[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16613-16614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7020]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA261
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 preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit
(EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants
further consideration, and 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.
This would grant exemptions from monkfish days-at-sea (DAS) possession
limits.
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 April 8, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``Comments on UMES Monkfish RSA 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 UMES monkfish RSA EFP.''
Fax: (978) 281-9135.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Berthiaume, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9177.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An application for an EFP was submitted by
the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) on February 18, 2011,
in support of a project preliminarily selected under the New England
and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils' Monkfish RSA Program. The
project proposes to investigate the influence of temperature on
monkfish distribution and abundance. This EFP would grant an exemption
from monkfish possession limits to facilitate compensation fishing to
fund this research project. While conducting RSA compensation trips,
participating vessels would use gillnets that are 12-inch (30.5 cm)
stretch mesh with a 3.5-inch (30.5 cm) diameter gauge web that is 12
meshes deep. The nets do not exceed 300 ft (91.4 m) in length. Average
soak times differ between vessels, with a range of 36 to 72 hours. Each
vessel would receive two temperature and depth loggers to attach to
gillnets during RSA compensation fishing trips. The loggers would
collect temperature and depth at intervals of 1 hour, and would be
downloaded approximately every 2 months. Catch data (number and size of
monkfish) from panels with probes would be recorded by collaborating
fishermen, along with information on location, depth fished, water
currents, and lunar cycle. UMES plans to collect histological samples
on board the fishing vessels from a subset of trips for analysis of
reproductive condition. Weights and length measurements would be taken
each trip from a minimum of 25 randomly selected monkfish from the nets
with attached temperature probes to gain information about fish
distribution.
Compensation fishing for this research would occur from May 2011
through April 2012, with a possible extension through April 2013, as
authorized by the Monkfish FMP and 50 CFR 648.92(c)(1)(v). Pending a
final award by NOAA Grants, UMES has been awarded 96 monkfish DAS under
the Monkfish RSA Program. To facilitate compensation fishing, the
applicant has requested exemptions from monkfish DAS possession limits
at Sec. Sec. 648.94(b)(1) and (2). The applicant has stated that these
exemptions would provide vessels the flexibility they need to generate
sufficient income to meet projected
[[Page 16614]]
costs of the research activity, while minimizing operating expenses.
Based on the preliminary award of 96 DAS and projected monkfish catch
rates, this would allow a total catch of 345,600 lb (156,762 kg) of
whole monkfish (104,097 lb (47,218 kg) tail weight). Operating under
this total landings cap, compensation fishing would continue until the
goal of 345,600 lb (156,762 kg) of whole monkfish is caught, or until
the awarded DAS have been fully utilized, whichever occurs first. Aside
from these exemptions, fishing activity would be conducted under normal
commercial practices. NMFS is considering imposing a cap on monkfish
DAS possession limit exemptions for vessels operating under the
monkfish RSA program due to potential effect that such exemptions may
have on monkfish market price and catch rates for non-RSA vessels.
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.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 21, 2011.
Margo Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-7020 Filed 3-23-11; 8:45 am]
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