[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 161 (Friday, August 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51636-51637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19053]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 080904E]


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Exempted Fishing Permits

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

ACTION: Notice of receipt of a request for exempted fishing permits; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of a request for exempted fishing 
permits (EFPs) for conducting bycatch reduction research in the 
following regions of the Atlantic Ocean: North of Cape Hatteras, South 
of Cape Hatteras, and Gulf of Mexico (GOM). NMFS invites comments from 
interested parties on potential concerns should these EFPs be issued.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed exempted fishing activity must 
be received no later than September 2, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    [bul] Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line the 
following identifier: I.D.080904E.
    [bul] Mail: Christopher Rogers, Chief, Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.
    [bul] Fax: (301)713-1917.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Stirratt, 301-713-2347; fax: 
301-713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EFPs are requested and issued under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management

[[Page 51637]]

Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and/or the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act 
(16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). Regulations at 50 CFR 600.745 and 50 CFR 
635.32 govern scientific research activity, exempted fishing, and 
exempted educational activity with respect to Atlantic HMS.
    Several operators of permitted Atlantic pelagic longline vessels 
have requested exemptions from certain regulations applicable to the 
harvest and landing of Highly Migratory Species (HMS) in order to 
conduct bycatch reduction research in the following regions of the 
Atlantic Ocean: North of Cape Hatteras, South of Cape Hatteras, and 
Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Specifically, the permitted pelagic longline 
vessels propose to test gear modifications and/or various fishing 
techniques to avoid incidentally-caught white marlin, blue marlin, 
bluefin tuna, and sea turtles, while allowing for the targeted catches 
of allowed species.
    Research experiments will be carried out, to the extent 
practicable, within open fishing areas. However, due to statistical 
protocols to demonstrate the effectiveness of gear modifications it may 
be necessary to conduct comparison experiments inside of existing 
closed areas. Restricted access within existing closed areas has been 
proposed by the applicants as terms and conditions of the proposed 
research in order to minimize or eliminate the potential for gear and/
or fishing grounds conflicts. Within the GOM region, two pelagic 
longline vessels propose to conduct 100 compensated bycatch reduction 
fishing sets (approximately 750 hooks/set) during a limited time period 
(May through October). Within the North of Cape Hatteras region, two 
pelagic longline vessels propose to conduct 50 compensated bycatch 
reduction fishing sets (approximately 680 hooks/set) during a limited 
time period (May, June, and July). Within the South of Cape Hatteras 
region, two pelagic longline vessels propose to conduct 50 compensated 
bycatch reduction fishing sets (approximately 556 hooks/set) during a 
limited time period (October through December).
    This research may benefit all interested parties by providing 
fishery managers with additional gear modifications and/or fishing 
techniques that reduce or avoid incidental capture/bycatch mortality of 
highly migratory species (HMS) in the research areas as proposed above.
    The regulations that would prohibit the proposed activities include 
requirements for size limits (50 CFR 635.20) and gear operation and 
deployment (50 CFR 635.21).
    NMFS invites comments from interested parties on potential concerns 
should these EFPs be issued.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: August 13, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-19053 Filed 8-19-04; 8:45 am]
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