[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 41 (Thursday, March 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 12658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04435]



[[Page 12658]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA874]


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.

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

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary 
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application 
contains all of the required information and warrants further 
consideration. The EFP would allow eight commercial fishing vessels to 
use fish pots to collect pre-construction data on the abundance, size 
structure, and distribution of scup and black sea bass in the South 
Fork Wind Farm (SFWF) work area and adjacent waters, under the 
direction of the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF). 
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed EFP.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``CFRF South Fork Wind Farm Fish Pot EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louis Forristall, Marine Resources 
Management Specialist, 978-281-9321, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CFRF submitted a complete application 
for an EFP in support of its SFWF Fish Pot Survey on October 16, 2020. 
The proposed research would use scup traps in a Before-After-Control-
Impact study design to collect pre-construction data on the abundance, 
size structure, and distribution of scup, black sea bass, and tautog in 
the SFWF area and adjacent waters.
    This EFP would temporarily exempt 8 vessels (2 active, 6 reserve) 
during 14 2-day trips in statistical area 537 from: Possession limits 
and minimum size requirements specified in 50 CFR 648 subparts B and D 
through O for on-board sampling; trap escape vent and gear marking 
requirements in 50 CFR 648 subparts H and I, as well as Sec.  697 
subpart A; and trap limit requirements at Sec.  697.19(b) to allow 
participating vessels to temporarily carry survey traps plus in 
addition to the vessel's allocated traps in Lobster Management Area 2.
    The proposed research activity would sample 6 randomly selected 
locations in the SFWF work area located within NOAA Statistical Area 
537. The proposed research would consist of 14 2-day survey trips that 
will take place over 2 seasonal periods: April 2021-October 2021 and 
April 2022-October 2022. Survey trips would take place each month over 
each of the 7-month seasonal periods. The first day would be used for 
setting pots and the second day for hauling pots and sampling catch.
    On each survey trip, 25 pots will be set on 6 trawl lines (150 pots 
total) at randomly selected turbine locations at the SFWF. Each trawl 
line would soak for 24 hours. Between each survey within a season, pots 
will be left open underwater. Pots would be removed between each survey 
season.
    The proposed research would use ventless scup traps that include an 
anti-ghost fish panel. The rigging lines will be 3/8 inch (.95 cm) pro 
flex sink and float rope attached to buoys. Buoy stick swivel ends and 
breakaway 600 pound (272 kg) swivel links would be used to reduce 
marine mammal entanglement.
    During survey periods, the fishing vessel would redeploy the pot 
trawl at the sampling location. In between monthly survey trips, the 
pots will be un-baited and doors will be left open. On the first day of 
the next monthly survey, pots will be hauled, baited, and redeployed.
    Estimated catch that would be expected under this EFP is shown 
below in Table 1. Survey catch estimates were derived from the Rhode 
Island Department of Management's ventless fish pot monitoring survey. 
The survey was conducted within Narraganset Bay, but used similar gear 
and fishing methods as the proposed activity.

   Table 1--Estimated Catch per Survey Trip, and Total Estimated Catch
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Catch per area per    Estimated total
   Species name/species group            trip            survey catch
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scup............................  248.0 lbs (112.5    3,472.3 lbs
                                   kg).                (1575.0 kg).
Black Sea Bass..................  115.7 lbs (52.5     1,620.4 lbs (735.0
                                   kg).                kg).
Tautog..........................  20.1 lbs (9.1 kg).  324.1 lbs (147.0
                                                       kg).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If approved, CFRF may request minor modifications and extensions to 
the EFP throughout the study. 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: February 26, 2021,
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-04435 Filed 3-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P