[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 106 (Thursday, June 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31420-31421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13316]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XW63
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 Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, has made
a preliminary determination that an application for an Exempted Fishing
Permit (EFP) warrants further consideration. The application was
submitted by members of the Pacific sardine fishing industry, who
request an exemption from seasonal closures of the directed fishery to
conduct a survey designed to estimate the population size of Pacific
sardine. NMFS requests public comment on the application.
DATES: Comments must be received by July 6, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this notice, identified by 0648-
XW63, by any one of the following methods:
Mail: Rodney R. McInnis, Regional Administrator, Southwest
Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802.
Fax: (562) 980-4047, Att: Joshua Lindsay.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the application can viewed
at the following website http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/fmd/cps/Sardine_EFP_2010_Full_ Application--042910-1.pdf; or by contacting Joshua
Lindsay, Southwest Region, NMFS, (562) 980-4034.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 10, 2010, NMFS published a final
rule implementing the harvest guideline (HG) and annual specifications
for the 2010 Pacific sardine fishing season off the U.S. West Coast (75
FR 11068). As part of these management measures the Council
recommended, and NMFS approved, that 5,000 metric tons (mt) of the
maximum harvest guideline (HG) be initially subtracted and set aside
for potential industry based research projects. Members of the Pacific
sardine fishing industry, concerned about the difficulty of securing
fishing vessels for research purposes during the normal fishing season,
requested this separate allocation so that they could conduct research
fishing activities after fishing is closed. The 5,000 mt set aside was
intended to allow for potential research fishing in the second seasonal
period (July 1 - September 14, 2009) and third seasonal period
(September 15 - December 31, 2009), to continue if that period's
directed fishery allocation is reached and directed fishing is closed.
NMFS approval and issuance of an EFP is required to conduct the
fishing activities proposed by the applicants to occur when directed
fishing is not
[[Page 31421]]
allowed. At the March 2010 Council meeting, the Council reviewed an EFP
application that proposed to utilize the entire 5,000 mt set aside. The
applicants proposed the use of 4200 mt to replicate the summer survey
conducted under the EFP approved in 2009 and expand the sample size and
area covered. In addition to the summer survey, the applicants proposed
to use 800 mt of the set aside to run a fall pilot project to test the
viability of alternative tools and methodologies. The proposal went
forward for public comment and was reviewed by the Council again at
their April meeting, at which time the Council recommended that NMFS
approve and issue the EFP.
One of the goals set forth in the EFP application is the
development of an index of biomass for Pacific sardine, with the desire
that this index be included in the subsequent Pacific sardine stock
assessment. If NMFS determines that an EFP cannot be issued, then the
set aside will be re allocated to the third period's directed harvest
allocation. Any research set aside attributed to an EFP for use during
the closed fishing time in the second allocation period (prior to
September 15), but not utilized, will roll into the third allocation
period's directed fishery. Any research set aside attributed to an EFP
for use during the closed fishing time in the third allocation period,
but not utilized, will not be re-allocated.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 28, 2010.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-13316 Filed 6-2-10; 8:45 am]
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