Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit, 66915-66916 [E6-19427]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 222 / Friday, November 17, 2006 / Notices
marine mammals for at least 30 minutes
within the exclusion zone.
(5) Field Verification—Before
conducting the survey, the operator
must verify the radii of the exclusion
zone within real-time conditions in the
field. This provides for a more accurate
exclusion-zone radii rather than relying
on modeling techniques before entering
the field.
(6) Aerial Surveys—Aerial surveys are
flown in advance of initiating seismic
surveys and related ice-breaking
activities over an area that includes the
area to be surveyed.
(7) Temporal/Spatial/Operational
Restrictions— Dynamic management
approaches to avoid or minimize
acoustic exposure, such as temporal or
spatial limitations are based on the
presence of a marine mammal in a
particular place or time, or during a
particularly sensitive behavior (such as
feeding or maternal care). In the past,
these restrictions have included: (a) A
prohibition on surveys in the Chukchi
Sea spring-lead system before July 1; (b)
under specific circumstances to protect
migrating bowhead cow/calf pairs, the
standard 180–dB exclusion zone for
cetaceans is extended to a monitored
120–dB safety zone; (c) under specific
circumstances to protect feeding
aggregations of bowhead and/or gray
whales, the standard 180–dB exclusion
zone for cetaceans is extended to a
monitored 160–dB safety zone.
(8) Dedicated aerial and/or vessel
surveys—As appropriate, dedicated
aerial and/or vessel surveys are
conducted in the Beaufort and Chukchi
seas during the fall bowhead whale
migration period to detect migrating
bowhead cow/calf pairs, and
concentrations of feeding bowhead and
gray whales.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Comments
The NMFS requests comments from
state, local, and tribal governments;
Native Alaskan organizations; Federal
agencies; environmental and fish and
wildlife organizations; the oil and gas
industry; other interested organizations
and parties in order to assist in the
preparation of a Draft PEIS for the Arctic
Ocean OCS Seismic Surveys. In
particular, NMFS requests comments on
the scope of issues and range of
alternatives that should be considered
in the Draft PEIS.
Additional opportunities for public
review and comment will be provided
when the Notice of Availability of the
Draft PEIS is published in the Federal
Register. After release of the Draft PEIS,
MMS and NMFS intend to hold public
information meetings in Anchorage,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:31 Nov 16, 2006
Jkt 211001
Barrow, Kaktovik, Nuiqsuk,
Wainwright, Point Lay and Point Hope.
Dated: November 7, 2006
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–19485 Filed 11–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 111406A]
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 assess pollock
abundance in a portion of the Aleutian
Islands subarea and to test the feasibility
of managing pollock harvest at a finer
temporal and spatial scale using near
real-time acoustic surveying. 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 the 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: Ellen Walsh.
The EA also is available from the Alaska
Region, NMFS Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/
analyses.asp.
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
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
66915
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 assess
pollock abundance in a portion of the
Aleutian Islands subarea and to test the
feasibility of managing pollock harvest
at a finer temporal and spatial scale
using near real-time acoustic surveying.
The goal of the project is to improve the
use of Aleutian Islands pollock. NMFS
currently does not have the resources to
conduct acoustic surveys of Aleutian
Islands subarea 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 would provide a
baseline assessment of pollock biomass
and distribution in the area that may be
fished by small vessels from Adak,
Alaska. This information also would be
used to determine if the local
aggregations of pollock are stable
enough during the spawning season to
allow for fine-scale spatial and temporal
management. Additionally, genetic
samples would be collected for stock
structure analysis. Better information
may lead to improved conservation and
harvest management at finer spatial and
temporal scales for the Aleutian Islands
subarea pollock. Improved harvest
management of the Aleutian Islands
subarea pollock is needed based on the
high uncertainty in the stock structure
and the potential effects of the fishery
on Steller sea lion populations.
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) and in the
Seguam Foraging Area. 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
E:\FR\FM\17NON1.SGM
17NON1
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
66916
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 222 / Friday, November 17, 2006 / Notices
(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 by the small boat fleet.
