Marine Mammals; File No. 775-1600; Correction, 66916 [E6-19483]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
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]
[Page 66916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19483]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 102706C]
Marine Mammals; File No. 775-1600; Correction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for amendment; correction.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
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
