[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 205 (Friday, October 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64396-64397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27003]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE270
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, 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 commercial fishing vessels to fish
outside of the limited access sea scallop regulations in support of
study investigating coastal spawning of winter flounder in Southern New
England.
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 November 9, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``DA15-063 CFF SNE Essential Fish Habitat Study EFP.''
Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS,
Greater Atlantic
[[Page 64397]]
Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA
01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``DA15-063 CFF SNE Essential
Fish Habitat Study EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fisheries Management
Specialist, 978-282-8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA has awarded the Coonamesset Farm
Foundation (CFF) a grant through the 2015 Saltonstall-Kennedy grant
program, in support of a project titled ``Investigating Offshore
Essential Fish Habitat of Southern New England Winter Flounder.'' To
conduct this research, CFF submitted a complete application for an EFP
on August 4, 2015. The applicant proposes to investigate questions
associated with spawning winter flounder in Southern New England (SNE)
by conducting multiple research activities, which include:
1. A paired scallop dredge survey to identify and monitor the
distribution of winter flounder;
2. Test dredge gear twine top configurations and apron lengths to
reduce finfish bycatch;
3. Attempt to observe winter flounder spawning behavior using a
remotely operated vehicle (ROV);
4. Conduct a benthic habitat video survey; and
5. Sample for a winter flounder eggs using a plankton net.
CFF is requesting exemptions that would allow 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); Atlantic sea scallop observer program requirements at Sec.
648.11(g); and 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.
Five vessels would conduct the dredge survey and gear testing on
six 5-day trips, for 30 total DAS. Each trip would complete
approximately 60 dredge tows per trip for an overall total of 360 tows
for the project. The project would also conduct a single video survey
trip utilizing a benthic sled. Trips would take place in the open areas
of SNE in December 2015-May 2016.
All dredge tows would use two 15-foot (4.57-m) Turtle Deflector
Dredges (TDD) and be conducted in tandem for a duration of 30 minutes
at a tow speed of approximately 4.8 knots. One dredge would be rigged
with a 7-row apron and 60-mesh wide twine top while the other dredge
would be rigged with a 5-row apron and 45-mesh wide twine top. To
examine factors that may influence flatfish bycatch rates such as
habitat characteristics and fish behavior in response to the TDD, each
dredge would have an underwater camera attached to the bale bar. When
researchers identify large numbers of spawning winter flounder during
the dredge survey, they would deploy the ROV to film spawning behavior
interactions.
For all tows, researchers would count and weigh sea scallop catch.
Researchers would measure scallops from one randomly selected basket
from each dredge in 5-mm increments to determine size selectivity.
Researchers would sort finfish catch by species then count, weigh, and
measure finfish catch in 1-mm increments. Researchers would also weigh,
sex, and assess the reproductive stage of all winter flounder greater
than 32 cm. The vessels would not retain catch for longer than needed
to conduct sampling and vessels would not land any catch for sale. CFF
researchers would accompany all trips, and be in charge of sampling
activities.
Project Catch Estimates
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Species lb kg
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Scallops............................................ 21,000 9,525
Yellowtail.......................................... 500 227
Winter Flounder..................................... 1,500 680
Windowpane Flounder................................. 2,600 1,179
Monkfish............................................ 8,000 3,629
Barndoor Skate...................................... 500 227
NE Skate Complex.................................... 50,000 22,680
Other Fish.......................................... 1,500 680
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The project would also use a commercial vessel for a single
dedicated video trip utilizing a benthic underwater survey sled. At
each of the survey stations the benthic sled would be deployed and
towed for 5-10 minutes at a speed of 1.5-2 knots. Researchers would
attach a live feed video camera transmitting video back to the vessel,
and two underwater cameras taking high definition still shots to the
benthic sled. There would also be two low level lights attached to the
benthic sled in order to illuminate the area for the cameras. The video
footage and photos from the benthic sled survey would be compared to
still shots take during the dredge surveys. Researchers would also
attach a plankton net to the benthic sled. The plankton net would be
101.60 cm long with a 27.94 x 45.72-cm opening, and a mesh size of 0.05
cm. The plankton net would allow researchers to see if there are winter
flounder eggs present at each of the survey stations.
CFF has requested these exemptions to allow them to conduct
experimental dredge towing without being charged DAS. Participating
vessels need crew size waivers to accommodate science personnel and
possession waivers will enable them to conduct finfish sampling
activities. NMFS would waive observer notification requirements because
the research activity is not representative of a commercial scallop
fishing trip.
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: October 20, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27003 Filed 10-22-15; 8:45 am]
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