[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 52 (Friday, March 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13174-13175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1193]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 031505F]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Application 
for an Exempted Fishing Permit

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of amended application for an exempted fishing 
permit.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has received an amended application for an exempted 
fishing permit (EFP) from William Thornton Smith of the North Pacific 
Longline Association (NPLA). If granted, this EFP would authorize the 
applicant to conduct an experiment to evaluate the integrated weight 
groundline as a potential seabird avoidance measure in the 2005 Pacific 
cod hook-and-line fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
Management Area (BSAI). The project is intended to promote the 
objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) by reducing fishery 
interactions with the endangered short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria 
albatrus) and other seabird species.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP application may be requested from Sue 
Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 
Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn: Lori Durall by: mail to P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau, AK 99802; fax to 907-586-7557; or email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Rivera, 907-586-7424 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the domestic groundfish 
fisheries in the BSAI under the FMP. The North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) prepared the FMP under the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 
Regulations governing the groundfish fisheries of the BSAI appear at 50 
CFR parts 600 and 679. The FMP and the implementing regulations at 
Sec. Sec.  679.6 and 600.745(b) authorize the issuance of EFPs to allow 
fishing that would otherwise be prohibited. Procedures for issuing EFPs 
are contained in the implementing regulations.
    In June 2004, the Council approved the application for an EFP for 
this experiment which was submitted by the Washington Sea Grant Program 
(WSGP). The WSGP was unable to secure vessels for the work, and an EFP 
was not issued in 2004. In February 2005, NMFS received an amended 
application for this EFP from the NPLA. The purpose of this EFP is to 
authorize experimental fishing using integrated weight groundline to 
evaluate its effectiveness as a potential new seabird avoidance 
measure. The application calls for testing integrated weight 
groundlines against unweighted groundlines, with and without paired 
streamer lines. This proposed experiment builds on work that was 
completed in Alaska in 2002, and compliments efforts taking place in 
other fisheries. Information from this experiment could ultimately 
result in better and more effective seabird avoidance measures. The 
hook-and-line fishing industry appears especially interested in this 
experiment, because it may provide a better tool with which to avoid 
the incidental catch of the endangered short-tailed albatross and other 
seabird species. In addition, the integrated weight groundline may 
improve fishing efficiency with better gear handling characteristics 
and increased target catch rates resulting from getting baited hooks 
down more quickly. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issued a Biological 
Opinion (September 2003) that includes a conservation recommendation 
for NMFS to support research efforts to develop new and novel deterrent 
technologies such as integrated weight groundlines. This experiment 
would fulfill such a recommendation.
    The goal of the experiment is to reduce the incidental catch of the 
endangered short-tailed albatross and other seabird species in ways 
that are consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 9 which 
requires conservation and management measures to minimize bycatch and 
bycatch mortality and that the effects on birds should be considered 
when selecting these measures. A preliminary WSGP investigation in 2002 
evaluated four weightings of integrated weight groundline (25g/m, 50g/
m, 75g/m and 100 g/m). The four weighting treatments were compared to a 
control of unweighted groundline in the sablefish fishery in the 
Aleutian Islands and the Pacific cod fishery in the Gulf of Alaska. 
Preliminary results strongly suggest that 50g/m line was the optimal 
weighting. It was the most practical gear in terms of operational 
performance in mechanical baiting (auto-bait) hook-and-line systems, 
and it sank quickly beyond the range of seabirds.
    Based on these initial results, NPLA proposes to continue this work 
by comparing the catch rates of all species, the abundance and behavior 
of seabirds, and the sink rate of groundlines under three scenarios: 
50g/m integrated weight groundline, and un-weighted groundlines with 
and without paired streamer lines. Regulations at Sec.  
679.24(e)(4)(ii)(c) require the use of paired streamer lines by vessels 
greater than 55 ft (16.8 m) length overall (LOA). Because vessels used 
in the experiment would be greater than 55 ft (16.8 m) LOA, an EFP is 
necessary to conduct the experimental control treatments that call for 
the experimental gear to be deployed in the absence of paired streamer 
lines. Work will take place on two freezer-longliner vessels using 
auto-bait systems in the Pacific cod fishery in the BSAI during 2005 
and 2006, if unforeseen circumstances prohibit completion of the work 
in 2005.
    Amendments to the application approved in June 2004, include: (1) 
starting the experimental fishing a month earlier (July 15, 2005 
instead of August 15, 2005), (2) allocating

[[Page 13175]]

specified amounts of Pacific cod and bycatch species to participating 
vessels, (3) harvesting Pacific cod beyond the total allowable catch 
and acceptable biological catch amounts specified for 2005, and (4) 
exemption from improved retention/improved utilization regulations at 
Sec.  679.27.
    These levels of harvest and manner of harvest are not expected to 
have a significant impact on the marine environment, but the potential 
effects on the marine environment will be further analyzed during 
review of the application.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.6, NMFS has determined that the 
application warrants further consideration and has initiated 
consultation with the Council by forwarding the amended application to 
the Council for consultation. The Council will consider the application 
during its April 4-11, 2005 meeting which will be held at the Hilton 
Hotel in Anchorage, AK. While the applicant has been invited to appear 
in support of the application, all interested parties may comment on 
the application at the meeting during public testimony. A notice 
announcing the upcoming meeting will be published in the Federal 
Register.
    The vessels that would conduct the experimental fishing were not 
identified on the application, but would be identified on the EFP, once 
they have been selected for the project. The NMFS Regional 
Administrator may consider and attach additional terms and conditions 
to the EFP that are consistent with the purpose of the experiment. 
Public comment may help determine such conditions.
    A copy of the amended application is available for review from NMFS 
(see ADDRESSES).

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

    Dated: March 15, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-1193 Filed 3-17-05; 8:45 am]
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