Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit, 14687-14688 [E6-4205]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 56 / Thursday, March 23, 2006 / Notices
South of San Francisco Bay Populations
and NMFS’ Salmonid ESU Policy
The original petition argued that the
inclusion of coho populations south of
San Francisco Bay in the listed CCC
coho salmon ESU did not comport with
NMFS’ Salmonid ESU policy (56 FR
58612) because coho salmon in the area
south of San Francisco were of exotic
origin (i.e., originated from out-of-state
or -ESU hatchery plantings), and,
therefore, could not represent an
important evolutionary legacy of the
species. In recent correspondence to us,
the petitioner advocated delisting the
southernmost coho salmon populations
(i.e., those south of San Francisco) based
on the argument that these populations
(even if native) are not evolutionarily
significant to the CCC coho salmon ESU
as a whole because they do not exhibit
any unique phenotypic or life history
traits or contribute to the ESU as a
whole because they are biological sinks
for the ESU. Based on these arguments,
the petitioner has asserted that
including these southern populations in
the ESU is not consistent with NMFS’
Salmonid ESU Policy (56 FR 58612),
and that if the policy was properly
applied, they would be excluded from
the CCC coho salmon ESU. We believe
the southern populations are of native
origin based on the reasons discussed
earlier and disagree with the petitioner’s
rationale and interpretation of our
Salmonid ESU Policy. Much of the
discussion in Waples (1991), the paper
that NMFS’ Salmonid ESU Policy was
based on, is concerned with whether to
designate a population or group of
populations as an ESU and not, as
advocated by the petitioner’s
representatives, whether or not to
include or exclude a population that is
part of an ESU. Waples (1991) argued
that ephemeral populations should not
be considered ESUs by themselves but
should be included within the context
of larger populations that will persist
over evolutionary time frames. Using
this rationale, every population of coho
salmon needs to be included in some
coho salmon ESU. We believe coho
salmon south of San Francisco are part
of the CCC coho salmon ESU, which
represents an important component in
the evolutionary legacy of the species.
While it is uncertain as to whether or
not all the populations in this area are
dependent (sink) or independent
(source) populations, their inclusion in
the CCC coho salmon ESU is clearly in
accordance with our Salmonid ESU
policy.
The petitioner has argued that sink
populations contribute nothing to the
ESU as a whole. We disagree with this
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:54 Mar 22, 2006
Jkt 208001
assertion. A sink population is one that
produces fewer recruits than spawners
and receives more immigrants than the
migrants it produces. Being a sink,
however, is not the same as being a
biological black hole which simply
absorbs migrants and contributes
nothing to the population. We believe
inclusion of these southern populations
(even if historically smaller relative to
other populations within the ESU) in
the CCC coho salmon ESU is
appropriate because they are native
populations within the species’ historic
range and contribute to the ESU as a
whole. Finally, we believe protection
and restoration of the coho salmon
populations south of San Francisco Bay
are essential to the conservation of this
ESU as a whole because this geographic
area is at the southernmost edge of the
species distribution in North America
and is likely to be a source of
evolutionary innovation for the species.
Petition Finding
After reviewing the information
contained in the petition, we find that
the petition does not present substantial
scientific or commercial information
indicating that the petitioned action
may be warranted. In any case, even if
the information presented by the
petitioner were to have been considered
to warrant further review, a review of
additional scientific and commercial
information regarding the description of
the CCC coho salmon ESU indicates that
the petitioned action is not warranted.
References
Copies of the petition and related
materials are available on the Internet at
https://www.swr.noaa.gov, or upon
request (see ADDRESSES section above)
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: March 17, 2006.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–4192 Filed 3–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 032006B]
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.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
14687
Notice of receipt of an
application for an exempted fishing
permit.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt
of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Alaska
Longline Fishermen’s Association
(ALFA). If granted, the EFP would
support a project to develop hook-andline, troll, and jig techniques specific to
the harvest of several rockfish species in
the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), Southeast
Outside District (SEO). This project is
intended to promote the objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the GOA by improving
utilization of the rockfish resources in
the SEO. The project also would provide
important biological information about
rockfish in the SEO.
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: Ellen Walsh.
