Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit, 32618-32619 [E7-11192]
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32618
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 13, 2007 / Notices
action applies to the following NOAA
National Marine Fisheries Service
permit collections:
OMB Control No.
1. 0648–0327, Atlantic Highly
Migratory Species Permit Family of
Forms.
2. 0648–0194, Antarctic Marine
Living Marine Resources Conservation
and Management Measures.
3. 0648–0387, International Dolphin
Conservation Program.
The sentence following the original
list should now read ‘‘All but five of
these fifteen permit collections
currently require some or most of this
information.’’
All other pertinent information still
applies.
Dated: June 7, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E7–11374 Filed 6–12–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XA73
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted
Fishing Permit
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator,
Southwest Region, NMFS has made a
preliminary determination that an
application for an Exempted Fishing
Permit (EFP) warrants further
consideration. The application was
submitted to NMFS by a Californiabased commercial fisherman requesting
an exemption for a single vessel from
the longline fishing prohibitions within
the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
off the west coast during the 2007
fishing year beginning mid-September
2007. The 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 Fishery
Management Plan for U.S. West Coast
Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species
(HMS FMP). However, further review
and consultation is necessary before a
final determination is made to issue the
EFP. Therefore, NMFS proposes to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:30 Jun 12, 2007
Jkt 211001
review the EFP and requests public
comment on the application.
DATES: Comments must be received by
July 13, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this notice, identified by RIN 0648–
XA73 by any of the following methods:
• E-mail:
LonglineEFP.SWR@noaa.gov. Include
the RIN in the subject line of the
message.
• Federal e-Rulemaking portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Following the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Rodney R. McInnis, Regional
Administrator, Southwest Region,
NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–4213.
• Fax: (562) 980–4047.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Helvey, Southwest Region, NMFS,
(562) 980–4040.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An
application for an EFP was submitted to
the Pacific Fisheries Management
Council (Council) by Peter Dupuy, a
commercial fishing vessel owner, in
March, 2006. The EFP would exempt a
single vessel from following the gear
and fishing restrictions at 50 CFR
660.712(a) implementing the HMS FMP
that prohibit owners and operators of
vessels registered for use of longline
gear from using longline gear to fish for
or target HMS within the U.S. EEZ. The
applicant applied for the EFP with the
intent to conduct an exploratory test
fishery with a single vessel to gather
information on the economic viability
and environmental effects, including the
potential impacts to protected species
and non-target finfish interactions, of
fishing for swordfish in the West Coast
EEZ.
At its April 2007, meeting, the
Council, with advice from its HMS
Management Team and HMS Advisory
Subpanel, adopted a preferred
alternative for conditioning the EFP and
forwarded that alternative to NMFS,
recommending that the agency review
the proposed EFP and, if consistent with
Federal law, issue the permit. The
Council recommended that the
applicant be subject to a interaction cap
of one short-finned pilot whale and 12
striped marlin, and not fish off the state
of Washington. The Council also
recommended that the fishery be
managed through limits on the amount
of incidental take of protected species
that may be exposed to and adversely
affected by this action that are to be
established based upon section 7
consultations under the Endangered
Species Act by NMFS for marine
mammals and sea turtles and by the U.
S. Fish and Wildlife Service for
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
seabirds. If any one of the limits set by
these consultations is reached by the
fishery authorized by the EFP, the
permit would be immediately revoked.
The EFP would require 100 percent
NMFS observer coverage for all fishing
under the EFP. The Council’s
recommendations, described above,
would be established as permit
conditions.
If approved, the EFP would authorize
a single vessel to longline fish in the
EEZ off of Oregon and California. Under
the proposed terms and conditions of
the EFP, the vessel would target
swordfish utilizing shallow-set longline
gear which is set at a shallower depth
(<100 m) than deep-set longline gear
which is typically set in the deeper
thermocline zone (~300 400 m) for
tunas. The applicant would be allowed
a maximum of four trips between
September and December, 2007, and a
maximum of 14 sets per trip. Fishing
will neither be allowed within 30
nautical miles of the coastline nor
within the Southern California Bight as
defined by the applicant. Utilizing
shallow-set longline gear configuration,
the mainline cannot exceed 100 km and
no more than 1,200 hooks can be
deployed per set. The use of 18/0 circle
hooks with a 10 ° offset and the use of
mackerel or mackerel-type bait (as
described at 50 CFR 665.33(f) and (g),
respectively) is required. To reduce
potential interactions with seabirds,
gear would not be set until one hour
after local sunset and must be fully
deployed before local sunrise with
attached time/depth recorders to
estimate fishing depth. Utilization of a
NMFS-certified shark de-hooking device
will be required to improve the postrelease survivability of incidentally
captured sharks.
Aside from the exemptions described
above, the vessel fishing under the EFP
would be subject to all other regulations
implementing the HMS FMP, including
measures to protect sea turtles, marine
mammals, and sea birds.
The EFP application would be
effective for 2007 only. In accordance
with NOAA Administrative Order 216–
6, an appropriate National
Environmental Policy Act document
will be completed prior to the issuance
of the EFP. A draft environmental
assessment on the EFP was presented to
the Council and public in April 2007.
