[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 120 (Monday, June 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 37433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13378]



[[Page 37433]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XW026]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; West Coast Pelagic 
Conservation Group

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator, West Coast Region, NMFS, has made 
a preliminary determination that an application for an Exempted Fishing 
Permit warrants further consideration. The application, submitted by 
the West Coast Pelagic Conservation Group (a non-profit fishing 
industry group), requests an exemption from the expected prohibition on 
primary directed fishing for Pacific sardine for the 2020-2021 fishing 
year to collect Pacific sardine as part of an industry-based scientific 
survey. NMFS requests public comment on the application.

DATES: Comments must be received by July 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2020-0069, by the following method:
    Electronic Submissions: Submit all public comments via the Federal 
e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-
NMFS-2020-0069, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required 
fields, and enter or attach your comments. The Exempted Fishing Permit 
application will be available under Supporting and Related Materials 
through the same link.
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted by the above method to 
ensure that the comments are received, documented, and considered by 
NMFS. Comments sent by any other method or received after the end of 
the comment period, may not be considered. All comments received are a 
part of the public record and will generally be posted for public 
viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted voluntarily by the 
sender will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will 
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you 
wish to remain anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Massey, West Coast Region, NMFS, 
(562) 436-2462, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by the Coastal 
Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and regulations at 
50 CFR 600.745, which allow NMFS Regional Administrators to authorize 
exempted fishing permits (EFPs) to test fishing activities that would 
otherwise be prohibited.
    On May 27, 2020, NMFS published a proposed rule (85 FR 31733) to 
implement Pacific sardine harvest specifications for the 2020-2021 
fishing year off the U.S. West Coast. This proposed rule included a 
4,288 metric ton (mt) annual catch limit (ACL), a 4,000-mt annual catch 
target (ACT) and a prohibition on directed fishing for Pacific sardine 
off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, except as part of 
the live bait or minor directed fisheries, or as part of EFP fishing 
activities.
    On April 21, 2020, the West Coast Pelagic Conservation Group 
(WCPCG) submitted an EFP application to NMFS requesting to directly 
harvest up to 5 mt of Pacific sardine as part of their ``Collaborative 
``Proof of Concept Project'' for Nearshore Surveillance Acoustic Trawl 
Methodology Survey of North West Coastal Waters'' survey during the 
2020-2021 fishing year. At the April 2020 Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) meeting, although formal Council review and approval 
of EFPs was removed from the Council's agenda, the Council expressed 
support for this EFP proposal during their discussion of sardine 
management measures.
    Since 2017, the WCPCG has been working with NMFS Southwest 
Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and the Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife to survey CPS in nearshore Oregon/Washington coastal 
waters. The purpose of the EFP is to collect biological samples in 
areas inshore of the 2020 NMFS SWFSC acoustic trawl survey to better 
assess species composition and CPS distribution and abundance. The 
collections under the EFP would take place in nearshore waters of 
Oregon and Washington over a 14-day period between approximately mid-
June through August, 2020. Any harvest under this EFP would count 
against the 2020-2021 ACL and ACT for Pacific sardine. If NMFS does not 
issue this EFP, then this 5-mt portion of the ACL would be available 
for harvest by other permissible fishing activities.
    After publication of this document in the Federal Register, NMFS 
may approve and issue permits to participating vessels after the close 
of the public comment period. NMFS will consider comments submitted in 
deciding whether to approve the application as requested. NMFS may 
approve the application in its entirety or may make any alterations 
needed to achieve the goals of the EFP project.

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

    Dated: June 17, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-13378 Filed 6-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P