[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33060-33061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14727]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XX005


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 from the 
Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and Rhode Island Department of 
Environmental Management contains all of the required information and 
warrants further consideration. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and 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 July 26, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``BSB Research Fleet 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 
BSB Research Fleet EFP.''

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation 
(CFRF) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) 
submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) 
on May 22, 2019, to collect fishery-dependent information on black sea 
bass from August 1, 2019 through July 31, 2020. The EFP would authorize 
nine commercial fishing vessels and one party/charter vessel to collect 
and retain black sea bass for onboard sampling. This EFP would exempt 
the participating vessels from the following Federal regulations:
    1. Recreational fishery closure periods specified at 50 CFR 
648.146;
    2. Commercial and party/charter minimum size limits for black sea 
bass specified at Sec.  648.147(a) and (b).
    The proposed research would collect data on black sea bass to 
better characterize catch and discard data for potential use in stock 
assessments. The research fleet consists of vessels fishing with 
trawls, lobster pots, gillnets, and hook and line. All gear deployments 
will be consistent with routine fishing practices.
    Each vessel will be randomly selected to conduct sampling events 
during three trips per month in the black sea bass

[[Page 33061]]

stock area. Up to 50 black sea bass would be temporarily held onboard 
to record their length and sex during each sampling event. Vessels 
would need to obtain the appropriate state exemptions to all applicable 
state regulations.
    If approved, CFRF and RI DEM may request minor modifications and 
extensions to the EFP throughout the study period. 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: July 5, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-14727 Filed 7-10-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P