[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18055-18056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-764]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 033004A]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)

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

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

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator for 
Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional 
Administrator) proposes to recommend that an EFP be issued in response 
to an application submitted by Kelo Pinkham in collaboration with Dana 
Morse (Darling Marine Center). The EFP would allow an exemption from 
the seasonal GOM Rolling Closure Areas III and IV restrictions. The 
Assistant Regional Administrator has made a preliminary determination 
that the application contains all of the required information and 
warrants further consideration and that the activities to be authorized 
under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the 
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. However, further review 
and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made 
to issue an EFP.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 21, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul, 
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope 
``Comments on Positively Buoyant Ground Cables.'' Comments may also be 
sent via fax to (978) 281-9135, or submitted via e-mail to the 
following address: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Sagar, Fishery Management 
Specialist, phone: 978-281-9341, fax: 978-281-9135, e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Kelo Pinkham, in collaboration with Dana 
Morse (Darling Marine Center), submitted a complete EFP application on 
March 2, 2004. The purpose of this study is to decrease bottom contact 
of trawl gear and improve the selectivity of groundfish trawls through 
modifications to increase the buoyancy of the ground cables and the 
trawl frame. Although the trawl would be modified, the gear would still 
be compliant with all current regulations. Exemptions would be 
necessary to relieve vessels from the seasonal GOM Rolling Closure 
Areas III and IV restrictions in order to provide a greater opportunity 
to access the appropriate mix of roundfish for effective gear 
selectivity testing, when compared to open areas.
    The proposed study would occur inside the area defined by the 
following coordinates: 43[deg]40' N. lat., 69[deg]50' W. long.; 
43[deg]40' N. lat., 69[deg]30' W. long.; 43[deg]20' N. lat., 69[deg]50' 
W. long.; and 43[deg]20' N. lat., 69[deg]30' W. long. At no time would 
fishing operations be conducted inside year-round closure areas. There 
would be one vessel participating in this study for a total of 10 days. 
The study would occur from May 15, 2004, through June 15, 2004, during 
which time the vessel would complete 2 days devoted to work with 
underwater cameras, and 8 days of gear trials. During all 10 days, the 
vessel would alternate tows with its modified 70-ft (23.3 m) otter 
trawl net, and its standard New England rigged net. No fish would be 
landed during the days dedicated to

[[Page 18056]]

camera work. The vessel would be required to fish under its days-at-sea 
throughout the study. The vessel would complete 4 to 6 tows per day, 
and each tow would last up to 2 hours, for a maximum of 60 tows for 
this study. Other than the exemption from the Rolling Closure 
restriction, this study would be conducted in accordance with normal 
fishing practices. All fish landed would be subject to existing minimum 
size and trip limit requirements. Darling Marine Laboratory would be 
responsible for developing a full report of results and would provide 
this report to NMFS.
    Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for 
proposed EFPs.

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

    Dated: March 31, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-764 Filed 4-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S