[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 221 (Thursday, November 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66751-66752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19394]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 101706B]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper and Grouper Off the Southern Atlantic States

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 the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries 
Foundation, Inc. If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicants, 
with certain conditions, to collect limited numbers of undersized and 
out-of-season snapper and grouper in South Atlantic Federal waters. 
This study is intended to characterize catch and discard mortality 
within the South Atlantic commercial hook and line snapper-grouper 
fishery.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on 
December 18, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the application by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: ``FND--
EFP''.
     Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 
263 13\th\ Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
     Fax: 727-824-5308.
    The application and related documents are available for review upon 
written request to any of the above addresses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Branstetter, 727-824-5305; fax: 
727-824-5308; 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.
    The described research is part of a Cooperative Research Program 
Grant (Cooperative Agreement No. NA06NMF4540059). The Cooperative 
Research Program is a means of involving commercial and/or recreational 
fishermen in the collection of fundamental fisheries information. 
Resource collection efforts support the development and evaluation of 
fisheries management and regulatory options.
    The proposed collection for scientific research involves activities 
otherwise prohibited by regulations implementing the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. The 
applicants require authorization to harvest and possess undersized and 
out-of-season snapper and grouper for scientific research

[[Page 66752]]

activities during the period from November 1, 2006, through May 31, 
2008. Specimens would be collected from Federal waters off the east 
coast of Florida and Federal waters off the coasts of Georgia, South 
Carolina, and North Carolina. Sampling would occur during normal 
fishing operations of the commercial snapper-grouper vertical hook-and-
line fishery. Sampling would occur year-round, collecting up to 500 
fish during the course of the sampling. Data collections for this study 
would support improved information about the catch, bycatch, discards, 
and discard mortality for species in the snapper-grouper complex. These 
data would provide insight on a stock's resilience to fishing, and 
would help refine estimates of long-term biological productivity of the 
stocks. Currently, these data are unavailable, and it is anticipated 
project results would yield valuable data within this fishery.
    NMFS finds 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, a prohibition of conducting 
research within marine protected areas, marine sanctuaries, or special 
management zones, without additional authorization. Additionally, NMFS 
may prohibit the possession of Nassau or goliath grouper, and require 
any sea turtles taken incidentally during the course of fishing or 
scientific research activities to be handled with due care to prevent 
injury to live specimens, observed for activity, and returned to the 
water. 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 South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and a determination that it is 
consistent with all applicable laws.

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

    Dated: November 9, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-19394 Filed 11-15-06; 8:45 am]
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