[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 123 (Monday, June 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31009-31010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15190]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XP83


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

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 31010]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, has made a 
preliminary determination that an application for an Exempted Fishing 
Permit (EFP) warrants further consideration. The application was 
submitted by members of the Pacific sardine fishing industry and 
requests an exemption from commercial quotas in order to conduct a 
survey to obtain a estimate of the population of Pacific sardine. NMFS 
requests public comment on the application.

DATES: Comments must be received by July 14, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this notice identified by 0648-
XP83 by any one of the following methods:
     Mail: Rodney R. McInnis, Regional Administrator, Southwest 
Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802.
     Fax: (562) 980-4047, Att: Joshua Lindsay

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the application can viewed 
on the Pacific Fishery Management Council's website at http://www.pcouncil.org/cps/cpsefp.html; or contact Joshua Lindsay, Southwest 
Region, NMFS, (562) 980-4034.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 20, 2009, NMFS published a final 
rule implementing the harvest guideline (HG) and annual specifications 
for the 2009 Pacific sardine fishing season off the U.S. West Coast (74 
FR 7826). These specifications and associated management measures were 
based on recommendations adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) at their November 2008 public meeting in San Diego, 
California (73 FR 60680). As part of these management measures the 
Council recommended, and NMFS approved, that 1,200 metric tons (mt) of 
the available acceptable biological catch (ABC) be initially subtracted 
from the ABC and reserved for a potential industry-based research 
project. This 1,200 mt set-aside was intended to allow research 
fishing, that had been proposed for the second seasonal period (July 1-
September 15, 2009), to continue if that period's allocation is reached 
and directed fishing is closed. Members of the Pacific sardine fishing 
industry requested this separate allocation so that they could conduct 
research fishing activities after fishing is closed because of foreseen 
difficulties in attempting to have vessels fish for the purposes of 
research during the normal fishing season.
    At the March 2009 Council meeting, the Council reviewed two 
industry research/EFP proposals to allow access to the 1,200 mt set-
aside. Both proposals went forward for public comment with the 
recommendation from the Council that the proposals be combined to 
create a single EFP application to be reviewed at the June 2009 Council 
meeting. After hearing the research proposals and public comment, the 
Council also recommended, and NMFS issued a Federal Register notice 
proposing, that the original 1200 mt set-aside be increased to 2400 mt 
(74 FR 20897).
    Sardine industry representatives and scientists have since 
collaborated on a single proposal and on June 16, 2009, the Council 
made a final recommendation to NMFS to approve and implement this 
single EFP application. The goal set forth in the EFP application is 
the development of an index of biomass for Pacific sardine, with the 
desire that this index be included in the next Pacific sardine stock 
assessment. If NMFS decides not to issue this EFP, then the set-aside 
will be re-allocated to the third period's directed harvest allocation.

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

    Dated: June 22, 2009.
Kristen C. Koch
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15190 Filed 6-26-09; 8:45 am]
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