[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 201 (Thursday, October 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61396-61397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24541]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XL03


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

[[Page 61397]]

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 Fishermen's Association. If granted, 
the EFP would authorize the applicants, with certain conditions, to 
collect limited numbers of undersized and out-of-season reef fish in 
Gulf of Mexico Federal waters. It would also allow a limited number of 
red snapper to be collected outside the Gulf of Mexico Individual 
Fishing Quota (IFQ) program. This study is intended to provide detailed 
information and disposition of reef fish discards by the eastern Gulf 
of Mexico commercial reef fish fishery.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on 
November 17, 2008.

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: ``GFA--EFP''.
     Mail: Peter Hood, 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: Peter Hood, 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. NA08NMF4540401). The Cooperative 
Research Program is a means of involving commercial and 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 Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. The applicants 
require authorization to harvest and possess undersized and out-of-
season snapper and grouper for scientific research activities during a 
1-year period beginning late in 2008. It would also allow the 
applicants to land red snapper outside of the current IFQ program over 
this same time period. Specimens would be collected from Federal waters 
off the west coast of Florida, in three geographical areas: NMFS' Gulf 
of Mexico statistical grids 2-4, 5-7, and 8-10. Sampling would occur 
during normal fishing operations of the commercial reef fish longline 
and vertical hook-and-line fishery. The applicant intends to use 10 
longline and 10 vertical hook-and-line gear vessels to randomly collect 
up to 300 reef fish from each of the three geographical areas. The 
applicant also intends to retain 100 percent of the catch during two 
fishing trips within each of three geographical areas. Fish from these 
portions of the study will be provided to NMFS personnel for length and 
life history information to better characterize the discards in the 
commercial fishery. Finally, the applicants will use logbooks and video 
monitors to test methods for real-time catch reporting and at-sea 
observation. Data collections for this study would support improved 
information about the catch, bycatch, discards, and discard mortality 
for reef fish species.
    Accurate estimates of bycatch and the level of discards is a 
persistent problem for assessing Gulf of Mexico reef fish stocks. Using 
fisheries dependant data accompanied by independent video monitoring 
would help establish reliability of current bycatch information and 
provide a higher level of confidence from various constituents 
interested in this fishery. Additionally, this information would assist 
fishery managers in developing more effective regulations to reduce 
bycatch and discard mortality.
    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 Gulf of Mexico 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: October 9, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-24541 Filed 10-15-08; 8:45 am]
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