Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Exempted Fishing Permit, 2960 [2012-1145]
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2960
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 13 / Friday, January 20, 2012 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XA847
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish
Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico;
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; request for comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces the receipt
of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(LDWF). If granted, the EFP would
authorize the applicant to collect and
retain red snapper that would otherwise
be prohibited from possession and
retention. This study, to be conducted
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) off Louisiana,
is intended to better document the age
structure and life history of fish
associated with offshore platforms and
artificial reefs in Louisiana coastal
waters.
SUMMARY:
Comments must be received no
later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on
February 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the application by any of the
following methods:
• Email: Steve.Branstetter@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line of the email
comment the following document
identifier: ‘‘LDWF_EFP’’.
• Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th
Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The application and related
documents are available for review
upon written request to any of the above
addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Branstetter, (727) 824–5305;
email: Steve.Branstetter@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is
requested under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and regulations at
50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted
fishing.
The described research is part of a
new research program by LDWF. The
research is intended to involve
recreational fishermen in the collection
of fundamental biological information
on Gulf red snapper. The proposed
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
DATES:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
14:12 Jan 19, 2012
Jkt 226001
collection for scientific research
involves activities that could otherwise
be prohibited by regulations at 50 CFR
part 622, as they pertain to reef fish
managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council). The
applicant requires authorization through
the EFP to collect these Councilmanaged species that may be taken as
part of the normal fishing activities of
the recreational sector of the Gulf reef
fish fishery. LDWF is requesting that
selected participants in as many as
seven Louisiana recreational fishing
tournaments during the summer of 2012
be allowed to bring red snapper to port.
The EFP would only be applicable if the
2012 recreational red snapper season
has closed because the recreational
quota was projected to be met. These
fish would be turned over to LDWF
personnel, and sampled for otoliths and
gonads. LDWF would be responsible for
providing all data collected under the
EFP to NMFS for use in the next red
snapper stock assessment.
The goal of the research is to provide
a more robust data base on Gulf red
snapper for the next stock assessment.
The EFP, if approved, would authorize
the take of as many as 1,400 federallymanaged red snapper from July 1, 2012,
through September 30, 2012. Such fish,
collected as biological samples, would
not be subject to seasonal closures or
recreational bag limits.
NMFS finds this application warrants
further consideration. Possible
conditions the agency may impose on
this permit, if it is indeed granted,
include but are not limited to, a
prohibition of conducting research
within marine protected areas, marine
sanctuaries, or special management
zones, without additional authorization.
A report on the research would be due
at the end of the collection period, to be
submitted to NMFS and reviewed by the
Council.
A final decision on issuance of the
EFP will depend on NMFS’s review of
public comments received on the
application, consultations with the
affected states, the Council, and the U.S.
Coast Guard, as well as a determination
that it is consistent with all applicable
laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 17, 2012.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–1145 Filed 1–19–12; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XA942
Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico;
Southeast Data, Assessment, and
Review (SEDAR); Pre-Workshop
Webinar for HMS Blacktip Sharks
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 29 preworkshop webinar for HMS blacktip
sharks.
AGENCY:
The SEDAR assessment of the
HMS stocks of Gulf of Mexico blacktip
sharks will consist of one workshop and
a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
DATES: The SEDAR pre-Workshop
webinar will take place February 14,
2012 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Central
time. The established time may be
adjusted as necessary to accommodate
the timely completion of discussion
relevant to the assessment process. Such
adjustments may result in the meeting
being extended from, or completed prior
to the time established by this notice.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held
via webinar. The webinar is open to
members of the public. Those interested
in participating should contact Julie A.
Neer at SEDAR (See FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT) to request an
invitation providing webinar access
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie
Neer, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 Faber
Place Drive, Suite 201, North
Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843)
571–4366; email: Julie.neer@safmc.net
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
of Mexico, South Atlantic, and
Caribbean Fishery Management
Councils, in conjunction with NOAA
Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf
States Marine Fisheries Commissions
have implemented the Southeast Data,
Assessment and Review (SEDAR)
process, a multi-step method for
determining the status of fish stocks in
the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multistep process including: (1) Data/
Assessment Workshop, and (2) a series
of webinars. The product of the Data/
Assessment Workshop is a report which
compiles and evaluates potential
datasets and recommends which
datasets are appropriate for assessment
analyses, and describes the fisheries,
evaluates the status of the stock,
estimates biological benchmarks,
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\20JAN1.SGM
20JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 2960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1145]
[[Page 2960]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XA847
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; 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; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries (LDWF). If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicant to
collect and retain red snapper that would otherwise be prohibited from
possession and retention. This study, to be conducted in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) off Louisiana, is
intended to better document the age structure and life history of fish
associated with offshore platforms and artificial reefs in Louisiana
coastal waters.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern time, on
February 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the application by any of the
following methods:
Email: Steve.Branstetter@noaa.gov. Include in the subject
line of the email comment the following document identifier: ``LDWF--
EFP''.
Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS,
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The application and related documents are available for review upon
written request to any of the above addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Branstetter, (727) 824-5305;
email: Steve.Branstetter@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is requested under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.), and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted
fishing.
The described research is part of a new research program by LDWF.
The research is intended to involve recreational fishermen in the
collection of fundamental biological information on Gulf red snapper.
The proposed collection for scientific research involves activities
that could otherwise be prohibited by regulations at 50 CFR part 622,
as they pertain to reef fish managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council). The applicant requires authorization
through the EFP to collect these Council-managed species that may be
taken as part of the normal fishing activities of the recreational
sector of the Gulf reef fish fishery. LDWF is requesting that selected
participants in as many as seven Louisiana recreational fishing
tournaments during the summer of 2012 be allowed to bring red snapper
to port. The EFP would only be applicable if the 2012 recreational red
snapper season has closed because the recreational quota was projected
to be met. These fish would be turned over to LDWF personnel, and
sampled for otoliths and gonads. LDWF would be responsible for
providing all data collected under the EFP to NMFS for use in the next
red snapper stock assessment.
The goal of the research is to provide a more robust data base on
Gulf red snapper for the next stock assessment. The EFP, if approved,
would authorize the take of as many as 1,400 federally-managed red
snapper from July 1, 2012, through September 30, 2012. Such fish,
collected as biological samples, would not be subject to seasonal
closures or recreational bag limits.
NMFS finds this application warrants further consideration.
Possible conditions the agency may impose on this permit, if it is
indeed granted, include but are not limited to, a prohibition of
conducting research within marine protected areas, marine sanctuaries,
or special management zones, without additional authorization. A report
on the research would be due at the end of the collection period, to be
submitted to NMFS and reviewed by the Council.
A final decision on issuance of the EFP will depend on NMFS's
review of public comments received on the application, consultations
with the affected states, the Council, and the U.S. Coast Guard, as
well as a determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 17, 2012.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-1145 Filed 1-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
