[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54531-54532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22834]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE166


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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary 
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all 
of the required information and warrants further consideration. This 
Exempted Fishing Permit would allow four commercial fishing vessels to 
fish outside of the limited access sea scallop regulations in support 
of study investigating the effect different dredge tow cable scope 
ratios have on dredge pitch and catch rates using the Turtle Deflector 
Dredge and Low Profile Dredge designs.
    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 September 25, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``DA15-065 CFF Dredge Design Study 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 ``DA15-065 CFF 
Dredge Design Study EFP.''

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA has preliminarily awarded the 
Coonamesset Farm Foundation (CFF) a grant through the 2015 Saltonstall 
Kennedy grant program, in support of a project titled ``Improving an 
Ecosystem Friendly Scallop Dredge.'' To conduct this research, CFF 
submitted a complete application for an EFP on August 6, 2015. The 
project would look at the effect different scope ratios have on dredge 
pitch and catch rates using the Turtle Deflector Dredge (TDD) and Low 
Profile Dredge (LPD) designs. The project would also utilize an 
underwater camera attached to the dredge frames to capture fish dredge 
interactions.
    CFF is requesting exemptions that would allow four commercial 
fishing vessels be exempt from the Atlantic sea scallop days-at-sea 
(DAS) allocations at 50 CFR 648.53(b); crew size restrictions at Sec.  
648.51(c); and rotational closed area exemptions for Closed Area I at 
Sec.  648.58(a), Closed Area II at Sec.  648.58(b),

[[Page 54532]]

and Nantucket Lightship at Sec.  648.58(c). It would also exempt 
participating vessels from the Atlantic sea scallop observer program 
requirements at Sec.  648.11(g) and 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.
    Four vessels would conduct scallop dredging in October 2015-April 
2016, on four 7-day trips, for a total of 28 DAS. Each trip would 
complete approximately 50 tows per trip for an overall total of 200 
tows for the project. Trips would take place in the open areas of 
southern New England and Georges Bank as well as in Georges Bank 
scallop access areas that are closed. Trips would be centralized around 
areas with high yellowtail and winter flounder bycatch and in areas 
that contain a wide range of scallop sizes to examine changes in size 
selectivity due to dredge design and wire scope.
    All tows would be conducted in tandem using one TDD and one LPD for 
a duration of 60 minutes with a tow speed range of 4-5.5 knots. Both 
dredges would be 15 feet (4.57 meters) in width using 4-inch (10.16 cm) 
rings, and would be rigged with a 7-row apron, and twine top hanging 
ratio of 2:1. Both dredges would be equipped with a regulation turtle 
chain mat for any tows west of 71[deg] W. longitude. The LPD dredge in 
comparison to the TDD dredge has a reduced frame angle from 45[deg] to 
22.5[deg], an extended shoe from 15 inches (38.10 cm) to 22 inches 
(55.88 cm), and a reduced frame height from 15 inches (38.10) to 9.5 
inches (24.13 cm). Each tow pair would be conducted in a straight line 
varying between long (4:1) and short (3:1) scope ratios in an AB-BA 
alternating pattern. Scope is the ratio of deployed towing cable to 
ocean depth.
    To film finfish interactions, both dredge frames would have an 
underwater camera attached to the outer frame bars facing the depressor 
plate. Each interaction would be recorded using Observer XT computer 
software and would fall into three categories: Horizontal escape where 
the fish swims perpendicular to the dredge; vertical escape where the 
fish swims over the frame; and overcome/capture where the fish passes 
under the cutting bar or through the openings between the depressor 
plate and cutting bar. Filming will help test the hypothesis that the 
LPD frame aids in flatfish escapement and reduces interaction time with 
the dredge potentially, reducing incidental mortality rates.
    For all tows, the sea scallop catch would be counted into baskets 
and weighed. One basket from each dredge would be randomly selected and 
the scallops would be measured in 5-mm increments to determine size 
selectivity. Finfish catch would be sorted by species then counted, 
weighed, and measured in 1-mm increments. Depending on the volume of 
scallops and finfish captured, the catch would be subsampled as 
necessary. No catch would be retained for longer than needed to conduct 
sampling and no catch would be landed for sale.

                         Project Catch Estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Species                           lbs       mt
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scallops............................................   110,231     50.00
Yellowtail..........................................     2,000      0.91
Winter Flounder.....................................       500      0.23
Windowpane Flounder.................................     3,500      1.59
Monkfish............................................     4,500      2.04
Summer Flounder.....................................       150     0.007
Barndoor Skate......................................       500      0.23
NE Skate Complex....................................    75,000     34.02
Atlantic Cod........................................        50      0.02
Haddock.............................................        75      0.03
Silver/Offshore Hake................................       125      0.05
Unclassified hakes..................................       100      0.06
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CFF needs these exemptions to allow them to conduct experimental 
dredge towing without being charged DAS, as well as deploy gear in 
access areas that are currently closed to scallop fishing. 
Participating vessels need crew size waivers to accommodate science 
personnel and possession waivers will enable them to conduct finfish 
sampling activities.
    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: September 4, 2015.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-22834 Filed 9-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P