[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18835-18836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07399]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE524
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit
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 submitted by
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center contains all of the required
information and warrants further consideration.
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide
interested parties the opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing
Permit applications.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 18, 2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``Comments on NEFSC Study Fleet 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
NEFSC Study Fleet EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Luers, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-282-8457, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(NEFSC) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit
(EFP) on March 4, 2016, to enable data collection activities that the
regulations on commercial fishing would otherwise restrict. The EFP
would exempt 36 federally permitted commercial fishing vessels from the
regulations detailed below while participating in the Study Fleet
Program and operating under projects managed by the NEFSC. The EFP
would exempt participating vessels from: Minimum fish size
restrictions; fish possession limits for species not protected under
the Endangered Species Act (ESA); gear-specific fish possession
restrictions for the purpose of at-sea sampling; and, in limited
situations for research purposes only, retaining and landing prohibited
fish species.
The NEFSC Study Fleet Program was established in 2002 to more fully
characterize commercial fishing operations and to leverage sampling
opportunities to augment NMFS data collection programs. Participating
vessels are contracted by NEFSC to collect tow-by-tow catch and
environmental data, and to fulfill specific biological sampling needs
identified by NEFSC. To collect these data, the NEFSC Study Fleet
Program has obtained an EFP to secure the necessary waivers needed by
the vessels to possess and land fish that would otherwise be prohibited
by regulations.
Fishing vessel crews trained by the NEFSC Study Fleet Program would
sort, weigh, and measure fish that are to be discarded. In the course
of sampling, some discarded species would be on deck slightly longer
than under normal sorting procedures, which requires an exemption from
the following restrictions: Minimum fish size; fish possession limits;
prohibited fish species, not including species protected under the ESA;
and gear-specific fish possession restrictions for at-sea sampling.
Participating vessels would also be authorized to retain and land,
in limited situations for research purposes only, fish species and/or
sizes that are not in compliance with fishing regulations. The vessels
would be authorized to retain specific amounts of particular species in
whole or round weight condition, which would be delivered upon landing
to Study Fleet Program technicians. To ensure that the collection needs
of the Study Fleet Program are not exceeded, NEFSC would require
participating vessels to obtain a formal Biological Sampling Request
from the NEFSC Study Fleet Program prior to landing any sublegal fish.
None of the landed biological samples from these trips would be sold
for commercial use or utilized for any purpose other than scientific
research.
The table below details the regulations from which the
participating vessels would be exempt when retaining and landing fish
for research purposes. The participating vessels would be obligated to
comply with all applicable
[[Page 18836]]
requirements and restrictions specified at 50 CFR part 648, unless
specifically exempted in this EFP. All catch would be attributed to the
appropriate commercial fishing quota. For vessels on a groundfish
sector trip, all catch of Northeast multispecies stocks allocated to
sectors would be deducted from the Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE) for
that sector. Once the ACE for a stock has been reached in a sector,
vessels would no longer be allowed to fish in that stock area, unless
they acquired additional ACE for the limiting stock. For common pool
vessels, all catch of Northeast multispecies stocks would be counted
toward the appropriate quotas. Common pool vessels would be subject to
applicable trimester total allowable catch (TAC) accountability
measures. When 90 percent of the trimester TAC for a stock is projected
to be caught, the area where that stock is predominantly caught will be
closed to common pool vessels fishing with gear capable of catching
that stock for the rest of that trimester.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEFSC Study Fleet Program EFP
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. of Vessels......................... 37
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part 648 Size limits
Sec. 648.83 NE multispecies
minimum sizes.
Sec. 648.93 Monkfish minimum
fish size.
Sec. 648.147 Black sea bass
minimum fish size.
Possession restrictions
Sec. 648.86(a) Haddock.
Sec. 648.86(b) Atlantic cod.
Sec. 648.86(c) Atlantic
halibut.
Sec. 648.86(d) Small-mesh
multispecies.
Sec. 648.86(l) Zero retention
of Atlantic wolffish and
windowpane flounder.
