Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 20927-20929 [E9-10511]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 86 / Wednesday, May 6, 2009 / Notices
green, 15 Kemp’s ridley, 6 leatherback,
2 olive ridley, and 2 hawksbill sea
turtles. These animals would have
already been captured by authorized
coastal trawl surveys taking place in
waters off of North Carolina to Florida.
Issuance of this permit, as required by
the ESA, was based on a finding that
such permit (1) was applied for in good
faith, (2) will not operate to the
disadvantage of such endangered or
threatened species, and (3) is consistent
with the purposes and policies set forth
in section 2 of the ESA.
Dated: April 30, 2009.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9–10512 Filed 5–5–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign–Trade Zones Board
[Docket 19–2009]
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Foreign–Trade Zone 20—Hampton
Roads, Virginia, Area, Application for
Reorganization/Expansion
An application has been submitted to
the Foreign–Trade Zones Board (the
Board) by the Virginia Port Authority,
grantee of FTZ 20, requesting authority
to reorganize and expand the zone
project within the Norfolk Customs and
Border Protection port of entry. The
application was submitted pursuant to
the provisions of the Foreign-Trade
Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–
81u), and the regulations of the Board
(15 CFR part 400). It was formally filed
on April 28, 2009.
FTZ 20 was approved on April 15,
1975 (Board Order 105, 40 FR 17884, 4/
23/75); relocated on January 17, 1977
(Board Order 114, 42 FR 4187, 1/24/77),
and on March 16, 1981 (Board Order
173, 46 FR 18063, 3/23/81); and,
expanded on May 8, 1997 (Board Order
887, 62 FR 28446, 5/23/97), on July 28,
2000 (Board Order 1113, 65 FR 50179,
8/17/00), and on April 5, 2001 (Board
Order 1163, 66 FR 20235, 4/20/01).
The zone project consists of eighteen
sites (10,119 acres total) in the Hampton
Roads area: Site 1 (22 acres)—located at
215 Suburban Drive, Suffolk; Site 2 (10
acres)—located at 324 Moore Avenue,
Suffolk; Site 3 (30 acres total, 4 parcels)
—within the Greenbrier Industrial Park
at 630 Woodlake Drive, 1720 S. Military
Highway, 575 Woodlake Circle and 570
Woodlake Circle, Chesapeake; Site 4
(905 acres)—Norfolk International
Terminals, 7737 Hampton Boulevard,
Norfolk; Site 5 (242 acres)—Portsmouth
VerDate Nov<24>2008
18:36 May 05, 2009
Jkt 217001
Marine Terminal, 2000 Seaboard
Avenue, Portsmouth; Site 6 (184
acres)—Newport News Marine
Terminal, 25th & Warwick Boulevard,
Newport News; Site 7 (490 acres total,
6 parcels)—Warren County Industrial
Corridor, Routes 340, 522 and 661,
Front Royal; Site 8 (372 acres)—
Bridgeway Commerce Park, Interstate
664, Suffolk; Site 9 (672 acres)—
Cavalier Industrial Park, Interstate 64
and U.S. Route 13, Chesapeake; Site 10
(26 acres)—D.D. Jones Transfer &
Warehouse, Inc., 1920 Campostella
Road, Chesapeake; Site 11 (177 acres)—
New Boone Farm Industrial Park,
Interstate 664, Chesapeake; Site 12 (60
acres)—PortCentre Commerce Park,
Route 264, Portsmouth; Site 13 (154
acres)—Suffolk Industrial Park, 595
Carolina Road, Suffolk; Site 14 (6,187
acres total, 2 parcels)—Goddard Space
Flight Center–Wallops Flight Facility,
Accomack County; Site 15 (449 acres)—
Accomack Airport Industrial Park, U.S.
Highway 13 & Parkway Road, Melfa;
Site 16 (5 acres)— within the Battlefield
Lakes Technical Center, 525 & 533
Byron Street, Norfolk; Site 17 (4 acres)—
within the Butts Station Commerce
Center, 600, 604 and 608 Greentree
Road, Chesapeake; and, Site 18 (130
acres)—within the 579–acre Port of
Cape Charles Sustainable Technologies
Industrial Park, two miles from U.S. 13
on SR 1108, Bayshore Drive.
