[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 57 (Friday, March 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15295-15296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1300]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121603A]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; Correction

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

ACTION: Notice; correction.

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SUMMARY: On September 27, 2004, NMFS announced that the Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NOAA Fisheries (Assistant 
Regional Administrator) was proposing to issue Exempted Fishing Permits 
(EFPs) in response to an application submitted by the University of 
Rhode Island, Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science 
(URI). These EFPs would allow three commercial fishing vessels to 
conduct a bycatch reduction study in the directed haddock bottom trawl 
fishery, using side-by-side tows to compare the control net with one 
experimental large-mesh net. The Federal Register notification 
announcing these EFPs had an incorrect end date of November 2005. This 
notice is intended to inform the public that the corrected end date is 
December 2005.

DATES: Written comments on this action must be received on or before 
April 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this notice may be submitted by e-mail to: 
[email protected]. Written comments may also be sent to: Patricia A. 
Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional Office One Blackburn 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope 
``Comments on Bycatch EFP Proposal.'' Or, comments may be sent via fax 
to: 978-281-9135.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 27, 2004 (69 FR 57676), NMFS published notification in 
the Federal Register announcing the receipt of an application for an 
EFP to conduct a study to determine if an experimental trawl gear would 
achieve a reduction in cod bycatch significant enough to warrant 
consideration as a Special Access Program (SAP) under provisions in 
Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP). The Federal Register notice indicated the end date for the study 
would be November 2005. The 15-day comment period on the proposed EFP 
closed on October 12, 2004, and NMFS recently issued EFPs to the 
applicant that indicated that the study would be concluded on November 
30, 2005. Upon receipt of the EFPs, the applicant informed NMFS that an 
incorrect end date was cited in the EFP and the Federal Register 
notice. This notification corrects the end date to read December 2005.

[[Page 15296]]

    An Environmental Assessment (EA) was originally prepared for the 
proposed study that analyzed the impacts of the proposed experimental 
fishery on the human environment. The EA analyzed the impacts of the 
proposed experimental fishery on the human environment including the 
month of December. The EA concluded that the activities proposed to be 
conducted under the requested EFPs are consistent with the goals and 
objectives of the FMP, would not be detrimental to the well-being of 
any stocks of fish harvested, and would have no significant 
environmental impacts. The EA also concluded that the experimental 
fishery would not be detrimental to essential fish habitat, marine 
mammals, or protected species. The ``Finding of No Significant Impact'' 
contained in the EA was signed by the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries on March 8, 2005.
    Through this notice, NMFS informs the public that the end date 
contained in the September 27, 2004, Federal Register notification (69 
FR 57676) contained an error. The document should have identified the 
end date as December 2005. NMFS also informs the public that NMFS 
intends to re-issue EFPs containing the correct end date. However, 
because the original Federal Register document contained the incorrect 
end date that may have caused confusion, NMFS is inviting comments on 
the revision to the EFPs. Should NMFS receive substantive comments on 
EFPs, NMFS may reconsider whether issuance of, modification to, or 
rescission of the EFPs would be appropriate.
    Therefore, on page 57676, column 3, last full paragraph, the end 
date provided in the sixth line remove ``November 2005'' and in its 
place insert ``December 2005''.

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

    Dated: March 21, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-1300 Filed 3-24-05; 8:45 am]
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