[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19457-19459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07218]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XX053]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit

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 submitted by 
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in support of the 2020 Study 
Fleet Program contains all of the required information and warrants 
further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt 
participating vessels from minimum fish sizes and possession limits for 
species of interest, for sampling purposes only.

[[Page 19458]]

Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing Permit 
applications.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 22, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``NEFSC STUDY 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 ``NEFSC STUDY 
FLEET EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Fenton, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9196.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center 
(Center) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing 
Permit (EFP) in support of the 2020 Study Fleet Program. This EFP would 
exempt 19 commercial fishing vessels from minimum fish sizes and 
possession limits for species of interest, as well as allow temporary 
retention of species prior to discarding.
    The Center established the Study Fleet Program in 2002 to more 
fully characterize commercial fishing operations and provide sampling 
opportunities to augment NMFS's data collection programs. As part of 
the program, the Center contracts commercial fishing vessels to collect 
biological data and fish specimens for the Center to use in research 
relevant to stock assessments and fish biology. The Center's Study 
Fleet Program trains participating captains and crew to conduct at-sea 
sampling consistent with Center sampling protocols for survey and 
observer programs. During EFP trips, crew would sort, weigh, and 
measure fish prior to discarding. During sampling, some discarded fish 
would remain on deck slightly longer than they would under normal 
sorting procedures. Exemptions from minimum fish sizes and possession 
restrictions would allow vessels to temporarily retain catch for at-sea 
sampling.
    Table 1 lists the regulations from which participating vessels 
would be exempt for at-sea sampling or when retaining and landing fish 
for research purposes. The exemptions listed in Table 1 are necessary 
for contracted vessels to acquire the biological samples needed to meet 
Center research objectives.

    Table 1--List of Vessel Exemptions for Retaining and Landing Fish
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                                          2020 Study fleet program EFP
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Number of Vessels....................  19.
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part    Minimum fish sizes
 648.
                                       Sec.   648.83 Northeast
                                        multispecies minimum fish sizes
                                        for redfish, yellowtail
                                        flounder, and winter flounder.
                                       Possession restrictions
                                       Sec.   648.86(a) Haddock.
                                       Sec.   648.86(g) Yellowtail
                                        flounder.
                                       Sec.   648.94 Monkfish.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When directed by the Center, participating vessels would also be 
authorized to retain and land specific amounts of fish exceeding 
possession limits and/or below minimum fish sizes, for research 
purposes only. The captain or crew would deliver these fish to Center 
staff upon landing. In these limited circumstances, the Study Fleet 
Program would give participating vessels a formal biological sampling 
request prior to landing. This would ensure that the landed fish do not 
exceed any collection needs of the Study Fleet, as detailed in Table 2.

                                            Table 2--Study Fleet Program's Biological Sample Collection Needs
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                                                                                               Individual  fish
             Species                 Stock  area *       Gear  types         Collection        per  collection     Maximum  weight   Maximum  allowance
                                                                               frequency            period         allowed per  trip
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Acadian redfish.................  GOM...............  OTF...............  Monthly (Mar-July)  50 per month......  150 lb (331 kg)...  750 lb (1,653 kg).
Haddock.........................  GOM, GB...........  OTF, DRS..........  Monthly (Dec-Mar).  80 per week (40     300 lb (661 kg)...  4,800 lb (10,582
                                                                                               from each stock                         kg).
                                                                                               area).
Winter flounder.................  GOM, GB, SNE......  OTF, DRS..........  Monthly (Jan-Apr).  120 per week (40    160 lb (353 kg)...  3,840 lb (8,466
                                                                                               from each stock                         kg).
                                                                                               area).
Yellowtail flounder.............  GOM, GB, SNE......  OTF, DRS..........  Monthly (Jan-Apr).  120 per week (40    90 lb (198 kg)....  2,160 lb (4,762
                                                                                               from each stock                         kg).
                                                                                               area).
Monkfish........................  SNE...............  OTF...............  Twice.............  10 per trip.......  120 lb (295 kg)...  240 lb (529 kg).
Butterfish......................  SNE...............  OTM...............  Twice.............  20 per trip.......  10 lb (22 kg).....  20 lb (44 kg).
Atlantic mackerel...............  SNE...............  OTM...............  Twice.............  20 per trip.......  10 lb (22 kg).....  20 lb (44 kg).
Shortfin squid..................  Any Area..........  OTM, OTF..........  Monthly (Dec-Mar).  30 per month......  15 lb (33 kg).....  60 lb (132 kg).
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* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GB), Southern New England (SNE)
# Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF), bottom longline (LLB), sink gillnet (GNS), sea scallop dredge (DRS), fish pot (PTF), hand lines, auto jig
  (HND), purse seine (PUR), otter trawl midwater (OTM), pair trawl midwater (PTM).


[[Page 19459]]

    All catch would be attributed to the appropriate commercial fishing 
quota. For a vessel fishing on a groundfish sector trip, all catch of 
groundfish stocks allocated to sectors would be deducted from the 
vessel's sector's annual catch entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a 
stock has been reached in a sector, vessels would no longer be allowed 
to fish in that stock area unless the sector acquired additional ACE 
for the stock in question. For common pool vessels, all groundfish 
catch would be counted toward the appropriate trimester total allowable 
catch (TAC). Common pool vessels would be exempt from possession and 
trip limits on EFP trips when directed for sampling by the Center, but 
would still be subject to trimester TAC closures.
    If approved, the Center 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 impact that does not change the scope 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 1, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07218 Filed 4-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P