Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application for Commercial Fisheries Authorization Under Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, 13014-13015 [05-5244]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 51 / Thursday, March 17, 2005 / Notices
instrument and instructions should be
directed to: Eric D. Prince, (305) 361–
4248, eric.prince@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
According to the International
Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Atlantic white
marlin has been severely overfished for
several decades and the stock continues
to decline. These unfortunate
circumstances have prompted several
conservation groups to petition NOAA
Fisheries to list white marlin under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). One of
the main objectives of the Atlantic
Billfish Research Plan (https://
www.sefsc.noaa.gov/PDFdocs/
ABRP_01_30_04.pdf) is to develop
better information for management and
rebuilding of the stocks. This project is
designed to investigate characteristics of
the offshore recreational white marlin
fishery, including identification of
specific fishing techniques and potential
variables that might be included in postrelease survival experiments. Specific
in-depth knowledge of fishing
techniques is essential to evaluate
recreational fishing impacts and to
develop relevant research and
management approaches to reduce
mortality for this sector of the fishery.
Information will be obtained through
a survey and complemented and
confirmed by on-board observers in the
Ocean City, Maryland area, which is
known as the ‘‘White Marlin Capital of
the World.’’ The project will serve as a
pilot program to develop and hone
survey techniques and gain general
acceptance for the survey through
meetings, face-to-face dialogue and
word of mouth. It is important to
develop rapport with the boat captains
and mates to obtain information on the
methods and specific techniques used to
catch white marlin, which might be
closely guarded information. This work
attempts to form a current and
knowledgeable information source on
which to base appropriate research and
conservation measures relative to the
U.S. recreational fishery for Atlantic
white marlin.
II. Method of Collection
Paper applications, electronic reports,
and telephone calls are required from
participants, and methods of submittal
include Internet and facsimile
transmission of paper forms.
III. Data
OMB Number: None.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
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14:51 Mar 16, 2005
Jkt 205001
Affected Public: Not-for-profit
institutions and business or other forprofit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
500.
Estimated Time Per Response: 10
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 85.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $0.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection;
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: March 10, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05–5243 Filed 3–16–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request; Application for
Commercial Fisheries Authorization
Under Section 118 of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
DOC.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Department of
Commerce, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information
collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Written comments must be
submitted on or before May 16, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
to Diana Hynek, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6625,
14th and Constitution Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Internet at dHynek@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument and instructions should be
directed to Patricia Lawson, (301) 713–
2322 or Patricia.Lawson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
I. Abstract
The Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) requires any commercial fisher
operating in Category I and II fisheries
to register for a certificate of
authorization that will allow the fisher
to take marine mammals incidental to
commercial fishing operations. Category
I and II fisheries are those identified by
NOAA as having either frequent or
occasional takings of marine mammals.
Some States have integrated the
NMFS registration process into the
existing State fishery registration
process and fishers in those fisheries do
not need to file a separate Federal
registration. If applicable, vessel owners
will be notified of this simplified
registration process when they apply for
their State or Federal permit or license.
II. Method of Collection
Most fishers have their information
imported directly into the MMAP from
their State. Otherwise they can fill out
the forms on NMFS’ Web page or mail
in application for exemption made
available to them in the NMFS regions.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0648–0293.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations, and individuals or
households.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
12,000.
Estimated Time Per Response: 15
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 3,000 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $304,550.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
E:\FR\FM\17MRN1.SGM
17MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 51 / Thursday, March 17, 2005 / Notices
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection;
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: March 10, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05–5244 Filed 3–16–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 031005C]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted
Fishing Permits
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant
Regional Administrator) has made a
preliminary determination that the
subject Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)
application contains all of the required
information and warrants further
consideration. The Assistant Regional
Administrator has also made a
preliminary determination that the
activities authorized under the EFP
would be consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Northeast (NE)
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). However, further review and
consultation may be necessary before a
final determination is made to issue the
EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that
the Assistant Regional Administrator
proposes to issue an EFP that would
allow vessels to conduct fishing
operations that are otherwise restricted
by the regulations governing the
fisheries of the Northeastern United
States. The EFP would allow for
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14:51 Mar 16, 2005
Jkt 205001
exemptions from the NE multispecies
year-round closure area restrictions and
the NE multispecies Gulf of Maine
(GOM) and Georges Bank (GB) hook gear
restrictions. The applicant proposes to
conduct a haddock tagging study to
assess the movement of haddock
between the GOM and GB stocks,
western and eastern GB substocks, and
across closure area boundaries. The EFP
would allow these exemptions for up to
20 commercial vessels for a combined
total of 30 trips. All experimental work
would be monitored by Cape Cod
Commercial Hook Fishermen’s
Association (CCCHFA) personnel.
Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of
this notification to provide interested
parties the opportunity to comment on
applications for proposed EFPs.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before March 31, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on this
notice may be submitted by e-mail to:
DA736@noaa.gov. Include in the subject
line the following document identifier:
‘‘Comments on CCCHFA EFP Proposal
for Haddock Tagging Study (DA–736).’’
Written comments may also be mailed
to: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast
Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside
of the envelope ‘‘Comments on CCCHFA
EFP Proposal for Haddock Tagging
Study (DA–736).’’
Comments may also be sent via fax to:
(978) 281–9135.
Copies of the Environmental
Assessment (EA) are available from the
NE Regional Office at the mailing
address specified above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Cooper, Fishery Management
Specialist, phone: 978–281–9122, fax:
978–281–9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An
application for an EFP was submitted by
CCCHFA, in collaboration with the Gulf
of Maine Research Institute and the
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(NEFSC), on November 22, 2004.
Modifications to the initial EFP
application were received on February
25, 2005. The EFP would exempt 20
federally permitted commercial fishing
vessels from the following requirements
in the FMP: NE multispecies closed area
restrictions specified at §§ 648.81(a), (b),
(d), and (e) for the purpose of providing
access to haddock stocks within GB
Closed Area (CA) I, GB CA II, Cashes
Ledge Closure Area (Cashes), and the
Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area
(WGOM); and the NE multispecies GOM
hook gear restrictions specified at
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
13015
§ 648.80(a)(3)(v) and GB hook gear
restrictions specified at § 648.80(a)(4)(v),
in order to allow fishing for the
purposes of tagging viable fish without
hook gear restrictions.
Researchers request that the study
would be conducted from March 2005
through February 2006. Fishing would
take place aboard a maximum of 20
different fishing vessels totaling 30 trips
fishing under NE multispecies Category
A days-at-sea (DAS). Only the most
vigorous haddock caught would be
tagged and released to maximize their
chance of survival. It is estimated that
250 haddock would be tagged and
released each trip. All legal catch not
tagged would be landed and sold,
consistent with the current daily and
trip possession landing limits. NEFSC
personnel would accompany
researchers on trips and sample the
ovaries of landed haddock for fecundity
research. The NEFSC fecundity research
is not included in the EFP because it
would be conducted only on landed
catch. NEFSC fecundity research began
February 2005, within CA I under a
separate scientific research permit (SRP)
that also allows haddock tagging in CA
I. The EFP would not provide
exemptions from the Eastern U.S./
Canada Management Area, should this
area or portion of this area be closed due
to attainment of the U.S./Canada total
allowable catches of GB cod, haddock,
or yellowtail flounder. Undersized fish
would be returned to the sea as quickly
as possible. The participating vessels
would be required to report all landings
in their Vessel Trip Reports.
The goal of this study is to assess
haddock movement between stock areas
and across closure area boundaries. The
proposed project would test existing
assumptions about haddock movement
rates between the GOM and GB,
haddock movement rates between the
eastern and western GB regulated areas,
and haddock movement rates in and out
of the closure areas. Researchers
propose to use benthic longline gear
consisting of hooks with fabricated baits
(Norbait or Trident) that target haddock
and reduce cod bycatch. An estimated
total of 7,500 Hallmark T-bar tags would
be deployed in the closure areas as
follows: CA I (53.3 percent of tags); CA
II (13.3 percent of tags); WGOM (26.7
percent of tags); and Cashes (6.7 percent
of tags). Researchers under this tagging
study, would be allowed to catch a
maximum of 94,470 lb (42,851 kg) of
haddock and 3,149 lb (1,429 kg) of cod
within the closure areas. Catch limits
would reflect tagging effort in closure
areas within GB (62,980 lb (28,568 kg)
haddock; 1,575 lb (715 kg) cod) and
within the GOM (31,490 lb (14,284 kg)
E:\FR\FM\17MRN1.SGM
17MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 51 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13014-13015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5244]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Application for
Commercial Fisheries Authorization Under Section 118 of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), DOC.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 16, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th
and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet
at dHynek@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Patricia Lawson, (301) 713-2322 or
Patricia.Lawson@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) requires any commercial
fisher operating in Category I and II fisheries to register for a
certificate of authorization that will allow the fisher to take marine
mammals incidental to commercial fishing operations. Category I and II
fisheries are those identified by NOAA as having either frequent or
occasional takings of marine mammals.
Some States have integrated the NMFS registration process into the
existing State fishery registration process and fishers in those
fisheries do not need to file a separate Federal registration. If
applicable, vessel owners will be notified of this simplified
registration process when they apply for their State or Federal permit
or license.
II. Method of Collection
Most fishers have their information imported directly into the MMAP
from their State. Otherwise they can fill out the forms on NMFS' Web
page or mail in application for exemption made available to them in the
NMFS regions.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0648-0293.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations, and
individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,000.
Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,000 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $304,550.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have
[[Page 13015]]
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: March 10, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-5244 Filed 3-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
