Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit, 3472-3474 [E6-733]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
3472
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 2006 / Notices
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: January 17, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6–671 Filed 1–20–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request; Limits on
Applications of Take Prohibitions
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before March 24, 2006.
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 Steve Stone, at (503) 231–
2317, National Marine Fisheries Service,
1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100,
Portland, OR 97232–1274 or
steve.stone@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
erjones on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
I. Abstract
Section 4(d) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) requires the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to
adopt such regulations as it ‘‘deems
necessary and advisable to provide for
the conservation of’’ threatened species.
Those regulations may include any or
all of the prohibitions provided in
section 9(a)(1) of the ESA, which
specifically prohibits ‘‘take’’ of any
endangered species (‘‘take’’ includes
actions that harass, harm, pursue, kill,
or capture). The first salmonid species
listed by NMFS as threatened were
VerDate Aug<31>2005
13:01 Jan 20, 2006
Jkt 208001
protected by virtually blanket
application of the section 9 take
prohibitions. There are now 21 separate
Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs)
of west coast salmonids listed as
threatened, covering a large percentage
of the land base in California, Oregon,
Washington and Idaho. NMFS is
obligated to enact necessary and
advisable protective regulations. NMFS
makes section 9 prohibitions generally
applicable to many of those threatened
ESUs, but also seeks to respond to
requests from states and others to both
provide more guidance on how to
protect threatened salmonids and avoid
take, and to limit the application of take
prohibitions wherever warranted (see 70
FR 37160, June 28, 2005, and 71 FR 834,
January 5, 2006). The regulations
describe programs or circumstances that
contribute to the conservation of, or are
being conducted in a way that
adequately limits impacts on, listed
salmonids. The regulations do not apply
the take prohibitions to those programs
and circumstances. Some of these limits
on the take prohibitions entail voluntary
submission of a plan to NMFS and/or
annual or occasional reports by entities
wishing to take advantage of these
limits, or continue within them.
II. Method of Collection
Submissions may be in paper or
electronic format.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0648–0399.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: State, local, or tribal
government; business or other for-profit
organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
201.
Estimated Time per Response: 20
hours for a road maintenance
agreement; 5 hours for a diversion
screening limit project; 30 hours for an
urban development package; 10 hours
for an urban development report; 20
hours for a tribal plan; and 5 hours for
a report of aided, salvaged, or disposed
of salmonids.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 500.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $843.
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
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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: January 17, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6–672 Filed 1–20–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 011806A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone off Alaska; Application for an
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.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt
of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Aleut
Enterprise Corporation (AEC). If
granted, this permit would be used to
support a project to investigate the
feasibility of using commercial fishing
vessels for acoustic surveys of pollock
in the Aleutian Islands subarea. The
project is intended to promote the
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands Management
Area (BSAI) by improving use of pollock
in the Aleutian Islands subarea.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP
application and the environmental
assessment (EA) are available by writing
to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
Alaska Region, NMFS, P. O. Box 21668,
Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Durall.
The EA also is available from the Alaska
Region, NMFS website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/
analyses.asp.
E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM
23JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 2006 / Notices
erjones on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melanie Brown, 907–586–7228 or
melanie.brown@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the domestic groundfish
fisheries in the BSAI under the FMP.
The North Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) prepared the FMP
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act.
Regulations governing the groundfish
fisheries of the BSAI appear at 50 CFR
parts 600 and 679. The FMP and the
implementing regulations at §§ 679.6
and 600.745(b) authorize issuance of
EFPs to allow fishing that would
otherwise be prohibited. Procedures for
issuing EFPs are contained in the
implementing regulations.
NMFS received an application for an
EFP from the AEC. The purpose of the
EFP is to support a project to determine
the feasibility of using commercial
fishing vessels for acoustic surveys of
pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea.
The goal of the project is to improve the
use of Aleutian Islands pollock. NMFS
currently does not have resources to
conduct acoustic surveys of Aleutian
Islands pollock. This project has been
developed in cooperation with stock
assessment scientists at the NMFS
Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The
acoustic and biological information
from the project will be used to
determine: (1) if it is feasible to conduct
acoustic surveys in the Aleutian Islands
subarea using commercial fishing
vessels, (2) if the data collected in such
a manner are of sufficient quality for
management purposes, and (3) if the
local aggregations of pollock are stable
enough during spawning season to
allow for fine scale spatial and temporal
management. Additionally, genetic
samples will be collected during this
study that will be used for stock
structure analysis. Improved
information may lead to improved
conservation and potentially finer
spatial and temporal harvest
management of Aleutian Islands
pollock. More information on the
Aleutian Islands pollock stock is needed
because of the uncertainty of the stock’s
structure and the potential effects of the
fishery on Steller sea lions.