Aleutian Islands subarea pollock had
been harvested primarily in Steller sea
lion critical habitat until 1999, when the
Aleutian Islands subarea was closed to
pollock fishing (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). Since 2005,
pollock is allocated to the Aleut
Corporation for a directed pollock
fishery in the Aleutian Islands subarea,
but only outside of Steller sea lion
critical habitat. In 2005 and 2006, the
Aleut Corporation harvested only 1.2
percent and 16 percent, respectively of
their initial annual total allowable catch
(TAC) due, in part, to difficulty in
finding pollock. Based on historical
harvests, pollock aggregations necessary
to support the proposed EFP likely
occur inside Steller sea lion critical
habitat.
Overall, up to four vessels would
harvest no more than 3,000 metric tons
(mt) of groundfish under the EFP. The
EFP participants would retain all
groundfish species to accurately
document the catch amounts by species
and compare this information to the
acoustic survey data. The EFP would
provide an exemption from maximum
retainable amounts specified in Table 11
of 50 CFR part 679 so that the
participants may retain and sell all
groundfish harvested during
compensation fishing.
The EFP would be necessary to allow
the applicants to harvest groundfish in
portions of Steller sea lion protection
areas closed to pollock fishing to verify
the acoustic survey data and to
compensate the participants for the cost
of carrying out the EFP. This EFP
project would continue the 2006 EFP
acoustic survey study near Atka Island
and Kanaga Island. These islands are
located within the proposed EFP study
area. The acoustic survey must be
conducted in an area that is likely to
contain concentrations of pollock. The
EFP would provide exemptions to some
pollock fishing closures between 173° W
and 179° W longitudes in Steller sea
lion protection areas and in a portion of
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:31 Nov 16, 2006
Jkt 211001
the Seguam Foraging Area. No more
than 1000 mt of groundfish would be
harvested from any one degree block in
the survey area, and harvest would be
limited to no more than one vessel over
60 feet (18.3 m) LOA in a one degree
block. Fishing may occur within 0 nm
to 3 nm of Steller sea lion haulouts in
the study area only to verify acoustic
survey data. No more than 10 mt of
groundfish may be harvested in a survey
verification tow. No compensation
fishing would be allowed in waters 0
nm to 3 nm of haulouts and rookeries.
All groundfish harvested will be
counted towards the TAC amounts
specified for the BSAI in § 679.20 and
in the 2007 harvest specifications (71 FR
10894, March 3, 2006), which are
scheduled for revision by the end of
February 2007. Nearly all groundfish
harvested under the EFP would be
pollock with minor amounts of Pacific
ocean perch. Directed fishing under the
EFP would be included in any
groundfish fishing closures in the
Aleutian Islands subarea due to
overfishing concerns.
Fishing under the EFP would occur
February 15, 2007, through April 30,
2007, for approximately three weeks.
The EFP may be modified to extend the
effective date for an additional 12
months. Additional pollock abundance
and distribution data would be needed
to support the stock assessment and the
development of potential finer-scale
pollock harvest management.
Significant impacts on the marine
environment are not expected because
the harvest under the EFP would be
limited to four vessels for approximately
three weeks in a discrete area with a
3,000 mt limit. Because the study would
be in Steller sea lion critical habitat and
would include 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 this 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 December 4–
12, 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
December 2006 Council meeting is
available at the Council’s Web site at
https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/npfmc/
default.htm.
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Copies of the application and EA are
available for review from NMFS (see
ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 14, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–19427 Filed 11–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 102706C]
Marine Mammals; File No. 775-1600;
Correction
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
Notice; receipt of application for
amendment; correction.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: On November 2, 2006, a
notice was published in the Federal
Register announcing that NMFS had
received an application for an
amendment to Permit No. 775-1600
from the Northeast Fisheries Science
Center in Woods Hole, MA. That
document inadvertently omitted the
DATES section informing the public of
when comments would be accepted on
the action. This document corrects that
oversight. All other information is
unchanged.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carrie Hubard or Amy Hapeman,
(301)713–2289.
The notice
of a request for an amendment to
scientific research Permit No. 775-1600
(FR 64512; November 2, 2006)
contained an error in that it omitted a
comment period for the requested
action. Accordingly, the DATES section is
added to read as follows:
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail
comments must be received on or before
December 4, 2006.
All other information contained in the
document is unchanged.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: November 13, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–19483 Filed 11–16–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
E:\FR\FM\17NON1.SGM
17NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 222 (Friday, November 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66915-66916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19427]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 111406A]
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
assess pollock abundance in a portion of the Aleutian Islands subarea
and to test the feasibility of managing pollock harvest at a finer
temporal and spatial scale using near real-time acoustic surveying. 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 the 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: Ellen Walsh. The EA also is
available from the Alaska Region, NMFS Web site at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/index/analyses/analyses.asp.
