[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 73 (Friday, April 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19938-19939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8713]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XV59
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 Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator),
has made a determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)
application contains all of the required information and warrants
further consideration. The Assistant Regional Administrator has made a
determination that the activities authorized under this EFP would be
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Monkfish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation may be
necessary before a final determination is made to issue an EFP. The EFP
will allow commercial fishing vessels to conduct compensation fishing
operations that are otherwise restricted by the regulations governing
the fisheries of the Northeastern United States. This EFP, which would
enable vessels to harvest monkfish in accordance with the provisions of
the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, would grant exemptions
from the monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) possession limits in the Southern
Fishery Management Area (SFMA).
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for
proposed EFPs.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 3, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``Comments on Monkfish RSA Harvest EFP.''
Mail: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark
the outside of the envelope ``Comments on monkfish RSA harvest EFP,
DA10-056.''
Fax: (978) 281-9135.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Macan, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9165.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An application for an EFP was submitted by
the Gulf of Maine Research Institute on February 16, 2010, for a
project selected under the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Councils' Monkfish RSA Program. The final grant is pending a
review by NOAA Grants. The project would involve tagging monkfish to
investigate migratory patterns and mixing between management areas.
This EFP would grant an exemption from monkfish possession limits to
vessels for the purpose of harvesting RSA to fund this research project
(i.e., compensation fishing).
Compensation fishing for this research would occur from May 2010
through April 2011. The fishing industry collaborators would have
access to 313 monkfish DAS that would be awarded to the project through
the Monkfish RSA Program. The applicant states that these vessels must
be able to land at least 3,600 lb (1,633 kg) of whole monkfish (1,084
lb (492 kg) tail weight) per trip. This amount is based on the way the
participating vessels typically fish, which is to land a ``double
limit'' (6,652 lb (3,017 kg)) using 24 hours and 1 minute of DAS. In
order to achieve this target catch, these fishing activities would
require an exemption from the monkfish SFMA DAS possession limits at
Sec. 648.94(b)(2). This exemption would provide these vessels with the
flexibility they need to generate sufficient income to meet projected
costs of the research activity, while minimizing operating expenses.
Based on the preliminary award of 313 DAS and the fishing practice
described above, this would require a total catch of 1,126,800 lb
(511,108 kg) of whole monkfish (339,398 lb (153,948 kg) tail weight).
Operating under this total landings cap, compensation fishing would
continue until the required goal of 1,126,800 lb (511,108 kg) of whole
monkfish is met, or until the awarded DAS have been fully utilized,
whichever occurs first. Aside from this exemption, fishing activity
would be conducted under normal commercial fishing practices.
The participating vessels would be required to comply with all
other applicable requirements and restrictions specified at 50 CFR part
648, unless specifically exempted in this EFP. Upon implementation of
approved measures in Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP,
all participating vessels would be required to comply with any other
applicable requirements
[[Page 19939]]
in regulations implementing the amendment.
The applicant 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 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. If the research project
is terminated for any reason prior to completion, any unused funds
collected from catch sold to pay for research expenses may be refunded
to NOAA.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 12, 2010.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-8713 Filed 4-15-10; 8:45 am]
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