The applicant is now requesting
authority for a reorganization and
expansion of the zone, which includes
both additions and deletions with an
overall increase of 639 acres in total
zone space as described below:
—Existing Site 3—modify to reinstate
acreage at Parcels 1 and 3 removed
through administrative actions and
expand to include additional
acreage at Parcels 2 and 4 and to
include two new parcels located at
551 Woodlake Circle (Parcel 5) and
575B Woodlake Circle (Parcel 6)
(new total acreage—72 acres);
—Existing Site 8—modify to remove
239 acres due to changed
circumstances (new total acreage—
133 acres);
—Existing Site 9—modify to reinstate
acreage removed through
administrative action (new total
acreage—689 acres);
—Proposed Site 19 (323 acres)—
Shirley T. Holland Commerce Park,
25400 Old Mill Road, Windsor;
—Proposed Site 20 (72 acres)—
Commerce Center Hampton Roads,
150 Judkins Court, Suffolk;
—Proposed Site 21 (85 acres)—
Virginia Regional Commerce Park,
2930 Pruden Boulevard, Suffolk;
—Proposed Site 22 (18 acres)—Port
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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20927
Norfolk Holdings, LLC, warehouse
located at 1157 Production Road,
Norfolk, within the Norfolk
Industrial Park;
—Proposed Site 23 (101 acres)—
Virginia Commerce Center, 351
Kenyon Road, Suffolk; and,
—Proposed Site 24 (220 acres)—
Westport Commerce Center located
on Manning Bridge Road, Suffolk.
The sites will provide warehousing and
distribution services to area businesses.
No specific manufacturing authority is
being requested at this time. Such
requests would be made to the Board on
a case–by-case basis.In accordance with
the Board’s regulations, Camille Evans
of the FTZ staff is designated examiner
to investigate the application and report
to the Board.
Public comment is invited from
interested parties. Submissions (original
and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the
Board’s Executive Secretary at the
address below. The closing period for
their receipt is July 6, 2009. Rebuttal
comments in response to material
submitted during the foregoing period
may be submitted during the subsequent
15-day period to July 20, 2009.
A copy of the application will be
available for public inspection at the
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign–Trade Zones Board, Room
2111, U.S. Department of Commerce,
1401 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20230–0002, and in the
‘‘Reading Room’’ section of the Board’s
website, which is accessible via
www.trade.gov/ftz. For further
information, contact Camille Evans at
CamillelEvans@ita.doc.gov or (202)
482–2350.
Dated: April 28, 2009.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9–10495 Filed 5–5–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XO76
Magnuson–Stevens Act Provisions;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted
Fishing Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM
06MYN1
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
20928
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 86 / Wednesday, May 6, 2009 / Notices
Northeast Region, NMFS, has made a
preliminary determination that the
subject exempted fishing permit (EFP)
application contains all the required
information and warrants further
consideration. Therefore, NMFS
announces that the Assistant Regional
Administrator proposes to recommend
that an EFP be issued that would allow
one commercial fishing vessel to
conduct fishing operations that are
otherwise restricted by the regulations
governing the fisheries of the
Northeastern United States. The EFP,
which would enable the applicants to
investigate the selectivity of different
groundfish trawl codend configurations
with a small–mesh cover, would allow
for exemptions for one vessel from the
Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) as follows: NE
multispecies Gulf of Maine (GOM)
minimum mesh size. In addition, this
EFP would allow temporary exemptions
from the NE Multispecies and Monkfish
FMPs, per the stipulations detailed in
this document, as follows: NE
multispecies minimum fish sizes; NE
multispecies possession restrictions;
monkfish minimum fish sizes; and
monkfish possession restrictions.
Regulations under the Magnuson–
Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of
this notification to provide interested
parties the opportunity to comment on
applications for proposed EFPs.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before May 21, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be
submitted by email to
Modified.codend.EFP@noaa.gov.
Written comments should be sent to
Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the
outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments on
the Codend Modification Study.’’
Comments may also be sent via
facsimile (fax) to (978) 281–9135.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melissa Vasquez, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281–9166, fax (978)
281–9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A
complete application for an EFP for this
project was submitted on April 6, 2009,
by Steve Eayrs of the Gulf of Maine
Research Institute (GMRI) for the F/V
Skipper (Federal permit #250573). The
primary goal of this EFP is to assess the
impact of codend modification on
reducing catches of undersized
groundfish and non–targeted fish by
trawl gear. This project builds on the
results of an EFP issued for the 2008
fishing year, which tested the efficacy of
VerDate Nov<24>2008
18:36 May 05, 2009
Jkt 217001
removing chafing nets from codends to
reduce undersized bycatch. This EFP
would compare the catch composition
and selectivity of three codend
configurations to determine which may
reduce undersized and non–commercial
catch.
