[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1021-1023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-142]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 0907241164-91415-02]
RIN 0648-AY09


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States

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

[[Page 1022]]


ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is modifying the Northeast (NE) Region experimental 
fishing regulations to authorize the NMFS NE Regional Administrator 
(RA), or the RA's designee, to issue a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to 
eligible researchers on board federally permitted fishing vessels that 
plan to temporarily possess fish in a manner not compliant with 
applicable fishing regulations for the purpose of collecting scientific 
data on catch.

DATES: This final rule is effective on February 8, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Regulatory Impact Review (RIR) are available 
upon request from Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE 
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Silva, Cooperative Research 
Liaison, phone (978) 281-9326, fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule revises portions of the NE 
Region experimental fishing regulations to authorize the NMFS NE 
Regional Administrator (RA), or the RA's designee, to issue a Letter of 
Authorization (LOA) to eligible researchers on board federally 
permitted fishing vessels that plan to temporarily possess fish in a 
manner not compliant with applicable fishing regulations for the 
purpose of collecting scientific data on catch (temporary possession 
LOA).
    NE Region fishing regulations at 50 CFR part 648 implement 
management measures for fisheries operating under 15 fishery management 
plans (FMPs). These regulations include minimum fish sizes, fish 
possession limits, and various spatial and temporal fish possession 
restrictions such as quota and area closures. Federally permitted 
fishing vessels that carry research personnel during commercial fishing 
trips for the purpose of collecting catch data before discarding 
restricted fish are currently required to obtain an EFP in order to 
conduct their sampling work. The requirement to obtain an EFP prior to 
conducting these types of sampling activities on commercial fishing 
vessels has raised several issues and concerns within the scientific 
community, the Regional Fishery Management Councils, and among NMFS 
Regional Office and Science Center staff. Due to the time necessary to 
request and obtain an EFP, these temporary possession EFPs can inhibit 
the ability of fishery researchers to opportunistically accompany 
commercial fishing vessels for the purpose of data collection. This has 
resulted in the delay and lost opportunity to conduct important fishery 
research, which negatively affects cooperative research efforts and 
increases the cost of data collection. In addition, the administrative 
burden on NMFS from processing and overseeing these routine EFPs is 
substantial.
    To mitigate these concerns, this final rule authorizes the RA, or 
the RA's designee, to issue an LOA to eligible researchers on board 
federally permitted fishing vessels that plan to temporarily possess 
for the purpose of collecting scientific data on fish that could 
otherwise not be retained under applicable fishing regulations. The RA 
will determine whether the applicant and participating vessels meet the 
eligibility criteria prior to issuing or denying a temporary possession 
LOA application.
    NMFS will maintain discretion over the vessels and researchers that 
are issued temporary exemption LOAs. To ensure effective oversight, 
eligible vessels will need to meet the requirements described below, 
and EFP oversight policies will apply to all vessels issued a temporary 
possession LOA. Any additional exemptions beyond temporary possession 
would need to be obtained through the standard EFP process.
    Only personnel from the following bodies will be eligible for a 
temporary possession LOA: Foreign government agency; U.S. Government 
agency; U.S. state or territorial agency; university (or other 
educational institution accredited by a recognized national or 
international accreditation body); international treaty organization; 
or scientific institution.
    To obtain a temporary possession LOA, an eligible applicant will be 
required to submit a complete application, similar to an EFP 
application, which contains the following information: The date of the 
application; the applicant's name, mailing address, and telephone 
number; a statement of the purposes and goals for which the LOA is 
needed; the name(s) and affiliation of the fishery research technicians 
that will be collecting the data; a statement demonstrating the 
qualifications of the research technician that will be collecting the 
data; the species (target and incidental) expected to be harvested 
under the LOA; the disposition of all regulated species harvested under 
the LOA; the approximate time(s) and place(s) fishing will take place; 
the type, size, and amount of gear to be used; and the signature of the 
applicant. In addition, for each vessel to be covered by the LOA, as 
soon as the information is available and before operations begin, the 
applicant will be required to supply the vessel operator name, the 
vessel's Federal fishing permit number, and the vessel registration or 
documentation number.

Comments and Responses

    Comment 1: There was one comment submitted in response to this 
proposed rulemaking that expressed support for reducing the 
administrative burden of EFPs on cooperative research projects in 
general.
    Response: NMFS concurs that this rule will reduce the 
administrative burden of EFPs on cooperative research program.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS 
Assistant Administrator determined that this rule is consistent with 
the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) of the NE Region, other provisions 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law, and is necessary 
to discharge the general responsibility to carry out said FMPs.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. The factual basis for the certification was published in the 
proposed rule and is not repeated here. No comments were received 
regarding this certification. As a result, a regulatory flexibility 
analysis was not required and none was prepared.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648

    Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: January 4, 2010
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator For Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

0
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 648 is amended as 
follows:

PART 648--FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

0
1. The authority citation for part 648 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 
0
16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
0
2. In Sec.  648.12, paragraph (d) is added to read as follows:

[[Page 1023]]

Sec.  648.12  Experimental fishing.

* * * * *
    (d) Temporary possession letter of authorization (LOA): The 
Regional Administrator (RA), or the RA's designee, may issue an LOA to 
eligible researchers on board federally permitted fishing vessels on 
which species of fish that otherwise could not be legally retained 
would be possessed temporarily for the purpose of collecting catch 
data. Under this authorization, such species of fish could be retained 
temporarily for data collection purposes, but shall be discarded as 
soon as practicable following data collection.
    (1) Eligible activities. An LOA may be issued by the RA, or the 
RA's designee, to temporarily exempt a vessel, on which a qualified 
fishery research technician is collecting catch data, from the 
following types of fishery regulations: Minimum fish size restrictions; 
fish possession limits; species quota closures; prohibited fish 
species, not including species protected under the Endangered Species 
Act; and gear-specific fish possession restrictions.
    (2) Eligibility criteria. Only personnel from the following bodies 
are eligible for a temporary possession LOA: Foreign government agency; 
U.S. Government agency; U.S. state or territorial agency; university 
(or other educational institution accredited by a recognized national 
or international accreditation body); international treaty 
organization; or scientific institution.
    (3) Application requirements. To obtain a temporary possession LOA, 
an eligible applicant, as defined under paragraph (d)(2) of this 
section, is required to submit a complete application, which must 
contain the following information: The date of the application; the 
applicant's name, mailing address, and telephone number; a statement of 
the purposes and goals for which the LOA is needed; the name(s) and 
affiliation of the fishery research technicians will collect the data; 
a statement demonstrating the qualifications of the research technician 
that will collect the data; the species (target and incidental) 
expected to be harvested under the LOA; the proposed disposition of all 
regulated species harvested under the LOA; the approximate time(s) and 
place(s) fishing will take place; the type, size, and amount of gear to 
be used; and the signature of the applicant. In addition, for each 
vessel to be covered by the LOA, as soon as the information is 
available and before operations begin, the applicant is required to 
supply to NMFS the vessel operator name, the vessel's Federal fishing 
permit number, and the vessel registration or documentation number.
[FR Doc. 2010-142 Filed 1-7-10; 8:45 am]
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