[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5950-5951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2428]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT84


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 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing 
permit; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted 
fishing permit (EFP) from the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries 
Foundation, Inc. If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicants, 
with certain conditions, to collect and retain limited numbers of 
specimens that would otherwise be prohibited from possession and 
retention. This study, to be conducted in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ) of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters, is intended to 
characterize catch and bycatch within the southeastern shrimp fishery.

DATES:  Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern time, 
on March 8, 2010.

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: ``FND--
EFP''.
     Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 
263 13th 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:  Steve Branstetter, 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 two Cooperative Agreements (No. 
NA08NMF4330406 and No. NA09 NMF4540135). The research is intended to 
involve commercial 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 at 50 CFR 622, as they affect fish 
and invertebrates managed by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Councils (Councils). The EFP covers these Council-
managed species that may be taken in association with the commercial 
shrimp fishery of the southeast United States. This would include reef 
fish, red drum, coastal migratory pelagics, stone crab, and lobsters in 
the Gulf of Mexico, and snapper-grouper, coastal migratory pelagics, 
dolphin and wahoo, and lobsters in the South Atlantic. The EFP exempts 
personnel from the Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. 
(Foundation) from bag limits, size limits, quotas, seasonal 
restrictions, and gear authorizations, when possessing Council-managed 
species as part of scientific research activities during the period 
from March 1, 2010, through July 31, 2011. Specimens would be collected 
from Federal waters of the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions. 
Sampling would occur during normal fishing operations of the commercial 
penaeid shrimp fishery. Sampling would occur year-round, collecting as 
many as 500 fish during the course of the sampling. These fish would be 
retained only in the event of the need for subsequent shore-side 
identification or as documentation of quality assurance in the data 
collection process. Data collections for this study would support 
improved information about the catch, bycatch, discards, and the 
ability to reduce such bycatch for species taken by the shrimp fishery. 
These data would provide insight on a stock's resilience to fishing, 
and would help refine estimates of long-term biological productivity of 
the stocks. Currently, these data are unavailable, and it is 
anticipated project results will yield valuable data within this 
fishery.
    NMFS finds this application warrants further consideration. 
Conditions the agency will 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 
will prohibit the possession of Nassau or goliath grouper, and require 
any sea turtles taken incidentally during the course of fishing or 
scientific research

[[Page 5951]]

activities to be be handled with due care to prevent injury to live 
specimens, observed for activity, and returned to the water. All 
Foundation-associated personnel who conduct onboard sampling activities 
have undergone formal sea turtle handling training through NMFS, and 
are considered NMFS-designated agents while conducting work under the 
identified Cooperative Agreements.
    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 and South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Councils, 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: February 1, 2010.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-2428 Filed 2-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S