Further review and consultation is
necessary before a final determination is
made to issue the EFP. As required in
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),
NMFS is engaged in formal consultation
to determine if the proposed action is
likely to jeopardize the continued
E:\FR\FM\13JNN1.SGM
13JNN1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 13, 2007 / Notices
existence and recovery of any
endangered or threatened species or
result in the destruction or adverse
modification of critical habitat.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Transmittal No. 07–15]
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
36(b)(1) Arms Sales Notification
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Dated: June 6, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7–11192 Filed 6–12–07; 8:45 am]
The Department of Defense is
publishing the unclassified text of a
section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification.
This is published to fulfill the
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:30 Jun 12, 2007
Department of Defense, Defense
Secretary Cooperation Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
Jkt 211001
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
32619
requirements of section 155 of Public
Law 104–164 dated 21 July 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
J. Hurd, DSCA/DBO/CFM, (703) 604–
6575.
The following is a copy of a letter to
the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Transmittal 07–15 with
attached transmittal, policy justification,
and Sensitivity of Technology.
Dated: June 7, 2007.
C.R. Choate,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
BILLING CODE 5001–06–M
E:\FR\FM\13JNN1.SGM
13JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32618-32619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11192]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA73
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS has made a
preliminary determination that an application for an Exempted Fishing
Permit (EFP) warrants further consideration. The application was
submitted to NMFS by a California-based commercial fisherman requesting
an exemption for a single vessel from the longline fishing prohibitions
within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the west coast during
the 2007 fishing year beginning mid-September 2007. The 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 Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast
Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP). However, further
review and consultation is necessary before a final determination is
made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS proposes to review the EFP and
requests public comment on the application.
DATES: Comments must be received by July 13, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this notice, identified by RIN
0648-XA73 by any of the following methods:
E-mail: LonglineEFP.SWR@noaa.gov. Include the RIN in the
subject line of the message.
Federal e-Rulemaking portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Following the instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Rodney R. McInnis, Regional Administrator, Southwest
Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213.
Fax: (562) 980-4047.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Helvey, Southwest Region, NMFS,
(562) 980-4040.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An application for an EFP was submitted to
the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (Council) by Peter Dupuy, a
commercial fishing vessel owner, in March, 2006. The EFP would exempt a
single vessel from following the gear and fishing restrictions at 50
CFR 660.712(a) implementing the HMS FMP that prohibit owners and
operators of vessels registered for use of longline gear from using
longline gear to fish for or target HMS within the U.S. EEZ. The
applicant applied for the EFP with the intent to conduct an exploratory
test fishery with a single vessel to gather information on the economic
viability and environmental effects, including the potential impacts to
protected species and non-target finfish interactions, of fishing for
swordfish in the West Coast EEZ.
At its April 2007, meeting, the Council, with advice from its HMS
Management Team and HMS Advisory Subpanel, adopted a preferred
alternative for conditioning the EFP and forwarded that alternative to
NMFS, recommending that the agency review the proposed EFP and, if
consistent with Federal law, issue the permit. The Council recommended
that the applicant be subject to a interaction cap of one short-finned
pilot whale and 12 striped marlin, and not fish off the state of
Washington. The Council also recommended that the fishery be managed
through limits on the amount of incidental take of protected species
that may be exposed to and adversely affected by this action that are
to be established based upon section 7 consultations under the
Endangered Species Act by NMFS for marine mammals and sea turtles and
by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for seabirds. If any one of the
limits set by these consultations is reached by the fishery authorized
by the EFP, the permit would be immediately revoked. The EFP would
require 100 percent NMFS observer coverage for all fishing under the
EFP. The Council's recommendations, described above, would be
established as permit conditions.
If approved, the EFP would authorize a single vessel to longline
fish in the EEZ off of Oregon and California. Under the proposed terms
and conditions of the EFP, the vessel would target swordfish utilizing
shallow-set longline gear which is set at a shallower depth (<100 m)
than deep-set longline gear which is typically set in the deeper
thermocline zone (~300 400 m) for tunas. The applicant would be allowed
a maximum of four trips between September and December, 2007, and a
maximum of 14 sets per trip. Fishing will neither be allowed within 30
nautical miles of the coastline nor within the Southern California
Bight as defined by the applicant. Utilizing shallow-set longline gear
configuration, the mainline cannot exceed 100 km and no more than 1,200
hooks can be deployed per set. The use of 18/0 circle hooks with a 10
[deg] offset and the use of mackerel or mackerel-type bait (as
described at 50 CFR 665.33(f) and (g), respectively) is required. To
reduce potential interactions with seabirds, gear would not be set
until one hour after local sunset and must be fully deployed before
local sunrise with attached time/depth recorders to estimate fishing
depth. Utilization of a NMFS-certified shark de-hooking device will be
required to improve the post-release survivability of incidentally
captured sharks.
Aside from the exemptions described above, the vessel fishing under
the EFP would be subject to all other regulations implementing the HMS
FMP, including measures to protect sea turtles, marine mammals, and sea
birds.
The EFP application would be effective for 2007 only. In accordance
with NOAA Administrative Order 216-6, an appropriate National
Environmental Policy Act document will be completed prior to the
issuance of the EFP. A draft environmental assessment on the EFP was
presented to the Council and public in April 2007. Further review and
consultation is necessary before a final determination is made to issue
the EFP. As required in Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), NMFS is engaged in formal consultation to
determine if the proposed action is likely to jeopardize the continued
[[Page 32619]]
existence and recovery of any endangered or threatened species or
result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 6, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-11192 Filed 6-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