The EA also is available from the Alaska
Region, NMFS website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/
analyses.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jason Gasper, 907–586–7228 or
jason.gasper@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the domestic groundfish
fisheries in the GOA under the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
GOA (FMP). The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council)
prepared the FMP under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act). Regulations governing the
groundfish fisheries of the GOA 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 EFP application
from the ALFA in February 2006. The
proposed EFP would allow for the
testing of unbaited artificial lures
(shrimp flies) to target rockfish in the
SEO. Prior to a ban on trawling in the
SEO on March 23, 1998 (63 FR 8356,
February 19,1998), trawl gear was used
in the SEO to target the following
rockfish species: Pacific Ocean perch
(POP), pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR), and
other slope rockfish (OSR). The goal of
this project is to improve the utilization
of rockfish species in the SEO using
E:\FR\FM\23MRN1.SGM
23MRN1
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
14688
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 56 / Thursday, March 23, 2006 / Notices
methods that are consistent with
Magnuson-Stevens Act National
Standard 1, which directs that
conservation and management measures
must achieve optimum yield from each
fishery, and National Standard 5, which
seeks to promote efficiency in the
utilization of fishery resources.
This project has been developed in
cooperation with scientists at the NMFS
Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC).
The proposed EFP has the following
three objectives: (1) collect demographic
and growth information for rockfish
species that have little baseline
biological information; (2) document the
fishing characteristics of a new type of
gear (shrimp flies), including the
calculation of bycatch rates for halibut,
sablefish, and other non-target species;
and (3) refine gear and fishing
techniques to efficiently harvest POP,
PSR, and OSR with minimal bycatch.
The time period of the project is May
15, 2006, through May 15, 2009.
Continuation of the project in 2007 and
2008 is contingent on approval from the
AFSC.
The proposed EFP exempts the
applicant from certain fishery closures
and prohibited species catch (PSC)
limits. The exemptions are necessary to
allow the permit holder to efficiently
conduct the proposed project while
minimizing impacts to the SEO hookand-line fishery. The EFP provides
exemptions from (1) hook-and-line
fishery closures under § 679.7(a)(2) due
to reasons other than overfishing
concerns; (2) PSC limits for halibut
under the GOA annual harvest
specifications (71 FR 10870, March 3,
2006) and § 679.21(d)(4)(iii)(C); and (3)
maximum retainable amounts for
rockfish fisheries under § 679.20(e); and
(4) sablefish retention requirements at
§ 679.7(f)(8)(iii)(11). The total amount of
groundfish allowed to be harvested is
189 metric tons (mt), including a 10 mt
mortality limit on sablefish. Because
sufficient total allowable catch (TAC)
amounts are available in the SEO for the
rockfish species likely to be taken
during the project, all groundfish except
sablefish will be deducted from the
annual TAC amounts specified in the
annual harvest specifications (71 FR
10870, March 3, 2006). Because
sablefish is fully allocated in the hookand-line fishery, and managed under the
individual fishing quota (IFQ) program
pursuant to § 679.40, no sablefish will
be retained during the project nor
counted against the annual sablefish
TAC. Halibut mortality is limited to 2
mt.
Fishing contrary to notification of
inseason actions, closures, or
adjustments under §§ 679.20, 679.21,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:54 Mar 22, 2006
Jkt 208001
and 679.25 is prohibited by
§ 679.7(a)(2). The applicant would be
exempt from this prohibition to allow
the project to proceed without
interruption. The PSC limit for halibut
may be reached during the project time
period, requiring the closure of the
hook-and-line fisheries in accordance
with § 679.25. Because the amounts of
halibut bycatch in the hook-and-line
Pacific cod fishery has caused the
closure of all hook-and-line fisheries
(except demersal shelf rockfish) GOAwide in the spring of 1999, 2000, and
2001, and in the fall of 2003 and 2004,
the closure of the hook-and-line
fisheries in the GOA may occur. The
halibut mortality during the project
would not be counted against the PSC
limit so that other hook-and-line
fisheries will not be impacted by the
project.
The proposed EFP allows the
retention and sale of all groundfish
species (except sablefish) taken while
fishing under the EFP to offset some of
the costs of the project. The applicant
will be exempt from the maximum
retainable amounts specified in Table 10
of 50 CFR part 679 for rockfish fisheries.
Because demersal shelf rockfish (DSR)
are managed by the State of Alaska,
which has special provisions for the
retention and sale of DSR, the EFP
would not relieve the applicant from
compliance with the State’s DSR
regulations at 5 Alaska Administrative
Code 28.171. These regulations require
full retention of DSR but limit the
numbers of DSR that may be sold for
revenue by the harvester.
