[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19749-19750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8447]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA290


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Extension of 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 two requests for extensions 
to exempted fishing permits (EFPs) contain all of the required 
information and warrant further consideration. The Assistant Regional 
Administrator previously made a determination that the activities 
authorized under the initial EFPs, issued on June 17, 2010, are 
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 grant extensions to 
the original EFPs. The EFP extensions would enable vessels to harvest 
monkfish granted through the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, 
and grants exemptions from the monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) possession 
limit in the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA). The EFP issued to 
the gillnet tie-down study also exempts vessels from the monkfish 
minimum fish size limits for research purposes only.
    NMFS is soliciting comment from interested parties on these EFP 
extension requests.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 25, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on GMRI Monkfish RSA EFP Extensions.''
     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 GMRI Monkfish RSA EFP 
Extensions.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 22, 2011, the Gulf of Maine 
Research Institute (GMRI) requested an extension to EFPs issued to GMRI 
in support of two projects funded under the 2010 Monkfish RSA Program. 
The EFPs authorize vessels to conduct compensation fishing in the SFMA 
using 2010 monkfish RSA DAS and to temporarily retain undersize 
monkfish for data collection purposes. The applicant requests an 
extension because the participating vessels were unable to use all of 
their allocated RSA DAS awarded to GMRI for the 2010 fishing year (FY). 
GMRI states the vessels were unable to use all of their RSA DAS because 
the EFPs were not issued until June 17, 2010, and the fishermen thereby 
missed the peak of the spring fishing season. Additionally, the fall 
monkfish fishery was less productive than expected because of skate 
bycatch issues. As a result, fishermen used fewer 2010 monkfish RSA DAS 
than expected. In addition to compensation fishing, research would be 
ongoing and, therefore, the previously authorized exemption from 
monkfish minimum size limits for the gillnet tie-down project would be 
extended as well. The scope and scale of the original exemptions will 
not change. Regulations at 50 CFR 648.92(c)(i)(v) allow unused monkfish 
RSA DAS to carry-over into the following FY.
    The tagging project was awarded 313 monkfish DAS under the 2010 
Monkfish RSA Program, with a total landings cap of 1,126,800 lb 
(511,108 kg) of whole monkfish. Compensation fishing would be extended 
through the 2011 FY until the cumulative monkfish RSA landings for this 
project in FYs 2010 and 2011 reach 1,126,800 lb (511,108 kg) of whole 
monkfish (equivalent), or until the awarded 2010 DAS have been fully 
utilized, whichever occurs first. The tie-down project was awarded 162 
monkfish DAS under the 2010 Monkfish RSA Program, with a total landings 
cap of 583,200 lb (264,535 kg) of whole monkfish. Compensation fishing 
would be extended through the 2011 FY until the cumulative monkfish RSA 
landings for this project in FYs 2010 and 2011 reach 583,200 lb 
(264,535 kg) of whole monkfish (equivalent), or until the awarded 2010 
DAS have been fully utilized, whichever occurs first. This would extend 
the expiration date of the EFPs from April 30, 2011, to April 30, 2012. 
No further extensions to these EFPs would be made. Additionally, NMFS 
is considering imposing a cap on monkfish DAS possession limit 
exemptions for vessels operating under the monkfish RSA program due to

[[Page 19750]]

potential effects that such exemptions may have on monkfish catch rates 
for non-RSA vessels.
    A detailed description of the initial EFP proposals were provided 
in previous Federal Register notices (April 16, 2010, 75 FR 19938) and 
is not repeated here. The applicant may request minor modifications to 
the EFPs throughout the year. EFP modifications 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 requests. Any fishing 
activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity 
would be prohibited.

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

    Dated: April 4, 2011.
Margo Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-8447 Filed 4-7-11; 8:45 am]
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