[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 11398]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04355]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD739


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Application for an Exempted Fishing 
Permit (EFP)

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

ACTION: Notice; receipt of EFP applications; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an exempted fishing permit (EFP) 
application for 2015 and 2016 that would continue work done in 2013 and 
2014, and is considering issuance of EFPs for vessels participating in 
the EFP fishery. The EFPs are necessary to allow activities that are 
otherwise prohibited by Federal regulations. The EFPs would be 
effective no earlier than March 18, 2015, and would expire no later 
than December 31, 2016, but could be terminated earlier under terms and 
conditions of the EFPs and other applicable laws.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., local time on 
March 18, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-XD739, by any 
one of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 206-526-6736, Attn: Colby Brady.
     Mail: William W. Stelle, Regional Administrator, West 
Coast Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-0070, 
Attn: Colby Brady.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Brady (West Coast Region, NMFS), 
phone: 206-526-6117, fax: 206-526-6736.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by the Pacific 
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act provisions at 50 CFR 600.745, 
which states that EFPs may be used to authorize fishing activities that 
would otherwise be prohibited. At the June 2014 Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) meeting in Garden Grove, CA, the Council 
considered an EFP application from the San Francisco Community Fishing 
Association and Dan Platt. An opportunity for public testimony was 
provided during the Council meeting. For more details on this EFP 
application and to view a copy of the application, see the Council's 
Web site at www.pcouncil.org and browse the June 2014 Briefing Book. 
The Council recommended that NMFS consider issuing the following EFP, 
and that this EFP be issued for 2 years. The 2-year duration is 
intended to coincide with the 2015-2016 biennial harvest specifications 
and management measures process. Therefore, to reduce the 
administrative burden of issuing annual EFPs during the 2-year 
management cycle, NMFS is considering issuing the EFP described below 
for a 2-year period. The EFP issued for this 2-year period would expire 
no later than December 31, 2016, but could be terminated earlier under 
terms and conditions of the EFP and other applicable laws.

Commercial Yellowtail EFP

    The San Francisco Community Fishing Association and Dan Platt 
submitted an application to continue their 2013-2014 EFP work for two 
more years. The primary purpose of the EFP is to test a commercial hook 
and line gear to target underutilized yellowtail rockfish, while 
keeping bycatch of overfished species low. During their work in 2013 
and 2014, a total of approximately 3.6 mt (3,600 kg) of yellowtail 
rockfish was harvested with very little bycatch of co-occurring 
overfished species.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 
16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.

    Dated: February 25, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-04355 Filed 3-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P