[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41987-41988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16993]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD343


Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management 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: We are considering issuing an Exempted Fishing Permit to allow 
the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation to continue to explore the 
use of several data recording devices in an industry-based study that 
would effectively relay more accurate, detailed, and timely American 
lobster data to fisheries managers and scientists. The Commercial 
Fisheries Research Foundation is also proposing to use vent-less traps 
in order to determine the abundance and distribution of juvenile 
American lobsters in Lobster Management Areas 2 and 3.
    The Exempted Fishing Permit renewal application is complete and 
further consideration of the application is warranted per Sec.  
600.745, and the activities authorized under the Exempted Fishing 
Permit would be consistent with the goals and objectives of the 
Interstate Fisheries Management

[[Page 41988]]

Plan for American lobster. 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 Exempted Fishing Permits.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 4, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this notice may be submitted by email. The 
mailbox address for providing email comments is [email protected]. 
Include in the subject line ``Comments on CFRF Lobster EFP.''
    Written comments should be sent to: 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 CFRF Lobster EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Jacob, Environmental Technician, 
978-281-9180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation 
(CFRF) submitted a complete application for a 1-year renewal to an 
existing Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on May 15, 2014. To conduct its 
research on the abundance and distribution of juvenile American lobster 
in Lobster Management Areas (LMAs) 2 and 3, the CFRF is requesting 
exemptions from the following Federal lobster regulations: (1) Gear 
specifications to allow for closed escape vents, as prohibited in Sec.  
697.21(c); (2) trap limits to be exceeded by 3 additional traps per 
fishing vessel, for a total of 36 additional traps, as prohibited in 
Sec.  697.19(a)(2) for LMA 2, and Sec.  697.19(b)(5) for LMA 3; and (3) 
trap tag requirements, as specified in Sec.  697.19(f). This study 
would utilize 12 Federal commercial fishing vessels; 6 vessels in each 
of the 2 management areas. One additional vessel would operate as an 
alternate vessel, so there would only be 12 active vessels at any given 
time. Sampling would take place in the following statistical areas: 464 
(Area 3 region); 512 (Area 3 region); 515; 525; 526; 537; 538; 539; 
561; 562; and 616.
    Funding for this study will be provided through NOAA grant 
NA09NMF4720414, as part of the Southern New England Collaborative 
Research Initiative Program (SNECRI). One of the main objectives of the 
SNECRI is to improve collection and management of fishery-dependent 
data. This study would attempt to achieve this goal.
    The study would take place during regular fishing activity, and 
sampling would take place on each vessel in Area 2 once per week during 
scheduled fishing trips, and once every 10 days in Area 3 during 
scheduled fishing trips. If an EFP is granted, there would be an 
additional 36 modified traps in the water during any given time, for a 
period of one year. Each participating vessel would have up to three 
modified traps attached to a regular trap trawl, to be hauled every 6 
to 9 days. The addition of 36 modified traps would increase the total 
number of traps in the fishery by 0.003 percent.
    Modifications to a conventional lobster trap would include a closed 
escape vent, single parlor, smaller mesh size, and smaller entrance 
head. These modified traps would be attached to one, two, or three 
randomly selected trap trawl(s) during regular fishing operations. 
Lobsters retrieved from these modified traps would remain onboard for a 
short period of time to allow for sampling, after which they would be 
returned to the water.
    Biological information will be collected on both kept and discarded 
lobsters, including: Carapace length; sexual determination; and 
presence of eggs, v-notches, and shell disease. For every trap trawl 
hauled during a designated sampling trip, commercial fishermen would be 
expected to sample 100 lobsters, or 20 traps if there are less than 100 
lobsters to sample in a randomly chosen trap trawl. This study would 
use several recording devices, including onboard electronic calipers 
for length measurements, video cameras, and waterproof tablets. Data 
will be recorded using waterproof tablets, and the information will be 
uploaded using wireless internet connection once the vessel returns to 
port.
    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: July 15, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-16993 Filed 7-17-14; 8:45 am]
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