Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Exempted Fishing Permit, 30507 [2012-12516]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 23, 2012 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XA847
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish
Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico;
Exempted Fishing Permit
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of an
application for an exempted fishing
permit; request for comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces the receipt
of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(LDWF). If granted, the EFP would
authorize the applicant to collect and
retain red snapper that would otherwise
be prohibited from possession and
retention. This study, to be conducted
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), is intended to
better document the age structure and
life history of fish associated with
offshore platforms and artificial reefs in
Louisiana coastal waters.
DATES: Comments must be received no
later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on June
22, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the application by any of the
following methods:
• Email: 0648–
XA847.LDWF@noaa.gov. Include in the
subject line of the email comment the
following document identifier:
ALDWF_EFP@.
• Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th
Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The application and related
documents are available for review
upon written request to any of the above
addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Branstetter, 727–824–5305; email:
Steve.Branstetter@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is
requested under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and regulations
at 50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning
exempted fishing.
The described research is part of a
new research program by LDWF. The
research is intended to involve
recreational fishermen in the collection
of fundamental biological information of
Gulf red snapper. The proposed
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:00 May 22, 2012
Jkt 226001
collection for scientific research
involves activities that could otherwise
be prohibited by regulations at 50 CFR
part 622, as they pertain to reef fish
managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council). The
applicant requires authorization through
the EFP to collect these Councilmanaged species that may be taken as
part of the normal fishing activities of
the recreational sector of the Gulf reef
fish fishery. LDWF has requested an
EFP from July through October 2012, to
monitor red snapper caught during
recreational fishing tournaments held in
Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida
subsequent to the closure of the 2012
recreational red snapper season. LDWF
is requesting that selected participants,
in as many as seven recreational fishing
tournaments, be allowed to retain and
tag the first red snapper caught during
a fishing trip. Participants would also
complete and submit a data sheet
regarding other red snapper caught and
released during the fishing trip. Fish
collected under this EFP would be
surrendered to LDWF personnel or other
state fishery biologists, and sampled for
length, weight, otoliths, and gonads.
LDWF would be responsible for
providing all data collected under the
EFP to NMFS for use in the next stock
assessment. The intent is to better
document the age structure and life
history of red snapper in the Gulf of
Mexico. If approved, the EFP would
authorize the take of approximately
1,600 red snapper during the five-month
period. Such fish collected as biological
samples would not be subject to
seasonal closures or size limits.
NMFS finds this application warrants
further consideration. Possible
conditions the agency may impose on
this permit, if it is indeed granted,
include but are not limited to, a
prohibition of conducting research
within marine protected areas, marine
sanctuaries, or special management
zones, without additional authorization.
A report on the research would be due
at the end of the collection period, to be
submitted to NMFS and reviewed by the
Council.
A final decision on issuance of the
EFP will depend on NMFS’s review of
public comments received on the
application, consultations with the
affected states, the Council, and the U.S.
Coast Guard, as well as a determination
that it is consistent with all applicable
laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
30507
Dated: May 17, 2012.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–12516 Filed 5–22–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC038
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council’s (Council)
Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish
Committee and Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish Advisory Panel will hold a
public meeting.
DATES: The meeting will be held on June
8, 2012 from 9 a.m. until noon.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held
via webinar with a physical listening
station also available at the Council
office, 800 N. State Street, Suite 201,
Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674–
2331. The webinar registration link is:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/
126160849.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher M. Moore Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, 800 N. State
Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 526–5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
primary purposes of the meeting are to
review the alternatives for Amendment
14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish Fishery Management Plan,
review public comments received, and
get input from the Advisory Panel.
Public comment will be taken, but there
is a written comment opportunity
available through June 4 (https://
www.mafmc.org/fmp/msb_files/
msbAm14current.htm) and there will be
an additional opportunity for public
comment at the June Council meeting
(agenda will be posted at
www.mafmc.org).
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those
issues may not be the subject of formal
E:\FR\FM\23MYN1.SGM
23MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 30507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12516]
[[Page 30507]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA847
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Exempted Fishing Permit
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing
permit; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries (LDWF). If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicant to
collect and retain red snapper that would otherwise be prohibited from
possession and retention. This study, to be conducted in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), is intended to better
document the age structure and life history of fish associated with
offshore platforms and artificial reefs in Louisiana coastal waters.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on
June 22, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the application by any of the
following methods:
Email: 0648-XA847.LDWF@noaa.gov. Include in the subject
line of the email comment the following document identifier: ALDWF--
EFP@.
Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS,
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The application and related documents are available for review upon
written request to any of the above addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Branstetter, 727-824-5305;
email: Steve.Branstetter@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is requested under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.), and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted
fishing.
The described research is part of a new research program by LDWF.
The research is intended to involve recreational fishermen in the
collection of fundamental biological information of Gulf red snapper.
The proposed collection for scientific research involves activities
that could otherwise be prohibited by regulations at 50 CFR part 622,
as they pertain to reef fish managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council). The applicant requires authorization
through the EFP to collect these Council-managed species that may be
taken as part of the normal fishing activities of the recreational
sector of the Gulf reef fish fishery. LDWF has requested an EFP from
July through October 2012, to monitor red snapper caught during
recreational fishing tournaments held in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and
Florida subsequent to the closure of the 2012 recreational red snapper
season. LDWF is requesting that selected participants, in as many as
seven recreational fishing tournaments, be allowed to retain and tag
the first red snapper caught during a fishing trip. Participants would
also complete and submit a data sheet regarding other red snapper
caught and released during the fishing trip. Fish collected under this
EFP would be surrendered to LDWF personnel or other state fishery
biologists, and sampled for length, weight, otoliths, and gonads. LDWF
would be responsible for providing all data collected under the EFP to
NMFS for use in the next stock assessment. The intent is to better
document the age structure and life history of red snapper in the Gulf
of Mexico. If approved, the EFP would authorize the take of
approximately 1,600 red snapper during the five-month period. Such fish
collected as biological samples would not be subject to seasonal
closures or size limits.
NMFS finds this application warrants further consideration.
Possible conditions the agency may impose on this permit, if it is
indeed granted, include but are not limited to, a prohibition of
conducting research within marine protected areas, marine sanctuaries,
or special management zones, without additional authorization. A report
on the research would be due at the end of the collection period, to be
submitted to NMFS and reviewed by the Council.
A final decision on issuance of the EFP will depend on NMFS's
review of public comments received on the application, consultations
with the affected states, the Council, and the U.S. Coast Guard, as
well as a determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 17, 2012.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-12516 Filed 5-22-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
