[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34137-34138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1378]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 061004B]


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

    National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
    Notification of a proposal for an EFP to conduct experimental 
fishing; request for comments.
SUMMARY: The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional 
Administrator) has made a preliminary determination that the subject 
EFP application requested by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and 
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Rutgers), for a study to 
conduct a supplemental finfish trawl survey (survey) under the Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program 
contains all the required information and warrants further 
consideration. The Regional Administrator has also made a preliminary 
determination that the activities authorized under the EFP would be 
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Summer Flounder, Scup, 
and Black Sea Bass, Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish, and 
Bluefish Fishery Management Plans. However, further review and 
consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to 
issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Regional 
Administrator proposes to issue an EFP that would allow one vessel to 
conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by the

[[Page 34138]]

regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United States.
    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.

DATES: Comments on this document must be received on or before July 6, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this notice may be submitted by e-mail. The 
mailbox address for providing e-mail comments is [email protected]. 
Include in the subject line the following document identifier: 
``Comments on supplemental finfish trawl survey.'' 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 supplemental finfish 
trawl survey.'' Comments may also be sent via fax to (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Perra, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
phone: 978-281-9153, fax: 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The requested EFP would expand work allowed 
under an existing EFP for the vessel to conduct additional research 
trawls in November along two offshore transects: one each at Alvin and 
Poor Man's Canyons.
    Work under the existing EFP currently allows the vessel to conduct 
two trawl transects (one east of Hudson Canyon and one south of 
Baltimore Canyon) in January, May, and November, and along six offshore 
transects, one each near Alvin, Hudson, Baltimore, Poor Man's, 
Washington, and Norfolk Canyons in March. NFI and Rutgers have 
requested that, during November, the transects at Alvin and Poor Man's 
Canyons also be sampled. This would expand the scope of work under the 
project's current EFP from two transects to four transects during 
November. Therefore, a new EFP is required for the November portion of 
the project.
    The EFP would allow for exemptions from summer flounder fishery 
regulations at 50 CFR 648.101(a) and (b); summer flounder gear 
restrictions at Sec.  648.104; scup trimester quota closures at Sec.  
648.121(a); scup time and area restrictions at Sec.  648.122(a) and 
(b); scup trawl gear restrictions at Sec.  648.123; black sea bass trip 
limits at Sec.  648.140(b)(2); black sea bass gear restrictions at 
Sec.  648.144(a); Loligo squid and Atlantic mackerel closures at Sec.  
648.22(a) and (c); and bluefish closures at Sec.  648.161(a) and (b). 
In addition, in order to collect individual size measurements and other 
data, the EFP for the research vessel would grant exemptions from the 
following regulations: Minimum size for summer flounder at Sec.  
648.103(a), (b), and (c), for scup at Sec.  648.124(a), for black sea 
bass at Sec.  648.143, for monkfish at Sec.  648.93, for spiny dogfish 
at Sec.  648.233, for yellowtail flounder and winter flounder at Sec.  
648.83, and for lobster at Sec.  697.20(b); from spiny dogfish closures 
at Sec.  648.231; and from Northeast multispecies regulated mesh, 
restrictions on gear, and methods of fishing at Sec.  648.80.
    The general trawl sampling procedures in November would remain 
similar to what is described in the original EFP. Sampling would be 
conducted at trawl stations along each transect from depths near 40, 
60, 80, 125, 150, 200, and 225 fathoms (73, 109, 146, 228, 274, 366, 
and 411 meters, respectively), with four additional trawl sites added 
along each of the transects based on the catches of the target species. 
Primary target species would be summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, 
monkfish, and spiny dogfish, and secondary target species would be 
skates, yellowtail flounder, winter flounder, lobster, and Loligo 
squid. One tow would be conducted at each station over a distance of 
0.5 to 2 nautical miles, with a tow speed of 3 to 3.2 knots. Careful 
records would be kept of all gear descriptions so that consistent gear 
can be used on subsequent surveys. A four-seam box net would be used 
with a 2.4 inch (6.1 cm) mesh codend. Sampling protocol for handling 
the catch from the trawl survey would follow standard NOAA Fisheries 
survey methods. Every effort would be made to weigh the entire catch, 
or to put in baskets the entire catch and weigh a subsample of the 
baskets. Lengths would be obtained for target species. If time does not 
permit sampling between tows, fish sorted for length measurement would 
be placed in labeled containers and stored until processing can occur. 
Temperature, salinity, and depth profiles would be taken for each tow. 
Pre- and post-cruise meetings would be held to confirm study logistics 
and conduct retrospective analysis of cruise activities. Scientific 
research personnel would be on board the vessel at all times when the 
survey is conducted.
    The participating vessel would be required to report all landings 
in its Vessel Trip Reports.

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

    Dated: June 14, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-1378 Filed 6-17-04; 8:45 am]
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