The western distinct population
segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions occurs
in the Aleutian Islands subarea and is
listed as endangered under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). Critical
habitat has been designated for this
DPS, including waters within 20
nautical miles (nm) of haulouts and
rookeries (50 CFR 226.202). Pollock is a
principal prey species of Steller sea
lions.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
13:01 Jan 20, 2006
Jkt 208001
The U.S. Congress, in section 803 of
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of
2004 (Public Law 108–199), required
that the directed fishing allowance of
pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea
be allocated to the Aleut Corporation.
Only fishing vessels approved by the
Aleut Corporation or its agents are
allowed to harvest this allowance. To
harvest the fish, the Aleut Corporation
is allowed to contract only with vessels
under 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall
(LOA), or vessels listed under the
American Fisheries Act. The allocation
was made to the Aleut Corporation for
the purpose of furthering the economic
development of Adak, Alaska. Public
Law 108–199 requires half of the
Aleutian Islands pollock allocation to be
harvested by small boats (less than 60
feet (18.3 m) LOA) in 2013 and beyond.
For safety reasons, fishing in waters
closer than 20 nm from shore is
preferred for the small boat fleet.
Aleutian Islands pollock has been
harvested primarily in Steller sea lion
critical habitat in the past until the
Aleutian Islands subarea was closed to
pollock fishing in 1999 (64 FR 3437,
January 22, 1999). In 2003, the Aleutian
Islands subarea was opened to pollock
fishing outside of critical habitat under
regulations implementing the current
Steller sea lion protection measures (68
FR 204, January 2, 2003). In 2005,
pollock was allocated to the Aleut
Corporation for a directed pollock
fishery in the Aleutian Islands subarea
outside of Steller sea lion critical
habitat. The Aleut Corporation
harvested only about 1.2 percent of its
initial 2005 pollock allocation due, in
part, to difficulty in finding pollock.
Based on historical harvests, pollock
aggregations necessary to support an
acoustic survey likely occur inside
Steller sea lion critical habitat.
The EFP is necessary to allow the
applicants to harvest groundfish to
verify the acoustic data collected and to
compensate the participants. The
acoustic survey must be conducted in
an area that is likely to contain
concentrations of pollock. The EFP
would provide exemptions to Steller sea
lion closures to pollock fishing in two
areas: Atka Island and Kanaga Sound.
Two areas are provided for the project
in the event that no aggregations of fish
can be found in one of the areas. Only
one area may be used for the acoustic
survey and verification fishing. No more
than 1000 metric tons (mt) of groundfish
may be harvested from a single site in
this project. Fishing may occur within 3
nm of Steller sea lion haulouts in the
study area to verify acoustic survey
data. No more than 10 mt of groundfish
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3473
may be harvested in a tow within 3 nm
of a haulout.
All groundfish harvested will be
counted towards the TAC amounts
specified for the BSAI in § 679.20 and
the 2006 harvest specifications (70 FR
8679, February 24, 2005) which are
scheduled for revision by the end of
February 2006. Nearly all groundfish
harvested under the EFP is expected to
be pollock with minor amounts of
Pacific ocean perch. Any groundfish
fishing in the Aleutian Islands subarea
closed to directed fishing due to
overfishing concerns would include the
directed fishing under the EFP.
Overall, no more than 1,000 mt of
groundfish would be harvested under
the EFP by one vessel. The EFP
applicant would retain all groundfish
species to accurately document the
catch amounts by species and compare
this information to the acoustic data.
The EFP would provide an exemption
from maximum retainable amounts
specified in Table 11 of 50 CFR part 679
so that the applicant may retain and sell
all groundfish harvested.
The EFP may be modified to extend
the effective date for an additional 12
months if the applicant is unable to
complete the project in 2006. Fishing
under the EFP is expected to occur
during March 2006 for approximately
three weeks. Because the activities are
limited to one vessel for approximately
three weeks in a discrete area with a
1,000 mt limit, significant impacts on
the marine environment are not
expected. Because the activity is in
Steller sea lion critical habitat and
includes the harvest of a principal prey
species for Steller sea lions, a Section 7
consultation under the ESA has been
initiated for this action and must be
completed before the issuance of the
EFP.
