[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 19 (Friday, January 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5642-5643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1999]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XM63


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: Notification of a proposal to conduct exempted 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 submitted by the Gulf of Maine Research 
Institute (GMRI), which would exempt participating vessels from Scallop 
gear restrictions, possession restrictions, Great South Channel (GSC) 
Southern New England (SNE)/Georges Bank (GB) Yellowtail Flounder Peak 
Spawning Closure restrictions, and GSC Cape Cod (CC)/Gulf of Maine 
(GOM) Yellowtail Flounder Peak Spawning Closure restrictions, should be 
issued for public comment. 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), the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP, and other Northeast Regional FMPs. However, further 
review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination 
is made.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments 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 twine-top EFP.'' Written comments may also be mailed to 
Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast

[[Page 5643]]

Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark 
the outside of the envelope, ``Comments on twine-top EFP.'' Comments 
may also be sent via facsimile (fax) to (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl McGarrity, Fishery Management 
Specialist, phone: 978-281-9174, fax: 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In response to the 2008 Atlantic Sea Scallop 
Research Set Aside (RSA) Program request for proposals, NMFS received a 
proposal from GMRI entitled, ``An evaluation of hanging ratio and mesh 
orientation of twine-tops on selectivity and bycatch in the general 
category scallop dredge fishery in scallop limited access areas.'' The 
grant was approved by NOAA Grants on July 27, 2008, as NOAA Award No. 
NA08NMF4540667. GMRI proposes to determine if changes to the dredge 
twine-top configuration on a 10.5-ft (3.2 m) general category scallop 
dredge will affect species selectivity and reduce finfish bycatch.
    Comparisons of catches will be made between panels with twine-top 
configurations of 2:1 hanging ratio, 3:1 hanging ratio with meshes 
elongated in the fore/aft direction, and 3:1 hanging ratio with meshes 
elongated laterally (perpendicular to the fore/aft direction). Research 
is to be conducted within the Elephant Trunk Access Areas (March/April 
2009) and the Great South Channel Scallop Dredge Exemption Area 
(GSCDEA) (May/June 2009). Three general category scallop vessels using 
New Bedford style scallop dredges will be given a set of the three 
twine-top configurations, and will use one configuration per day for 12 
days. It is expected that three tows per day will be completed, and 
vessels will spend 12 days in each of the two scallop access areas. The 
grant authorizes GMRI to land 14,400 lb (6,531.73 kg) of scallops each 
from the Elephant Trunk Access Area and GSCDEA (total of 28,800 lb 
(13,063.46 kg)), with the proceeds from landed scallops compensating 
participating vessel owners and defraying research costs. Vessels will 
stay within the daily landing limit of 400 lb (181.4 kg).
    This EFP would exempt participating vessels from Scallop gear 
restrictions specified at 50 CFR 648.51(b)(2), possession restrictions 
found throughout part 648, Great South Channel (GSC) Southern New 
England (SNE)/Georges Bank (GB) Yellowtail Flounder Peak Spawning 
Closure restrictions at Sec.  648.80(a)(18)(ii)(C), and GSC Cape Cod 
(CC)/Gulf of Maine (GOM) Yellowtail Flounder Peak Spawning Closure 
restrictions at Sec.  648.80(a)(18)(ii)(D).
    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. 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 minimal 
so as not to change the scope or impact of the initially approved EFP 
request.

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

    Dated: January 26, 2009.
Emily H. Menashes
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-1999 Filed 1-29-09; 8:45 am]
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