a federal fisheries observer whenever they fish under the EFP. 
Observers will collect data from which the composition of discarded and 
landed catch can be estimated and they will assure that all rockfish 
are being retained by the participating vessel.
    The total amount (discard plus retained) of Dover sole allowed to 
be taken under this EFP is not expected to exceed 125 metric tons(mt), 
the total amount (discard plus retained) of shortspine thornyhead 
allowed to be taken under this EFP is not expected to exceed 122 mt. 
The total amount (discard plus retained) of longspine thornyhead 
allowed to be taken under this EFP is not expected to exceed 63 mt and 
the total amount (discard plus retained) of sablefish taken under this 
permit is not expected to exceed 367 mt.
    The EFP fishing will be constrained by the following EFP limits for 
overfished species: yelloweye rockfish 1.2 mt, canary rockfish 0.1 mt, 
lingcod 0.2 mt, widow rockfish 0 mt, Pacific whiting 145 mt, darkblotch 
rockfish 6.0 mt, and POP 23 mt. If the total catch of any one of these 
species reaches the EFP

[[Page 5838]]

limits, the EFP will be terminated for the remainder of the 2004 
fishing year.
    All EFP harvests of overfished species are expected to be within 
the EFP set-asides within the OYs specified for 2004. The harvests of 
other groundfish species also are expected to be within the Optimum 
Yields (OYs) specified for 2004. Therefore, no groundfish OY is 
expected to be exceeded as a result of this EFP fishing. At the Pacific 
Fishery Management Council's (Council) November 2003, meeting in Del 
Mar, CA, the applicants presented their EFP application to the Council. 
The Council considered the application and recommended that NMFS issue 
the EFP for the proposed activity. Data collected during this project 
are expected to have a broad significance to the management of the 
groundfish fishery by providing information that can be used to examine 
the feasability of using this new discard reduction strategy in the 
trawl fishery for the DTS complex. The information gathered through 
this EFP may lead to future rulemakings. Copies of the applications are 
available for review from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).

    Dated: February 2, 2004.
Peter H. Fricke,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-2631 Filed 2-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S