[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16613-16614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7020]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA261


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

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

ACTION: Notice; 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 an Exempted Fishing Permit 
(EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants 
further consideration, and that the activities authorized under this 
EFP would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Monkfish 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation 
may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue an EFP. 
This would grant exemptions from monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) possession 
limits.
    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.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 8, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on UMES Monkfish RSA EFP.''
     Mail: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE 
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark 
the outside of the envelope ``Comments on UMES monkfish RSA EFP.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Berthiaume, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9177.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An application for an EFP was submitted by 
the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) on February 18, 2011, 
in support of a project preliminarily selected under the New England 
and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils' Monkfish RSA Program. The 
project proposes to investigate the influence of temperature on 
monkfish distribution and abundance. This EFP would grant an exemption 
from monkfish possession limits to facilitate compensation fishing to 
fund this research project. While conducting RSA compensation trips, 
participating vessels would use gillnets that are 12-inch (30.5 cm) 
stretch mesh with a 3.5-inch (30.5 cm) diameter gauge web that is 12 
meshes deep. The nets do not exceed 300 ft (91.4 m) in length. Average 
soak times differ between vessels, with a range of 36 to 72 hours. Each 
vessel would receive two temperature and depth loggers to attach to 
gillnets during RSA compensation fishing trips. The loggers would 
collect temperature and depth at intervals of 1 hour, and would be 
downloaded approximately every 2 months. Catch data (number and size of 
monkfish) from panels with probes would be recorded by collaborating 
fishermen, along with information on location, depth fished, water 
currents, and lunar cycle. UMES plans to collect histological samples 
on board the fishing vessels from a subset of trips for analysis of 
reproductive condition. Weights and length measurements would be taken 
each trip from a minimum of 25 randomly selected monkfish from the nets 
with attached temperature probes to gain information about fish 
distribution.
    Compensation fishing for this research would occur from May 2011 
through April 2012, with a possible extension through April 2013, as 
authorized by the Monkfish FMP and 50 CFR 648.92(c)(1)(v). Pending a 
final award by NOAA Grants, UMES has been awarded 96 monkfish DAS under 
the Monkfish RSA Program. To facilitate compensation fishing, the 
applicant has requested exemptions from monkfish DAS possession limits 
at Sec. Sec.  648.94(b)(1) and (2). The applicant has stated that these 
exemptions would provide vessels the flexibility they need to generate 
sufficient income to meet projected

[[Page 16614]]

costs of the research activity, while minimizing operating expenses. 
Based on the preliminary award of 96 DAS and projected monkfish catch 
rates, this would allow a total catch of 345,600 lb (156,762 kg) of 
whole monkfish (104,097 lb (47,218 kg) tail weight). Operating under 
this total landings cap, compensation fishing would continue until the 
goal of 345,600 lb (156,762 kg) of whole monkfish is caught, or until 
the awarded DAS have been fully utilized, whichever occurs first. Aside 
from these exemptions, fishing activity would be conducted under normal 
commercial practices. NMFS is considering imposing a cap on monkfish 
DAS possession limit exemptions for vessels operating under the 
monkfish RSA program due to potential effect that such exemptions may 
have on monkfish market price and catch rates for non-RSA vessels.
    The applicant may request 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 have minimal impacts 
that do not change the scope or impact of the initially approved EFP 
request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the 
exempted fishing activity would be prohibited.

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

    Dated: March 21, 2011.
Margo Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-7020 Filed 3-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P