In accordance with § 679.6, NMFS has
determined that the proposal warrants
further consideration and has initiated
consultation with the Council by
forwarding the application to the
Council. The Council will consider the
EFP application during its February 6–
13, 2006 meeting. The applicant has
been invited to appear in support of the
application, if the applicant desires.
Interested persons may comment on the
application at the Council meeting
during public testimony. Information
regarding the February 2006 Council
meeting is available at the Council’s
website at https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
npfmc/default.htm.
Copies of the application and EA are
available for review from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM
23JAN1
3474
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 2006 / Notices
Dated: January 18, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–733 Filed 1–20–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 031704B]
Taking and Importing Marine
Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to Conducting Air-to-Surface
Gunnery Missions in the Gulf of
Mexico
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of application
for an incidental take authorization;
request for comments and information.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request
from Eglin Air Force Base (Eglin AFB),
for authorization to harass marine
mammals, incidental to conducting airto-surface (A–S) gunnery missions in
the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). As a result
of this request, NMFS is proposing to
issue a 1-year authorization to take
marine mammals by Level B harassment
incidental to this activity and will
propose regulations at a later time that
would govern these incidental takes
under a Letter of Authorization (LOA)
issued to Eglin for a period of up to 5
years after the 1-year IHA expires.
Under the Marine Mammal Protection
Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting
comments on its proposal to issue an
authorization to Eglin AFB to
incidentally take, by harassment, several
species of cetaceans for a period of 1
year.
Comments and information must
be postmarked no later than February
22, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be
addressed to Steve Leathery, Chief,
Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910–3226. The mailbox address for
providing email comments on this
action is PR2.031704B@noaa.gov.
Comments sent via email, including all
attachments, must not exceed a 10megabyte file size. A copy of the
application and a list of references used
in this document may be obtained by
writing to this address, by telephoning
erjones on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
DATES:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
13:01 Jan 20, 2006
Jkt 208001
the contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER
and is also
available at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
prot_res/PR2/Small_Take/
smalltake_info.htm#applications. A
copy of the Final Programmatic
Environmental Assessment (Final PEA)
is available by writing to the
Department of the Air Force, AAC/
EMSN, Natural Resources Branch, 501
DeLeon St., Suite 101, Eglin AFB, FL
32542–5133.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kenneth R. Hollingshead, NMFS, 301–
713–2289, ext 128.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
INFORMATION CONTACT)
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and 101(a)(5)(D)
of the Marine Mammal Protection Act
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) (MMPA) direct
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary)
to allow, upon request, the incidental,
but not intentional taking of marine
mammals by U.S. citizens who engage
in a specified activity (other than
commercial fishing) within a specified
geographical region if certain findings
are made and regulations are issued or,
if the taking is limited to harassment, a
notice of a proposed authorization is
provided to the public for review.
Permission may be granted if NMFS
finds that the taking will have a
negligible impact on the species or
stock(s) and will not have an
unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for
subsistence uses, and if the permissible
methods of taking and requirements
pertaining to the monitoring and
reporting of such takings are set forth.
NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible impact’’
in 50 CFR 216.103 as ‘‘* * * an impact
resulting from the specified activity that
cannot be reasonably expected to, and is
not reasonably likely to, adversely affect
the species or stock through effects on
annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’
Subsection 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA
established an expedited process by
which citizens of the United States can
apply for an authorization to
incidentally take small numbers of
marine mammals by harassment. The
National Defense Authorization Act of
2004 (NDAA) (Pub. L. 108–136)
amended the definition of ‘‘harassment’’
in section 18(A) of the MMPA as it
applies to a ‘‘military readiness activity’’
to read as follows:
(i) Any act that injures or has the
significant potential to injure a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild
[Level A harassment]; or (ii) any act that
disturbs or is likely to disturb a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild
by causing disruption of natural behavioral
patterns, including, but not limited to,
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
migration, surfacing, nursing, breeding,
feeding, or sheltering, to a point where such
behavioral patterns are abandoned or
significantly altered [Level B harassment].