Because the applicant will be required
to discard all sablefish caught, the
proposed permit exempts the applicant
from the retention requirement of
§ 679.7(f)(11) for sablefish only. Under
this regulation, all halibut and sablefish
are required to be retained if a person
on the vessel has IFQ available for
halibut or sablefish for that class of
vessel. Recruiting qualified individuals
for the project could be difficult if the
IFQ retention requirement is applied for
sablefish because the project does not
provide an efficient use of sablefish IFQ.
Because qualified participants are likely
to be sablefish IFQ holders who would
not want to use their IFQ during the
project, the applicant is exempted from
the sablefish retention requirements.
Furthermore, the primary gear used in
the EFP will be troll and jig gear, neither
of which is legal gear for the harvest of
sablefish in the SEO. The proposed EFP
requires that all sablefish caught be
returned to the sea with minimal injury.
Halibut catch would not be exempt from
§ 679.7(f)(11) and would be subject to all
applicable Federal regulations.
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
All fishing under the proposed EFP
would stop if the groundfish or halibut
mortality limits in the EFP are reached.
The Regional Administrator may modify
the EFP to allow continuation of the
project after consideration of the
following factors: (1) the present amount
of harvest of groundfish species by the
groundfish fisheries compared to the
annual TACs, (2) the progress of the
project to date, and (3) the potential
impacts of any modification 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 April 3–11,
2006 meeting. The applicant has been
invited to appear in support of the
application. Interested persons may
comment on the application at the
Council meeting during public
testimony. Information regarding the
April 2006 Council meeting is available
at the Council’s website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/council.htm.
Copies of the application and EA are
available for review from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 20, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–4205 Filed 3–22–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Board of Visitors Meeting
Defense Acquisition
University.
ACTION: Board of Visitors Meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The next meeting on the
Defense Acquisition University (DAU)
Board of Visitors (BoV) will be held at
Defense Acquisition University, Fort
Belvoir, VA. The purpose of this
meeting is to report back to the BoV on
continuing items of interest.
DATES: April 26, 2006 from 0900–1500.
ADDRESSES: Packard Conference Center,
Defense Acquisition University, Bldg.
184, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Patricia Cizmadia at 703–805–5134.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
meeting is open to the public; however,
because of space limitations, allocation
of seating will be made on a first-come,
first served basis. Persons desiring to
E:\FR\FM\23MRN1.SGM
23MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14687-14688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4205]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 032006B]
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 Alaska Longline Fishermen's
Association (ALFA). If granted, the EFP would support a project to
develop hook-and-line, troll, and jig techniques specific to the
harvest of several rockfish species in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA),
Southeast Outside District (SEO). This project is intended to promote
the objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA
by improving utilization of the rockfish resources in the SEO. The
project also would provide important biological information about
rockfish in the SEO.
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: Ellen Walsh. The EA also is
available from the Alaska Region, NMFS website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/analyses.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Gasper, 907-586-7228 or
jason.gasper@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the domestic groundfish
fisheries in the GOA under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish
of the GOA (FMP). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) prepared the FMP under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Regulations
governing the groundfish fisheries of the GOA appear at 50 CFR parts
600 and 679. The FMP and the implementing regulations at Sec. 679.6
and Sec. 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 EFP application from the ALFA in February 2006.
The proposed EFP would allow for the testing of unbaited artificial
lures (shrimp flies) to target rockfish in the SEO. Prior to a ban on
trawling in the SEO on March 23, 1998 (63 FR 8356, February 19,1998),
trawl gear was used in the SEO to target the following rockfish
species: Pacific Ocean perch (POP), pelagic shelf rockfish (PSR), and
other slope rockfish (OSR). The goal of this project is to improve the
utilization of rockfish species in the SEO using
[[Page 14688]]
methods that are consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard
1, which directs that conservation and management measures must achieve
optimum yield from each fishery, and National Standard 5, which seeks
to promote efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources.
This project has been developed in cooperation with scientists at
the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). The proposed EFP has
the following three objectives: (1) collect demographic and growth
information for rockfish species that have little baseline biological
information; (2) document the fishing characteristics of a new type of
gear (shrimp flies), including the calculation of bycatch rates for
halibut, sablefish, and other non-target species; and (3) refine gear
and fishing techniques to efficiently harvest POP, PSR, and OSR with
minimal bycatch. The time period of the project is May 15, 2006,
through May 15, 2009. Continuation of the project in 2007 and 2008 is
contingent on approval from the AFSC.