This EFP would be issued to GMRI
and Captain Glen Libby of the F/V
Skipper to conduct 25 at–sea days of
experimental fishing in the GOM north
of the Cashes Ledge Habitat Closure
Area and east of the Jeffery’s Bank
Habitat Closure Area (see Table 1).
Fishing would not overlap with any
GOM Rolling Closure Areas.
TABLE 1: COORDINATES FOR THE
EXPERIMENTAL FISHING AREA
Point
Latitude
Longitude
1
44°00′ N
68°50′ W
2
44°00′ N
69°40′ W
3
43°20′ N
69°40′ W
4
43°20′ N
68°50′ W
The researchers would conduct sea
trials over two 10-day periods in June
and August 2009. As a condition of the
EFP, this vessel would complete no
more than 150 tows overall or six tows
per day. Researchers would conduct 1hour tows using one of three codend
configurations: A standard 6.5–inch
(16.5–cm) diamond–mesh codend, 7–
inch (17.8–cm) square–mesh codend,
and a composite codend with a 6.5–inch
(16.5–cm) square–mesh upper section
and a 6.5–inch (16.5–cm) diamond–
mesh lower section. Each codend would
be tested at least twice each day, for an
estimated six tows per day and a
minimum of 120 total tows. A small–
mesh cover net (∼ 2–inch (5.08–cm)
mesh size, depending upon availability)
would be fitted around each codend to
retain all fish that escape the codend so
they may be sampled along with the
catch for species count, weight, and
length. The species composition and
selectivity of each tow would be
compared to determine which codend
configuration may reduce catch of
undersized groundfish and improve
trawl selectivity. An additional 5 days,
with up to 30 additional 1-hour tows,
may be used to film fish interactions
with the gears and to accommodate for
sampling problems.
The applicants have asked for an
exemption from the minimum GOM
regulated mesh size specified at 50 CFR
648.80(a)(3)(i) so that they may install a
small–mesh cover net around the
codend to sample the variability in
bycatch released from each of the four
PO 00000
Frm 00030
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
codend configurations. The applicants
have also asked for temporary
exemptions from the following
regulations: NE multispecies minimum
fish sizes (§ 648.83); NE multispecies
possession restrictions (§ 648.86),
monkfish minimum fish sizes (§ 648.93);
and monkfish possession restrictions
(§ 648.94). These exemptions are
necessary to allow sampling of
undersized fish and fish in excess of the
possession limit; however, these
exemptions would not permit the
landing of fish outside of regular A
days–at–sea (DAS) possession limits.
These exemptions are only for the time
period when trained technicians or crew
are measuring, weighing, or sampling
fish that would otherwise be
immediately discarded.
During the 25 at–sea days of
comparative fishing trials, the F/V
Skipper would use A DAS and would be
subject to all day and trip possession
limits, with the exemptions listed
above. As a condition of this EFP, all
undersized fish or fish that cannot
legally be landed (i.e., in excess of
possession limits) would be returned to
the sea as quickly as possible after
sampling. The applicants anticipate a
total harvest of 37,500 lb (17,010 kg),
and an additional 17,500 lb (7,938 kg)
of discards composed of undersized NE
multispecies in similar proportions to
the anticipated catch, as well as dogfish
and skates (Table 2). The estimated
GOM cod catch per day for the proposed
number of DAS permitted with this EFP
would be 32 percent of the current daily
possession limit of 800 lb (362.9 kg). All
legal–sized fish, within the possession
limit, would be landed and sold.
TABLE 2: ESTIMATED TOTAL CATCH
AND DISCARDS BY SPECIES
Catch in lb
(kg)
Discards in
lb (kg)
Haddock
6,250
(2,835)
0
Cod
6,250
(2,835)
0
Grey Sole
6,250
(2,835)
0
American
Plaice
6,250
(2,835)
0
Monkfish
6,250
(2,835)
0
Pollock
2,500
(1,134)
0
Hake & other
3,750
(1,701)
0
Species
E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM
06MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 86 / Wednesday, May 6, 2009 / Notices
20929
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
ACTION: Notice of a public committee
TABLE 2: ESTIMATED TOTAL CATCH
AND DISCARDS BY SPECIES—Con- the Alaska Fishery Science Center, 7600 meeting.
Sand Point Way NE, Building 4, Traynor
tinued
Catch in lb
(kg)
Discards in
lb (kg)
Skate sp.
0
2,500
(1,134)
Dogfish
0
2,500
(1,134)
Undersized NE
multispecies
0
12,500
(5,670)
Species
The applicants may request minor
modifications and extensions to the EFP
throughout the course of research. EFP
modifications and extensions may be
granted without further public notice if
they are deemed essential to facilitate
completion of the proposed research
and result in only a minimal change in
the scope or impacts of the initially
approved EFP request.