Summary of Request
On February 13, 2003, Eglin AFB
petitioned NMFS, as a precautionary
measure, for an authorization under
section 101(a)(5) of the MMPA for the
taking, by harassment, marine mammals
incidental to programmatic mission
activities within the Eglin Gulf Test and
Training Range (EGTTR) for the next
five years. The EGTTR is described as
the airspace over the Gulf of Mexico that
is controlled by Eglin AFB; this area is
also sometimes referred to as the ‘‘Eglin
Water Range.’’
The A–S gunnery test and training
activities currently comprise the
majority of Eglin’s missions that deploy
ordnance into the GOM and have been
determined through a review under the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) to be the only activity to impact
marine mammals (Eglin AFB, 2002).
The effects of other components of the
mission activities, including supersonic
and subsonic noise from aircraft,
occasional fuel releases, debris, the
release of chemicals into the water from
chaff, flares, drones, and missiles, and
direct physical impacts (discussed later
in this document) were determined not
to impact marine mammals (Eglin AFB,
2002).
Description of Activities
A–S gunnery missions involve surface
impacts of projectiles and small
underwater detonations with the
potential to affect cetaceans that may
potentially occur within the EGTTR.
These missions typically involve the use
of 25-mm (0.98 in), 40-mm (1.57 in), and
105-mm (4.13 in) gunnery rounds
containing, 0.0662 lb (1.1 oz 30 g), 0.865
(13.8 oz, 392 g), and 4.7 lbs (2.1 kg) of
explosive, respectively. Live rounds
must be used to produce a visible
surface splash that must be used to
‘‘score’’ the round; the impact of inert
rounds on the sea surface would not be
detected. The Air Force has developed
a 105-mm training round (TR) that
contains less than 10 percent of the
amount of explosive material (0.35 lb;
0.16 kg) as compared to the ‘‘Full-Up’’
(FU) 105-mm (4.13 in) round. The TR
was developed as one method to
mitigate effects on marine life during
night-time A/S gunnery exercises when
visibility at the water surface would be
poor. However, the TR cannot be used
in daytime since the amount of
explosive material is insufficient to be
detected from the aircraft.
E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM
23JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3472-3474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-733]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 011806A]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Application
for an 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt of an application for an
exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the Aleut Enterprise Corporation
(AEC). If granted, this permit would be used to support a project to
investigate the feasibility of using commercial fishing vessels for
acoustic surveys of pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea. The
project is intended to promote the objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (BSAI) by improving use of pollock in the Aleutian
Islands subarea.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP application and the environmental
assessment (EA) are available by writing to Sue Salveson, Assistant
Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Alaska Region, NMFS,
P. O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Durall. The EA also is
available from the Alaska Region, NMFS website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/analyses.asp.
[[Page 3473]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Brown, 907-586-7228 or
melanie.brown@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the domestic groundfish
fisheries in the BSAI under the FMP. The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council) prepared the FMP under the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing
the groundfish fisheries of the BSAI appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and
679. The FMP and the implementing regulations at Sec. Sec. 679.6 and
600.745(b) authorize issuance of EFPs to allow fishing that would
otherwise be prohibited. Procedures for issuing EFPs are contained in
the implementing regulations.
NMFS received an application for an EFP from the AEC. The purpose
of the EFP is to support a project to determine the feasibility of
using commercial fishing vessels for acoustic surveys of pollock in the
Aleutian Islands subarea. The goal of the project is to improve the use
of Aleutian Islands pollock. NMFS currently does not have resources to
conduct acoustic surveys of Aleutian Islands pollock. This project has
been developed in cooperation with stock assessment scientists at the
NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The acoustic and biological
information from the project will be used to determine: (1) if it is
feasible to conduct acoustic surveys in the Aleutian Islands subarea
using commercial fishing vessels, (2) if the data collected in such a
manner are of sufficient quality for management purposes, and (3) if
the local aggregations of pollock are stable enough during spawning
season to allow for fine scale spatial and temporal management.
Additionally, genetic samples will be collected during this study that
will be used for stock structure analysis. Improved information may
lead to improved conservation and potentially finer spatial and
temporal harvest management of Aleutian Islands pollock. More
information on the Aleutian Islands pollock stock is needed because of
the uncertainty of the stock's structure and the potential effects of
the fishery on Steller sea lions.