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 assess pollock abundance in a
portion of the Aleutian Islands subarea and to test the feasibility of
managing pollock harvest at a finer temporal and spatial scale using
near real-time acoustic surveying. The goal of the project is to
improve the use of Aleutian Islands pollock. NMFS currently does not
have the resources to conduct acoustic surveys of Aleutian Islands
subarea 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 would
provide a baseline assessment of pollock biomass and distribution in
the area that may be fished by small vessels from Adak, Alaska. This
information also would be used to determine if the local aggregations
of pollock are stable enough during the spawning season to allow for
fine-scale spatial and temporal management. Additionally, genetic
samples would be collected for stock structure analysis. Better
information may lead to improved conservation and harvest management at
finer spatial and temporal scales for the Aleutian Islands subarea
pollock. Improved harvest management of the Aleutian Islands subarea
pollock is needed based on the high uncertainty in the stock structure
and the potential effects of the fishery on Steller sea lion
populations.
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) and in the Seguam Foraging
Area. 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
[[Page 66916]]
(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 by the small boat fleet.
Aleutian Islands subarea pollock had been harvested primarily in
Steller sea lion critical habitat until 1999, when the Aleutian Islands
subarea was closed to pollock fishing (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).
Since 2005, pollock is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a
directed pollock fishery in the Aleutian Islands subarea, but only
outside of Steller sea lion critical habitat. In 2005 and 2006, the
Aleut Corporation harvested only 1.2 percent and 16 percent,
respectively of their initial annual total allowable catch (TAC) due,
in part, to difficulty in finding pollock. Based on historical
harvests, pollock aggregations necessary to support the proposed EFP
likely occur inside Steller sea lion critical habitat.
Overall, up to four vessels would harvest no more than 3,000 metric
tons (mt) of groundfish under the EFP. The EFP participants would
retain all groundfish species to accurately document the catch amounts
by species and compare this information to the acoustic survey data.
The EFP would provide an exemption from maximum retainable amounts
specified in Table 11 of 50 CFR part 679 so that the participants may
retain and sell all groundfish harvested during compensation fishing.
The EFP would be necessary to allow the applicants to harvest
groundfish in portions of Steller sea lion protection areas closed to
pollock fishing to verify the acoustic survey data and to compensate
the participants for the cost of carrying out the EFP. This EFP project
would continue the 2006 EFP acoustic survey study near Atka Island and
Kanaga Island. These islands are located within the proposed EFP study
area. The acoustic survey must be conducted in an area that is likely
to contain concentrations of pollock. The EFP would provide exemptions
to some pollock fishing closures between 173[deg] W and 179[deg] W
longitudes in Steller sea lion protection areas and in a portion of the
Seguam Foraging Area. No more than 1000 mt of groundfish would be
harvested from any one degree block in the survey area, and harvest
would be limited to no more than one vessel over 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA
in a one degree block. Fishing may occur within 0 nm to 3 nm of Steller
sea lion haulouts in the study area only to verify acoustic survey
data. No more than 10 mt of groundfish may be harvested in a survey
verification tow. No compensation fishing would be allowed in waters 0
nm to 3 nm of haulouts and rookeries.
All groundfish harvested will be counted towards the TAC amounts
specified for the BSAI in Sec. 679.20 and in the 2007 harvest
specifications (71 FR 10894, March 3, 2006), which are scheduled for
revision by the end of February 2007. Nearly all groundfish harvested
under the EFP would be pollock with minor amounts of Pacific ocean
perch. Directed fishing under the EFP would be included in any
groundfish fishing closures in the Aleutian Islands subarea due to
overfishing concerns.
Fishing under the EFP would occur February 15, 2007, through April
30, 2007, for approximately three weeks. The EFP may be modified to
extend the effective date for an additional 12 months. Additional
pollock abundance and distribution data would be needed to support the
stock assessment and the development of potential finer-scale pollock
harvest management.
Significant impacts on the marine environment are not expected
because the harvest under the EFP would be limited to four vessels for
approximately three weeks in a discrete area with a 3,000 mt limit.
Because the study would be in Steller sea lion critical habitat and
would include 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 this
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 December 4-12,
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
December 2006 Council meeting is available at the Council's Web site 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.
Dated: November 14, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-19427 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
