[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 89 (Thursday, May 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26414-26415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10593]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD265


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, Greater Atlantic 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. This EFP would allow 
commercial fishing vessels from the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's 
Alliance to possess and land barndoor skate, a prohibited species, for 
the purpose of collecting scientific data on barndoor skate and 
investigate a premium market for barndoor skate seafood products. 
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 May 23, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on Barndoor Skate EFP.''
     Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on 
Barndoor Skate EFP.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carly Bari, Fisheries Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9224, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance 
submitted a complete application for an EFP on April 11, 2014. The EFP 
would authorize 14 vessels to possess and land barndoor skate, which 
would otherwise be prohibited in accordance with 50 CFR 648.322(e)(1).
    The project entitled ``Research into life history characteristics, 
catch composition, and fishing mortality of barndoor skate (Dipturus 
laevis) in existing non-directed gillnet fisheries and initial analysis 
and development of market for barndoor skate seafood products,'' would 
allow fishermen to retain barndoor skate on their Northeast 
multispecies and monkfish fishing trips to obtain scientific data 
including where and when barndoor skates are caught, collect barndoor 
skate length, weight, and sex data, and collect fish health condition 
data. In addition, vessels would have restricted authorization to land 
barndoor skate to evaluate if a premium market can be developed for 
barndoor skate seafood products (primarily wings).
    There has been increasing evidence in the Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center trawl surveys and observed discard data that barndoor 
skate populations have been recovering. However, the stock is not yet 
rebuilt. The applicant has requested the exemption to improve the 
understanding of the barndoor skate resource, and to investigate a 
premium barndoor skate market without increasing barndoor skate 
mortality.
    Data would be collected by participating vessels using gillnet gear 
for at least 25 trips during each quarter of the fishing year. The 
study area would include the late winter/early spring fishing grounds 
in southern New England and the summer/fall fishing grounds on Georges 
Bank. All trips would take place in the following statistical areas: 
521, 526, 533, 534, 537,

[[Page 26415]]

and 541. Biological data would be collected for the first 10 barndoor 
skate caught for each net hauled, and for the first 50 barndoor skate 
caught on each trip. For each haul on a research trip, participating 
vessels would document gear characteristics, haul time, location, 
depth, air temperature, estimated total catch, catch composition, as 
well as sex, length, and weight. In addition, a health index protocol 
developed for skates would be used to characterize the health of 
barndoor skates that are caught in an attempt to improve the 
understanding of barndoor skate mortality. A technician would accompany 
some of the trips to ensure consistency and accuracy of the data 
collected.
    To evaluate a barndoor skate wing market, investigators would track 
barndoor and non-barndoor skate landings, ex-vessel price, and market 
volume on a quarterly basis. Efforts will also be made to develop or 
improve best handling practices to increase product quality and value. 
All intact barndoor skates, which have no significant visible gear-
related trauma, would be measured and returned to the water as quickly 
as possible. Barndoor skates that are brought on-board moribund or with 
moderate or extensive trauma will be retained for sale commercially. 
The applicant states that authorization to land barndoor skates that 
are in poor condition, which would otherwise be discarded, will not 
increase the overall barndoor skate mortality. Vessels would be limited 
to 500 lb (227 kg) of barndoor skate wings (approximately 1,135 lb (515 
kg) whole weight) per trip and they would need to be stored and sold 
separately from other skate products. Barndoor skates caught in excess 
of the possession limit would be discarded as soon as practicable. The 
project would be limited to a maximum weight of 168,000 lb (76.2 mt) of 
barndoor skate wing landings, an amount of barndoor skate deemed 
necessary to achieve the research objectives, while mitigating 
potential impacts to the barndoor skate resource.
    If approved, 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: May 5, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-10593 Filed 5-7-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P