The western distinct population segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions
occurs in the Aleutian Islands subarea and is listed as endangered
under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Critical habitat has been
designated for this DPS, including waters within 20 nautical miles (nm)
of haulouts and rookeries (50 CFR 226.202). Pollock is a principal prey
species of Steller sea lions.
The U.S. Congress, in section 803 of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-199), required that the
directed fishing allowance of pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea
be allocated to the Aleut Corporation. Only fishing vessels approved by
the Aleut Corporation or its agents are allowed to harvest this
allowance. To harvest the fish, the Aleut Corporation is allowed to
contract only with vessels under 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA),
or vessels listed under the American Fisheries Act. The allocation was
made to the Aleut Corporation for the purpose of furthering the
economic development of Adak, Alaska. Public Law 108-199 requires half
of the Aleutian Islands pollock allocation to be harvested by small
boats (less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA) in 2013 and beyond. For safety
reasons, fishing in waters closer than 20 nm from shore is preferred
for the small boat fleet.
Aleutian Islands pollock has been harvested primarily in Steller
sea lion critical habitat in the past until the Aleutian Islands
subarea was closed to pollock fishing in 1999 (64 FR 3437, January 22,
1999). In 2003, the Aleutian Islands subarea was opened to pollock
fishing outside of critical habitat under regulations implementing the
current Steller sea lion protection measures (68 FR 204, January 2,
2003). In 2005, pollock was allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a
directed pollock fishery in the Aleutian Islands subarea outside of
Steller sea lion critical habitat. The Aleut Corporation harvested only
about 1.2 percent of its initial 2005 pollock allocation due, in part,
to difficulty in finding pollock. Based on historical harvests, pollock
aggregations necessary to support an acoustic survey likely occur
inside Steller sea lion critical habitat.
The EFP is necessary to allow the applicants to harvest groundfish
to verify the acoustic data collected and to compensate the
participants. The acoustic survey must be conducted in an area that is
likely to contain concentrations of pollock. The EFP would provide
exemptions to Steller sea lion closures to pollock fishing in two
areas: Atka Island and Kanaga Sound. Two areas are provided for the
project in the event that no aggregations of fish can be found in one
of the areas. Only one area may be used for the acoustic survey and
verification fishing. No more than 1000 metric tons (mt) of groundfish
may be harvested from a single site in this project. Fishing may occur
within 3 nm of Steller sea lion haulouts in the study area to verify
acoustic survey data. No more than 10 mt of groundfish may be harvested
in a tow within 3 nm of a haulout.
All groundfish harvested will be counted towards the TAC amounts
specified for the BSAI in Sec. 679.20 and the 2006 harvest
specifications (70 FR 8679, February 24, 2005) which are scheduled for
revision by the end of February 2006. Nearly all groundfish harvested
under the EFP is expected to be pollock with minor amounts of Pacific
ocean perch. Any groundfish fishing in the Aleutian Islands subarea
closed to directed fishing due to overfishing concerns would include
the directed fishing under the EFP.
Overall, no more than 1,000 mt of groundfish would be harvested
under the EFP by one vessel. The EFP applicant would retain all
groundfish species to accurately document the catch amounts by species
and compare this information to the acoustic data. The EFP would
provide an exemption from maximum retainable amounts specified in Table
11 of 50 CFR part 679 so that the applicant may retain and sell all
groundfish harvested.
The EFP may be modified to extend the effective date for an
additional 12 months if the applicant is unable to complete the project
in 2006. Fishing under the EFP is expected to occur during March 2006
for approximately three weeks. Because the activities are limited to
one vessel for approximately three weeks in a discrete area with a
1,000 mt limit, significant impacts on the marine environment are not
expected. Because the activity is in Steller sea lion critical habitat
and includes the harvest of a principal prey species for Steller sea
lions, a Section 7 consultation under the ESA has been initiated for
this action and must be completed before the issuance of the EFP.
In accordance with Sec. 679.6, NMFS has determined that the
proposal warrants further consideration and has initiated consultation
with the Council by forwarding the application to the Council. The
Council will consider the EFP application during its February 6-13,
2006 meeting. The applicant has been invited to appear in support of
the application, if the applicant desires. Interested persons may
comment on the application at the Council meeting during public
testimony. Information regarding the February 2006 Council meeting is
available at the Council's website at https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
default.htm.
Copies of the application and EA are available for review from NMFS
(see ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
[[Page 3474]]
Dated: January 18, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-733 Filed 1-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
