[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5951-5952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2429]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT85


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico

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.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted 
fishing permit (EFP) from Mr. Thomas Haugen. If granted, the EFP would 
authorize the applicant, with certain conditions, to harvest legal-
sized fish with unauthorized fishing gear under his commercial reef 
fish permit and individual fishing quota allocation for one year when 
testing his size-selective fishing gear called an excluding fishing 
device (EFD). This study is intended to provide detailed information 
and disposition of reef fish caught by Mr. Haugen's size-selective 
fishing device and its affect on minimizing bycatch.

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: ``Haugen--
EFP''.
     Mail: Peter Hood, 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:  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 proposed gear testing involves activities otherwise prohibited 
by regulations implementing the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef 
Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. The applicant requires 
authorization to harvest fish with unauthorized fishing gear under his 
commercial reef fish permit and individual fishing quota (IFQ) 
allocation for one year while testing his EFD. Testing would occur in 
Federal waters off the west coast of Florida, in two geographical 
areas. The northern area is bounded by rhumb lines connecting, in 
order, the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     North        West
                     Point                         latitude    longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A                                                29[deg]05'00  84[deg]47
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B                                                28[deg]42'30  84[deg]24
                                                          ''   '50''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C                                                28[deg]42'30  84[deg]16
                                                          ''   '20''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
D                                                28[deg]11'00  84[deg]00
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
E                                                28[deg]10'00  83[deg]45
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
F                                                28[deg]10'00  83[deg]14
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G                                                29[deg]37'00  84[deg]00
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
H                                                29[deg]35'00  84[deg]38
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The southern area is bounded by rhumb lines connecting, in order, 
the following points:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     North        West
                     Point                         latitude    longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A                                                26[deg]26'00  82[deg]59
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B                                                26[deg]26'00  82[deg]29
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C                                                25[deg]15'00  82[deg]02
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
D                                                24[deg]48'00  82[deg]06
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
E                                                24[deg]45'00  82[deg]42
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
F                                                24[deg]48'00  82[deg]48
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
G                                                25[deg]07'30  82[deg]34
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------
H                                                26[deg]26'00  82[deg]59
                                                          ''   '00''
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The gear proposed to be tested is similar to a fish trap but has an 
adjustable entrance and exit. It would be tested under an experimental 
design developed with input from NMFS' Southeast Fisheries Science 
Center. The gear initially would be fished in conjunction with 
traditional fish traps to determine the size selectivity and bycatch 
reduction offered by EFD. If shown effective, the EFDs would be used 
exclusively for the remainder of the year to test what affect further 
modifications to the gear would have on catch.
    Bycatch and regulatory discards are persistent problems in the Gulf 
of Mexico reef fish fishery. This is particularly important for grouper 
caught by the commercial sector as stated by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council in their Amendment 32 to the Fishery Management Plan 
for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. Even though grouper 
are managed under an IFQ program, potential reductions in the gag 
allowable biological catch could impinge upon the harvest of red 
grouper due to gag bycatch. Providing fishermen with a method to target 
one species over another would allow them to maximize their economic 
return from fishing while reducing bycatch and regulatory discards.
    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 
requires 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

[[Page 5952]]

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: February 1, 2010.
 Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-2429 Filed 2-4-10; 8:45 am]
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