[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15794-15795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07595]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG151


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 Acting Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary 
determination that an exempted fishing permit application submitted by 
The Nature Conservancy contains all of the required information and 
warrants further consideration. This exempted fishing permit would 
allow participants to use electronic monitoring systems in lieu of at-
sea monitors in support of a study to develop electronic monitoring for 
catch monitoring in the groundfish 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 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``TNC EM EFP RENEWAL.''
     Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``TNC EM EFP 
RENEWAL.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Claire Fitz-Gerald, Groundfish Fishery 
Management Specialist, 978-281-9255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Groundfish sectors are required to implement 
and fund an at-sea monitoring (ASM) program. Sectors may use electronic 
monitoring (EM) to satisfy this monitoring requirement, provided NMFS 
deems the technology sufficient for catch monitoring. NMFS has yet to 
approve EM as a suitable alternative to ASM. However, we are working 
with industry and other stakeholders to test the operational 
feasibility of EM and resolve outstanding issues that are barriers to 
implementation.
    In fishing year 2016, The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with 
the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance; the Maine Coast 
Fishermen's Association; and, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute; and 
fishermen from the Northeast Fishery Sectors V & XI, the GB Cod Fixed 
Gear Sector, the Sustainable Harvest Sector, and the Maine Coast 
Community Sector; obtained an exempted fishing permit (EFP) for vessels 
to use EM systems in lieu of human observers to meet their ASM 
requirements. Fourteen vessels participated in the project, and 52 EFP 
trips were completed. In fishing year 2017, the project partners 
submitted a renewal request for this EFP as well as an additional EFP 
application for a 100-percent EM project. Both EFPs were issued; 13 
vessels participated in the 100-percent EFP and 5 vessels participated 
in this EFP. Thirty-seven EFP trips were completed this year to date 
under this EFP.
    The project partners have submitted a renewal request for this EFP 
for the 2018 fishing year. The proposed participant list includes five 
vessels, all of which participated in this EFP in fishing year 2017. 
Together, they are expected to take an estimated 225 trips in fishing 
year 2018. At 15-percent

[[Page 15795]]

observer coverage, this would equate to roughly 30-35 EFP trips.
    Vessels participating in this EFP would use EM in lieu of human 
ASMs, and in addition to Northeast Fishery Observer Program (NEFOP) 
observers, on groundfish trips selected for observer coverage. Vessels 
would adhere to a vessel-specific Vessel Monitoring Plan (VMP) 
detailing at-sea catch handling protocols. An EM service provider would 
review 100 percent of the video footage. The provider would also 
produce an EM summary report identifying, counting, and generating 
weight estimates for all groundfish discards, which it would submit to 
the NMFS Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regional Office. These data would 
be used for catch accounting purposes on trips selected for ASM 
coverage. EM data would not be used for catch accounting in place of 
observer data on NEFOP trips, but the information generated would 
facilitate comparisons between cameras and human observers. The 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center would conduct a secondary review of 
the EM summary reports for a subset of EFP trips.
    Under this EFP, vessels would be exempt from their sector's 
monitoring program requirement only, and all other standard sector 
reporting and monitoring requirements would still apply, such as using 
dealer-reported landings and vessel trip reports. Vessels would be 
assigned observer coverage at the standard ASM coverage level of 15 
percent, which is a combination of NEFOP and ASM coverage. All catch of 
allocated groundfish stocks would be deducted from the appropriate 
sector's allocation. Legal-sized regulated groundfish would be retained 
and landed, as required by the Northeast Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan. Undersized groundfish would be handled according to 
the VMP guidelines in view of cameras and returned to the sea as 
quickly as possible. All other species would be handled per normal 
commercial fishing operations. No legal-size regulated groundfish would 
be discarded, unless otherwise permitted through regulatory exemptions 
granted to the participating vessel's sector.
    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 9, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustaianble Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-07595 Filed 4-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P