[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 115 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32248-32249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12825]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB161]


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 Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has

[[Page 32249]]

made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit 
application from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center 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 July 2, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on NEFSC Ropeless Fishing EFP.'' If you are unable to submit 
comments via the above email, please contact Laura Hansen at (978) 281-
9225, or email at [email protected].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center 
(NEFSC) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit 
(EFP) on February 19, 2021, to continue a ropeless lobster gear testing 
project. NEFSC is requesting an exemption from Federal lobster 
regulations that would authorize eight federally-permitted commercial 
lobster vessels to participate in a ropeless lobster gear study in 
inshore and offshore areas. NEFSC is requesting an exemption from the 
gear marking requirements at 50 CFR 697.21(b)(2) to allow for the use 
of no surface markers and/or a single buoy marker on a trawl of more 
than three traps.
    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.
    The EFP would authorize eight participating vessels to modify some 
of their existing trawls, consisting of 10-20 traps for inshore vessels 
and 35-45 traps for offshore vessels. Experimental trawls would either 
have a rope spool, a buoy and stowed rope system, or a lift bag system 
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 4-8 days, 
but may be modified depending on what each fisherman decides is 
appropriate for fishing. Sampling would occur year-round from July 2021 
through July 2022 inshore and offshore in Lobster Management Areas 
(LMA) 1, 2, 3, and Outer Cape. This phase of the project is intended to 
resolve mechanical and operational problems highlighted by previous 
trials. Ideally, a NEFSC technician will be on board. If not, 
participants will use a GoPro System or an equivalent (or better) 
electronic monitoring program aimed at the relevant area to record the 
success and/or failures of some or all of the retrievals for review at 
a later time. NEFSC estimated there would be approximately 30 trips. 
Sixteen experimental trawls will be tested in LMA 3, 12 trawls in LMA 
2, and 16 trawls in LMA 1.
    If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and 
extensions to the EFP throughout the year. We may grant EFP 
modifications and extensions 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. 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: June 14, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-12825 Filed 6-16-21; 8:45 am]
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