[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 36 (Thursday, February 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 9049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-743]



[[Page 9049]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021605B]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States and Reef Fish 
Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico

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; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted 
fishing permit (EFP) from Neil Allen on behalf of The Georgia Aquarium. 
If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicant, with certain 
conditions, to collect limited numbers of groupers, snappers, 
squirrelfish, sea basses, jacks, spadefish, bluefish, grunts, porgies, 
surgeonfish, and triggerfish. Specimens would be collected primarily 
from Federal waters off the coast of Georgia but may also be collected 
from Federal waters off the coasts of South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas during 2005 and 2006, and displayed 
at The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern standard 
time, on March 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the application may be sent via fax to 727-570-
5583 or mailed to: Julie Weeder, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 9721 
Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702. Comments may be 
submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for providing e-mail comments 
is [email protected]. Include in the subject line of the e-mail 
document the following text: Comment on Georgia Aquarium EFP 
Application. The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request to the address above or the e-mail address 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Weeder, 727-570-5305; fax 727-
570-5583; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is requested under the authority of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq.), and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted 
fishing.
    According to the applicant, The Georgia Aquarium is a public, non-
profit institution currently under construction in Atlanta, Georgia. 
Its mission is to provide entertainment and education and support 
conservation through aquatic exhibits displaying animals from around 
the world. The aquarium is scheduled to open in late 2005.
    The proposed collection for public display involves activities 
otherwise prohibited by regulations implementing the Fishery Management 
Plans (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fisheries of the South Atlantic 
Region, Reef Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, or Coastal Migratory 
Pelagics Fisheries of the South Atlantic Region and the Gulf of Mexico 
Region.
    The applicant requires authorization to harvest and possess the 
following numbers of fishes: Six goliath grouper, five rock sea bass, 
five black sea bass, 10 gag (grouper), 10 scamp (grouper), 50 red 
snapper, 50 vermilion snapper, 50 squirrelfish, 100 yellow jack, 100 
crevalle jack, 50 bar jack, 50 greater amberjack, 500 Atlantic 
spadefish, 50 bluefish, 100 sheepshead seabream, 100 tomtate grunt, 250 
french grunt, 50 doctorfish, and 20 grey triggerfish. Specimens would 
be collected primarily from Federal waters off the coast of Georgia but 
may also be collected from Federal waters off the coasts of South 
Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas during 
2005 and 2006.
    Fishes would be captured using barrier and hand nets in conjunction 
with SCUBA, hook and line, and traps. The barrier net would be set up 
underwater to provide a barrier to a school of fish. The fish would be 
herded into the barrier net and then hand netted. The net would be set 
for approximately one hour at a time and monitored by divers using 
SCUBA at all times. The net is 50 feet long and five feet deep with one 
inch monofilament mesh. Hook and line would be employed at depths less 
than 100 feet to capture bottom-dwelling fish, and in the water column 
for other species. Methods would be identical to that used by charter 
fishing boats. The fish traps are made from 1.5 inch wire mesh and are 
approximately three feet long, three feet wide and two feet high. The 
entrance to the traps is a vertical slit two inches wide and 24 inches 
long. Ten traps would be deployed for up to 10 fishing periods of 12 
hours each.
    NMFS finds that this application warrants further consideration. 
Based on a preliminary review, NMFS intends to issue an EFP. Possible 
conditions the agency may impose on this permit, if it is indeed 
granted, include but are not limited to: Reduction in the number of 
fish to be collected; restrictions on the placement of traps; 
restrictions on the size of fish to be collected; prohibition of the 
harvest of any fish with visible external tags; and specification of 
locations, dates and/or seasons allowed for collection of particular 
fish species. A final decision on issuance of the EFP will depend on a 
NMFS review of public comments received on the application, 
consultations with the affected states, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and 
the U.S. Coast Guard, and a determination that it is consistent with 
all applicable laws. The applicant requests a 12-month effective period 
for the EFP.

    Dated: February 17, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-743 Filed 2-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S