[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 80 (Monday, April 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23258-23259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09649]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD883


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,

[[Page 23259]]

Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination 
that two Exempted Fishing Permit applications contain all of the 
required information and warrant further consideration. These Exempted 
Fishing Permits would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish outside 
of the limited access scallop regulations in support of research 
conducted by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation. The Exempted Fishing 
Permits would exempt participating vessels from the crew size 
restriction; and possession limits and minimum size requirements for 
sampling purposes only. These exemptions are in support of research 
conducted on trips to test gear modifications for bycatch reduction in 
the scallop dredge fishery.
    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 May 12, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``CFF Research Sampling 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 
CFF Research Sampling EFP.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fisheries Management 
Specialist, 978-282-8456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Five proposals submitted by the Coonamesset 
Farm Foundation (CFF) have been favorably reviewed and are pending 
final approval by NOAA's Grants Management Division under the 2015 
Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, including one in 
support of a project titled, ``Determining the Impacts of Dredge Bag 
Modifications on Flatfish Bycatch in the LAGC Scallop Fishery.'' All 
grants would include RSA Compensation fishing trips to harvest the set-
aside award in order to procure the necessary funds for completing the 
research.
    CFF submitted two complete applications for EFPs on March 24, 2015, 
and March 25, 2015, to enable data collection activities during 
research and compensation fishing trips associated with the five 
Scallop RSA projects, which include allowing seven commercial fishing 
vessels to exceed the crew size regulations at 50 CFR 648.51(c) in 
order to place a researcher on the vessel, and temporarily exempt the 
participating vessels from possession limits and minimum size 
requirements specified in 50 CFR part 648, subsections B and D through 
O, for sampling purposes only. Any fishing activity conducted outside 
the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited, 
including landing fish in excess of a possession limit or below the 
minimum size.
    Experimental fishing activity conducted on both the research 
project and the compensation fishing trips would test gear 
modifications that adhere to current scallop gear regulations in an 
attempt to reduce finfish bycatch in the dredge fishery. Gear 
modifications that would be tested include the use of alternative 
materials for shoes, the use of lights or cameras mounted to the dredge 
frame, and replacing the skirt with two rows of 12-inch (30.48-cm) 
square mesh. It would also include modifying the twine top by placing 
rows of 12-inch (30.48-cm) square mesh forward of, but not overlapping 
the remainder rows of 10-inch (25.40-cm) diamond mesh. All trips would 
take place in scallop fishing areas open to the entire Atlantic sea 
scallop fishery.
    Exemption from crew size limits is needed because a research 
technician would accompany vessels on some of the compensation fishing 
trips to collect catch data associated with different dredge 
modifications. The crew size exemption would be for approximately 30 
DAS per EFP. The additional crew would only be in support of data 
collection activities, and would not process catch to be landed for 
sale. Exemption from possession limit and minimum sizes would support 
catch sampling activities, and ensure the vessel is not in conflict 
with possession regulations while collecting catch data. All catch 
above a possession limit or below a minimum size would be discarded as 
soon as practicable following data collection.
    For all EFP trips, scallop catch would be evaluated by the number 
of baskets caught and a total catch weight would be obtained by the 
researcher. Total weight of bycatch species and individual measurements 
to the nearest centimeter would also be obtained by the researcher. If 
the volume of the catch is large, subsampling protocols would be 
necessary. All bycatch would be returned to the sea as soon as 
practicable following data collection. All research trips would 
otherwise be conducted in a manner consistent with normal commercial 
fishing conditions and catch would be retained for sale.
    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: April 22, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-09649 Filed 4-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P