The proposed EFP exempts the applicant from certain fishery
closures and prohibited species catch (PSC) limits. The exemptions are
necessary to allow the permit holder to efficiently conduct the
proposed project while minimizing impacts to the SEO hook-and-line
fishery. The EFP provides exemptions from (1) hook-and-line fishery
closures under Sec. 679.7(a)(2) due to reasons other than overfishing
concerns; (2) PSC limits for halibut under the GOA annual harvest
specifications (71 FR 10870, March 3, 2006) and Sec.
679.21(d)(4)(iii)(C); and (3) maximum retainable amounts for rockfish
fisheries under Sec. 679.20(e); and (4) sablefish retention
requirements at Sec. 679.7(f)(8)(iii)(11). The total amount of
groundfish allowed to be harvested is 189 metric tons (mt), including a
10 mt mortality limit on sablefish. Because sufficient total allowable
catch (TAC) amounts are available in the SEO for the rockfish species
likely to be taken during the project, all groundfish except sablefish
will be deducted from the annual TAC amounts specified in the annual
harvest specifications (71 FR 10870, March 3, 2006). Because sablefish
is fully allocated in the hook-and-line fishery, and managed under the
individual fishing quota (IFQ) program pursuant to Sec. 679.40, no
sablefish will be retained during the project nor counted against the
annual sablefish TAC. Halibut mortality is limited to 2 mt.
Fishing contrary to notification of inseason actions, closures, or
adjustments under Sec. Sec. 679.20, 679.21, and 679.25 is prohibited
by Sec. 679.7(a)(2). The applicant would be exempt from this
prohibition to allow the project to proceed without interruption. The
PSC limit for halibut may be reached during the project time period,
requiring the closure of the hook-and-line fisheries in accordance with
Sec. 679.25. Because the amounts of halibut bycatch in the hook-and-
line Pacific cod fishery has caused the closure of all hook-and-line
fisheries (except demersal shelf rockfish) GOA-wide in the spring of
1999, 2000, and 2001, and in the fall of 2003 and 2004, the closure of
the hook-and-line fisheries in the GOA may occur. The halibut mortality
during the project would not be counted against the PSC limit so that
other hook-and-line fisheries will not be impacted by the project.
The proposed EFP allows the retention and sale of all groundfish
species (except sablefish) taken while fishing under the EFP to offset
some of the costs of the project. The applicant will be exempt from the
maximum retainable amounts specified in Table 10 of 50 CFR part 679 for
rockfish fisheries. Because demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) are managed
by the State of Alaska, which has special provisions for the retention
and sale of DSR, the EFP would not relieve the applicant from
compliance with the State's DSR regulations at 5 Alaska Administrative
Code 28.171. These regulations require full retention of DSR but limit
the numbers of DSR that may be sold for revenue by the harvester.
Because the applicant will be required to discard all sablefish
caught, the proposed permit exempts the applicant from the retention
requirement of Sec. 679.7(f)(11) for sablefish only. Under this
regulation, all halibut and sablefish are required to be retained if a
person on the vessel has IFQ available for halibut or sablefish for
that class of vessel. Recruiting qualified individuals for the project
could be difficult if the IFQ retention requirement is applied for
sablefish because the project does not provide an efficient use of
sablefish IFQ. Because qualified participants are likely to be
sablefish IFQ holders who would not want to use their IFQ during the
project, the applicant is exempted from the sablefish retention
requirements. Furthermore, the primary gear used in the EFP will be
troll and jig gear, neither of which is legal gear for the harvest of
sablefish in the SEO. The proposed EFP requires that all sablefish
caught be returned to the sea with minimal injury. Halibut catch would
not be exempt from Sec. 679.7(f)(11) and would be subject to all
applicable Federal regulations.
All fishing under the proposed EFP would stop if the groundfish or
halibut mortality limits in the EFP are reached. The Regional
Administrator may modify the EFP to allow continuation of the project
after consideration of the following factors: (1) the present amount of
harvest of groundfish species by the groundfish fisheries compared to
the annual TACs, (2) the progress of the project to date, and (3) the
potential impacts of any modification 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 April 3-11, 2006
meeting. The applicant has been invited to appear in support of the
application. Interested persons may comment on the application at the
Council meeting during public testimony. Information regarding the
April 2006 Council meeting is available at the Council's website at
https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/council.htm.
Copies of the application and EA are available for review from NMFS
(see ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 20, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-4205 Filed 3-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
