[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5815-5816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1478]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 013106A]


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

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

ACTION: Notification of a proposal for Exempted Fishing Permits to 
conduct experimental fishing; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator), 
has made a preliminary determination that the subject Exempted Fishing 
Permit (EFP) application contains all the required information and 
warrants further consideration. The Assistant 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 Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). 
However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a 
final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces 
that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to recommend an EFP 
be issued that would allow vessels to conduct fishing operations that 
are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing the fisheries of 
the Northeastern United States. This EFP would exempt participating 
vessels from the 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) sea scallop access area 
possession limit. 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 February 
21, 2006.

ADDRESSES: 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 the Standardized Sea Scallop Bag EFP Proposal.'' Comments 
may also be sent via e-mail to [email protected] or by fax to (978) 
281-9135.

[[Page 5816]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Silva, Fishery Management 
Specialist, phone 978-281-9326.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamessett Farm submitted an application 
for an EFP on December 27, 2005, for an experiment funded by the Sea 
Scallop Research Set Aside Program. The experiment would investigate 
whether requiring vessels to land scallops in a standardized scallop 
bag would be a viable method of determining compliance with the Sea 
Scallop Access Area possession limit. This EFP is requested to allow 
vessels testing a standardized scallop bag to exceed Sea Scallop Access 
Area possession limits, which are currently set at 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) 
(see 50 CFR 648.60(a)(5)). While the standardized scallop bag will be 
used in numbers intended to achieve the 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) possession 
limit, it is possible that on some experimental trips the use of the 
standardized bag will result in a landings in excess of 18,000 lb 
(8,165 kg). To test the standardized bag, Coonamessett Farm proposes to 
conduct 24 sea scallop access area trips. Prior to departure, each 
vessel will be issued a number of bags and required to land its catch 
of scallops in them. The catch from each trip will be examined to 
determine if a standardized bag can be used to achieve the 18,000 lb 
(8,165 kg) possession limit. The 24 trips will occur throughout the 
Access Area open seasons in the Georges Bank Access Areas and the 
Hudson Canyon Access Area. The specific design and construction of the 
standardized scallop bag will be determined prior to the issuance of 
the EFPs.

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

    Dated: January 31, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-1478 Filed 2-2-06; 8:45 am]
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