In accordance with NAO
Administrative Order 216–6, a
Categorical Exclusion or other
appropriate NEPA document would be
completed prior to the issuance of the
EFP. Further review and consultation
may be necessary before a final
determination is made to issue the EFP.
After publication of this document in
the Federal Register, the EFP, if
approved, may become effective
following the public comment period.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XP05
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public committee
meeting.
The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Council)
Comprehensive Data Collection
Committee will meet in Seattle, WA.
DATES: The meeting will be held on May
27, 2009.
Jkt 217001
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Alaska Fishery Science Center, 7600
Sand Point Way, Building 4, Traynor
Room, Seattle, WA.
Council address: North Pacific
Fishery Management Council, 605 W.
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99501–2252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diana Stram, North Pacific Fishery
Management Council; telephone: (907)
271–2809
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Gail
Bendixen, (907) 271–2809, at least 5
working days prior to the meeting date.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
18:36 May 05, 2009
DATES: The workshop will be held on
May 21–22, 2009.
The
agenda will include the following:
Developing methodologies for
addressing new National Standard 1
guidelines for Groundfish, Crab and
Scallop FMPs including discussion of
incorporating uncertainty into catch
specifications; Developing annual
biological catch limits for crabs and
scallops; addressing data quality
requirements; and new ecosystem
component criteria.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during this meeting. Actions will
be restricted to those issues specifically
identified in this notice and any issues
arising after publication of this notice
that require emergency action under
Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, provided the public has been
notified of the Council’s intent to take
final action to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
VerDate Nov<24>2008
SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council)
announces a workshop on Annual Catch
Limits, to be held May 21, 22, 2009 in
Seattle, WA.
Dated: May 1, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9–10462 Filed 5–5–09; 8:45 am]
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 1, 2009.
Alan D. Risenhoover
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9–10511 Filed 5–5–09; 8:45 am]
SUMMARY:
Room, Seattle, WA.
Council address: North Pacific
Fishery Management Council, 605 W.
4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK
99501–2252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jeannie Heltzel, North Pacific Fishery
Management Council; telephone: (907)
271–2809.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
committee will review potential salmon
bycatch data collection issues and
programs; discuss relationship with the
National Voluntary Data Collection
Program; and review status on
community and comprehensive data
collection.
The Agenda for the meeting will be
posted at https://www.fakr.noaa.gov/
npfmc/.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, in
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during this meeting. Actions will
be restricted to those issues specifically
identified in this notice and any issues
arising after publication of this notice
that require emergency action under
Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, provided the public has been
notified of the Council’s intent to take
final action to address the emergency.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN: 0648–XP06
North Pacific Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Gail Bendixen,
(907) 271–2809, at least 5 working days
prior to the meeting date.
Dated: May 1, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9–10463 Filed 5–5–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
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06MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20927-20929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10511]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XO76
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries,
[[Page 20928]]
Northeast Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that the
subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) application contains all the
required information and warrants further consideration. Therefore,
NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to
recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow one commercial fishing
vessel to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by
the regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United
States. The EFP, which would enable the applicants to investigate the
selectivity of different groundfish trawl codend configurations with a
small-mesh cover, would allow for exemptions for one vessel from the
Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) as follows:
NE multispecies Gulf of Maine (GOM) minimum mesh size. In addition,
this EFP would allow temporary exemptions from the NE Multispecies and
Monkfish FMPs, per the stipulations detailed in this document, as
follows: NE multispecies minimum fish sizes; NE multispecies possession
restrictions; monkfish minimum fish sizes; and monkfish possession
restrictions.
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for
proposed EFPs.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 21, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by email to
Modified.codend.EFP@noaa.gov. Written comments should be sent to
Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional
Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside
of the envelope ``Comments on the Codend Modification Study.'' Comments
may also be sent via facsimile (fax) to (978) 281-9135.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Vasquez, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9166, fax (978) 281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A complete application for an EFP for this
project was submitted on April 6, 2009, by Steve Eayrs of the Gulf of
Maine Research Institute (GMRI) for the F/V Skipper (Federal permit
250573). The primary goal of this EFP is to assess the impact
of codend modification on reducing catches of undersized groundfish and
non-targeted fish by trawl gear. This project builds on the results of
an EFP issued for the 2008 fishing year, which tested the efficacy of
removing chafing nets from codends to reduce undersized bycatch. This
EFP would compare the catch composition and selectivity of three codend
configurations to determine which may reduce undersized and non-
commercial catch.
