[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 77 (Monday, April 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16651-16652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08023]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG981


Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management 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 from the New 
England Aquarium contains all the required information and warrants 
further consideration. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries 
Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notice to 
provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications 
for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 7, 2019.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New England Aquarium (NEAQ) submitted a 
complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on March 25, 
2019, to conduct fishing activities that the regulations would 
otherwise restrict. NEAQ is requesting an exemption from Federal 
lobster regulations that would authorize two federally-permitted 
commercial lobster vessels to participate in a ropeless lobster gear 
study. NEAQ is requesting an exemption from the following regulation:
    1. Gear marking requirements to allow for the use of a single buoy 
marker on a trawl of more than three traps (50 CFR 697.21(b)(2)).
    The purpose of this study is to test a prototype ropeless fishing 
system as a potential technique to prevent entanglements of protected 
species, primarily North Atlantic right whales. This study is funded 
through the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (NA18NMF4720279).
    The EFP would authorize two participating vessels to deploy two 
experimental trawls consisting of five or more traps. Experimental 
trawls would have a rope spool, fitted with an acoustic release, 
deployed on one end of the trawl, with a buoy line attached to the 
other. Soak time would be between 2-5 days, but may be modified 
depending on what each fisherman decides is appropriate for fishing. 
Sampling would occur from May to September, 2019 in Lobster 
Conservation Management Area 3. Initial deployments would be overseen 
by a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute engineering team, but later 
would be observed by NEAQ personnel. There would be a total of 42 
deployments of experimental trawls.
    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

[[Page 16652]]

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. The EFP would prohibit 
any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted 
fishing activities.

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

    Dated: April 16, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-08023 Filed 4-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P