Sec. 648.86(o) Possession
limits implemented by Regional
Administrator.
Sec. 648.94 Monkfish
possession limit.
Sec. 648.322 Skate possession
and landing restrictions.
Sec. 648.145 Black sea bass
possession limits.
Sec. 648.92(b)(2)(i)
Prohibition from landing NE
multispecies on monkfish-only
day-at-sea.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEFSC Study Fleet Program Biological Sampling Needs
As described above, biological samples would only be landed and
collected by the Study Fleet Program after a formal request has been
issued in writing by the Study Fleet Program. The following are the
Study Fleet Program's sampling needs.
Windowpane flounder--whole fish would be retained for age and
growth research. Otoliths and fish length would be collected to
validate ages using marginal increment analysis. Windowpane flounder
retained would not exceed 40 fish per month from all stock areas
combined (Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GB) stock) or 480 fish
total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not exceed 30
lb (13.6 kg), and total weight would not exceed 360 lb (163.3 kg) for
all trips combined.
Atlantic wolffish--whole fish would be retained for maturity,
fecundity, and life history research. Atlantic wolffish retained would
not exceed 40 fish per month or 480 fish total for all trips. The
maximum weight on any trip would not exceed 160 lb (72.6 kg), and total
weight would not exceed 3,500 lb (1,587.6 kg) for all trips combined.
Cusk--whole fish would be retained or specimen sampled at sea by a
Study Fleet scientist for maturity, fecundity, and life history
research. Cusk retained would not exceed 40 fish per month or 480 fish
total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not exceed
100 lb (45.4 kg), and total weight would not exceed 1,440 lb (653.2kg)
for all trips combined.
Atlantic halibut--specimens would be sampled at sea by a Study
Fleet scientist for age, growth, maturity, fecundity, and diet
research. Atlantic halibut retained would not exceed 20 fish per month
or 240 fish total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would
not exceed 200 lb (90.7 kg), and total weight would not exceed 5,000 lb
(2,268 kg) for all trips combined.
Monkfish--whole fish would be retained for maturity and fecundity
research. Monkfish retained would not exceed 10 fish per month or 120
fish total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not
exceed 100 lb (45.4 kg), and total weight would not exceed 1,200 lb
(544.3 kg) for all trips combined.
Haddock--whole fish would be retained for maturity and fecundity
research. Haddock retained would not to exceed 40 fish per month or 360
fish total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not
exceed 180 pounds (81.6 kg), and total weight would not exceed 1,440
pounds (653.2 kg) for all trips combined.
Atlantic cod--whole fish would be retained for potential maturity,
fecundity, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), food habits, and
genetic research. Atlantic cod retained would not exceed 200 fish per
month from each of the three stock areas (GOM, GB, Southern New
England/Mid-Atlantic), or 1,200 fish total from each stock area for all
trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not exceed 300 lb (136.1
kg), and total weight would not exceed 8,500 lb (3,855.5 kg) for all
trips combined.
Barndoor Skate--whole and, in some cases, live skates would be
retained for age and growth research and species confirmation. Barndoor
skates retained would not exceed 20 fish per 3-month period, or 80
skates total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not
exceed 75 lb (34 kg), and total weight would not exceed 300 lb (136.1
kg) for all trips combined.
Thorny Skate--whole and, in some cases, live skates would be
retained for age and growth research and species confirmation. Thorny
skates retained would not exceed 20 fish per 3-month period, or 80
skates total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip would not
exceed 75 lb (34 kg) whole weight, and total weight would not exceed
300 lb (136.1 kg) for all trips combined.
Black Sea Bass--whole fish would be retained in support of an
ongoing study at NEFSC to evaluate BIA as a means to measure fish
energy density and reproductive potential for stock assessment. Black
sea bass retained would not exceed 75 fish per 3- month period, or 300
black sea bass total for all trips. The maximum weight on any trip
would not exceed 250 lb (113.4 kg), and total weight would not exceed
1,000 lb (453.6 kg) for all trips combined.
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 impact that does not change the scope 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: March 29, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-07399 Filed 3-31-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P