[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21324-21325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08257]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE561


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. The 
Exempted Fishing Permit would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish 
outside of the limited access scallop regulations in support of 
research conducted by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation. 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 April 26, 2016

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

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted 
a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on March 
15, 2016, that would allow gear research to be conducted on vessels 
fishing under compensation fishing trips associated with five 2016 
Scallop

[[Page 21325]]

Research Set-Aside (RSA) projects submitted by the Coonamessett Farm 
Foundation that have been favorably reviewed. The exemptions would 
allow six 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 would test gear modifications in an 
attempt to reduce finfish bycatch in the dredge fishery. The gear 
modifications that would be tested adhere to current scallop gear 
regulations and include: A no-chaffing gear dredge bag; a five-row 
apron without chaffing gear and a 1.5:1 twine top hanging ratio; and a 
``daylight skirt,'' which would replace the rings in the skirt with 
three rows of 12-inch (30.48-cm) square mesh and chain. 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 the compensation fishing trips to 
collect catch data associated with different dredge modifications. The 
crew size exemption would be for approximately 40 days-at-sea and must 
be used in conjunction with a valid compensation fishing letter of 
authorization. The additional crew would only engage in 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 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 consistent with normal 
commercial fishing activity 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 6, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-08257 Filed 4-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P