[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 10746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03010]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF086


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Exempted Fishing Permits; 
Extension of Public Comment Period

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing 
permit; extension of comment period; and announcement of a public 
webinar.

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SUMMARY: NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on January 17, 
2017, announcing the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing 
permit (EFP) from Dr. David Kerstetter of Nova Southeastern University 
to evaluate pelagic longline (PLL) catch and bycatch rates from within 
the northern portion of the East Florida Coast (EFC) PLL Closed Area 
and compare those rates to rates from outside the EFC PLL Closed Area. 
The availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing the 
impacts of granting the application with certain terms and conditions 
was also announced in the same Federal Register notice. NMFS provided a 
30-day comment period in the January Federal Register notice, but given 
interest from the public, NMFS is extending the comment period for the 
action to March 29, 2017, and conducting a public webinar on March 27, 
2017, to facilitate public comments.

DATES: The public comment period for the notice published at 82 FR 
4856, January 17, 2017, is extended from February 16, 2017, until March 
29, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line the following identifier: 0648-XF086.
     Mail: Margo Schulze-Haugen, Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Cockrell at (301) 427-8503 or 
Rick Pearson at (727) 824-5399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The application and Draft EA, as well as public comments received 
thus far, are available for review on the HMS Management Division's Web 
site at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/compliance/efp/index.html. 
NMFS invites comments on the specific terms and conditions of the EFP, 
if issued, and the analyses presented in the Draft EA.

Extension of Comment Period

    The original comment period was scheduled to end on February 16, 
2017. Given interest from the public and to allow additional time for 
Regional Fishery Management Councils to discuss the EFP application and 
Draft EA at upcoming meetings, NMFS is extending the public comment 
period for this action to March 29, 2017. Additionally, because of 
requests to hold a public meeting in South Florida regarding this 
issue, NMFS has decided to hold a public webinar to facilitate public 
comments from across the geographic range of the U.S. Atlantic PLL 
fishery.

Public Webinar

    The public webinar will be held on March 27, 2017, from 1 p.m.-4 
p.m. EST. Information on how to attend the webinar can be found on the 
HMS Management Division's Web page at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/compliance/efp/pll_efp_webinar.html.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 9, 2017.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03010 Filed 2-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P