This EFP would be issued to GMRI and Captain Glen Libby of the F/V
Skipper to conduct 25 at-sea days of experimental fishing in the GOM
north of the Cashes Ledge Habitat Closure Area and east of the
Jeffery's Bank Habitat Closure Area (see Table 1). Fishing would not
overlap with any GOM Rolling Closure Areas.
Table 1: Coordinates for the Experimental Fishing Area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 44[deg]00' N 68[deg]50' W
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 44[deg]00' N 69[deg]40' W
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 43[deg]20' N 69[deg]40' W
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 43[deg]20' N 68[deg]50' W
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The researchers would conduct sea trials over two 10-day periods in
June and August 2009. As a condition of the EFP, this vessel would
complete no more than 150 tows overall or six tows per day. Researchers
would conduct 1-hour tows using one of three codend configurations: A
standard 6.5-inch (16.5-cm) diamond-mesh codend, 7-inch (17.8-cm)
square-mesh codend, and a composite codend with a 6.5-inch (16.5-cm)
square-mesh upper section and a 6.5-inch (16.5-cm) diamond-mesh lower
section. Each codend would be tested at least twice each day, for an
estimated six tows per day and a minimum of 120 total tows. A small-
mesh cover net (~ 2-inch (5.08-cm) mesh size, depending upon
availability) would be fitted around each codend to retain all fish
that escape the codend so they may be sampled along with the catch for
species count, weight, and length. The species composition and
selectivity of each tow would be compared to determine which codend
configuration may reduce catch of undersized groundfish and improve
trawl selectivity. An additional 5 days, with up to 30 additional 1-
hour tows, may be used to film fish interactions with the gears and to
accommodate for sampling problems.
The applicants have asked for an exemption from the minimum GOM
regulated mesh size specified at 50 CFR 648.80(a)(3)(i) so that they
may install a small-mesh cover net around the codend to sample the
variability in bycatch released from each of the four codend
configurations. The applicants have also asked for temporary exemptions
from the following regulations: NE multispecies minimum fish sizes
(Sec. 648.83); NE multispecies possession restrictions (Sec. 648.86),
monkfish minimum fish sizes (Sec. 648.93); and monkfish possession
restrictions (Sec. 648.94). These exemptions are necessary to allow
sampling of undersized fish and fish in excess of the possession limit;
however, these exemptions would not permit the landing of fish outside
of regular A days-at-sea (DAS) possession limits. These exemptions are
only for the time period when trained technicians or crew are
measuring, weighing, or sampling fish that would otherwise be
immediately discarded.
During the 25 at-sea days of comparative fishing trials, the F/V
Skipper would use A DAS and would be subject to all day and trip
possession limits, with the exemptions listed above. As a condition of
this EFP, all undersized fish or fish that cannot legally be landed
(i.e., in excess of possession limits) would be returned to the sea as
quickly as possible after sampling. The applicants anticipate a total
harvest of 37,500 lb (17,010 kg), and an additional 17,500 lb (7,938
kg) of discards composed of undersized NE multispecies in similar
proportions to the anticipated catch, as well as dogfish and skates
(Table 2). The estimated GOM cod catch per day for the proposed number
of DAS permitted with this EFP would be 32 percent of the current daily
possession limit of 800 lb (362.9 kg). All legal-sized fish, within the
possession limit, would be landed and sold.
Table 2: Estimated Total Catch and Discards by Species
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Species Catch in lb (kg) Discards in lb (kg)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haddock 6,250 (2,835) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cod 6,250 (2,835) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grey Sole 6,250 (2,835) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Plaice 6,250 (2,835) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monkfish 6,250 (2,835) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock 2,500 (1,134) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hake & other 3,750 (1,701) 0
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 20929]]
Skate sp. 0 2,500 (1,134)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dogfish 0 2,500 (1,134)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Undersized NE 0 12,500 (5,670)
multispecies
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The applicants may request minor modifications and extensions to
the EFP throughout the course of research. EFP modifications and
extensions may be granted without further public notice if they are
deemed essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and
result in only a minimal change in the scope or impacts of the
initially approved EFP request.
In accordance with NAO Administrative Order 216-6, a Categorical
Exclusion or other appropriate NEPA document would be completed prior
to the issuance of the EFP. Further review and consultation may be
necessary before a final determination is made to issue the EFP. After
publication of this document in the Federal Register, the EFP, if
approved, may become effective following the public comment period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 1, 2009.
Alan D. Risenhoover
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-10511 Filed 5-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
