[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11326-11327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4464]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022807C]


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

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

ACTION: Notice; 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 from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) for 
an exemption from Gulf of Maine (GOM) Rolling Closure Areas III and IV 
requirements of the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP), for the purpose of designing and testing a raised footrope 
haddock trawl, contains all of the required information and warrants 
further consideration. The EFP is intended to facilitate research that 
would lead to the development of a viable alternative to traditional 
fishing gear for landing haddock, while minimizing the impact on 
species of concern and other bycatch. 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 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 issue an EFP that would allow vessels to conduct fishing 
operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing 
the fisheries of the Northeastern United States.

[[Page 11327]]

    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 must be received on or before April 12, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this notice 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 comment the following 
document identifier: ``Comments on UNH Raised Footrope Trawl (DA7-
012).'' 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 
UNH Raised Footrope Trawl (DA7-012).'' Comments may also be sent via 
facsimile (fax) to (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Moira Kelly, Fishery Management 
Specialist, phone: 978-281-9218, fax: 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A complete application for an EFP was 
submitted on January 5, 2007, by Dr. Pingguo He of the University of 
New Hampshire (UNH). This project is funded by the Northeast 
Consortium.
    The project would be used to study the effectiveness of a raised 
footrope trawl in retaining haddock while excluding Atlantic cod and 
flounders, and comparing catch composition to a standard groundfish 
trawl. The intent is for this project to take place between May and 
June 2007, in GOM Rolling Closure Areas III and IV, when the researcher 
believes that the best mix of haddock, Atlantic cod, and flounders 
would be present. As a result, UNH has requested an exemption from the 
requirements of the GOM Rolling Closure Areas III and IV which would 
otherwise be closed. Undersized, or otherwise protected fish, would not 
be retained or landed. Legal sized fish would be landed and sold under 
a normal NE multispecies day-at-sea and other applicable regulations. 
The researcher anticipates that the overall fishing mortality of the 
experimental trawl would be approximately 30 percent of an average 
commercial fishing trawl.
    Two vessels, working with UNH, would be involved in this research. 
The vessels would make alternating tows consisting of towing the raised 
footrope trawl and subsequently towing the same trawl with the footrope 
tied down to the sweep, as is standard practice. The researcher 
estimates that the two vessels would perform two 1-hour tows with the 
standard net and two 1-hour tows with the experimental net, daily, over 
25 fishing days, for a project total of 50 standard tows and 50 
experimental tows. Overall, the total expected catch from both the 
experimental and commercial trawls would be:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        CATCH     CATCH
                       SPECIES                          (LB)      (KG)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atlantic Cod                                            5,000     2,268
Atlantic Haddock                                       10,000     4,563
American Plaice                                         2,500     1,134
Yellowtail Flounder                                       250       113
Winter Flounder                                           500       227
Witch Flounder                                          1,250       567
Hake                                                      500       227
Pollock                                                10,000     4,563
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The applicant may place requests for minor modifications and 
extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and 
extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed 
essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and result 
in only a minimal change in the scope or impact of the initially 
approved EFP request.
    In accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-6, a Categorical 
Exclusion or other appropriate NEPA document would be completed prior 
to the issuance of the EFP. Further review and consultation may be 
necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. After 
publication of this document in the Federal Register, the EFP, if 
approved, may become effective following the public comment period.

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

    Dated: March 7, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-4464 Filed 3-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S