Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 46922-46923 [2013-18656]

Download as PDF 46922 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 149 / Friday, August 2, 2013 / Notices Commerce, Herbert Clark Hoover Building, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Ms. Maureen Hinman, Office of Energy & Environmental Industries (OEEI), International Trade Administration, Room 4053, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (Phone: 202–482–0627; Fax: 202–482–5665; email: maureen.hinman@trade.gov. This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to OEEI at (202) 482–5225 no less than one week prior to the meeting. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The meeting will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT. This meeting is open to the public and time will be permitted for public comment from 3:00–3:30 p.m. EDT. Those interested in attending must provide notification by Friday, August 23, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. EDT, via the contact information provided above. Written comments concerning ETTAC affairs are welcome any time before or after the meeting. Minutes will be available within 30 days of this meeting. Topics to be considered: The agenda for this meeting will include an overview of the new ETTAC subcommittee structure and outline issues each will undertake throughout the term. The Committee will also review the U.S. Environmental Solutions Toolkit (www.new.export.gov) and discuss ways to expand its reach to increase U.S. environmental exports. The status of the U.S. Environmental Export Initiative will also be discussed. Background: The ETTAC is mandated by Public Law 103–392. It was created to advise the U.S. government on environmental trade policies and programs, and to help it to focus its resources on increasing the exports of the U.S. environmental industry. ETTAC operates as an advisory committee to the Secretary of Commerce and the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC). ETTAC was originally chartered in May of 1994. It was most recently re-chartered until September 2014. sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Man K. Cho, Acting Office Director, Office of Energy and Environmental Industries. [FR Doc. 2013–18609 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:55 Aug 01, 2013 Jkt 229001 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XC786 Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. AGENCY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Administrator), has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit Application contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt participating commercial fishing vessels from the escape vent, trap limits, and trap tag requirements of the Federal lobster regulations in order to help determine the abundance and distribution of juvenile American lobsters at the Massachusetts and Rhode Island offshore wind farm area. The research is being conducted by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation. Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits. DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 19, 2013. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods: • Email: NERO.EFP@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments on CFRF Lobster EFP.’’ • Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments on CFRF Lobster EFP.’’ • Fax: (978) 281–9135. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Jacob, Environmental Technician, 978–281–9180. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit on June 24, 2013. To SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 conduct its research on the abundance and distribution of juvenile American lobster in Lobster Management Area (LMA) 2, the CFRF is requesting exemptions from the following Federal lobster regulations: (1) Gear specifications to allow for closed escape vents, as prohibited in 50 CFR 697.21(c)(2); (2) trap limits to be exceeded by 80 additional traps per fishing vessel, for a total of 240 additional traps, as prohibited in § 697.19(a)(2) for LMA 2; and (3) trap tag requirements, as specified in § 697.19(f). Escape vents are designed to allow smaller, sublegal-sized lobsters to escape standard lobster traps; therefore, closed escape vents are necessary to target juvenile American lobsters and collect information on their abundance and distribution. Federal lobster regulations also limit the number of traps that each permit holder can fish, which is based on their permit qualification. Therefore, each participating vessel would need exemptions in order to fish the survey traps in excess of their trap allocation. The wind farm development area includes 24 lease blocks, and sampling would take place with 1 trawl of 10 traps per lease block, requiring 24 trawls of 10 traps (240 traps), or 80 traps per vessel. Federal lobster regulations also require a trap tag to be fixed to each active lobster trap; however, the survey traps will remain separate from each vessel’s commercial fishing traps, and would be hauled during sampling trips only. Therefore, there is no need to have these survey traps fixed with the conventional lobster trap tags. Instead, there would be identification tags fixed to each trap for identification purposes. Funding for this pilot study would be provided through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The proposed lobster sampling would take place outside of regular fishing activity, with one or two scientist(s) from the University of Rhode Island onboard each vessel. Gear would be set for a 5day soak during regular commercial fishing trips, without a scientist onboard; however, no sampling would take place when survey gear is being set. If an EFP is granted, there would be an additional 240 modified traps in the water for 6 consecutive months (May through October), and for a 2-year study period. Each participating vessel would have eight trawls with 10 traps per trawl, consisting of 6 vent-less traps and 4 standard traps per trawl, for a total of 48 modified traps and 32 standard traps for each vessel, to be hauled after a 5night soak. The addition of 144 modified traps and 96 standard traps in E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM 02AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 149 / Friday, August 2, 2013 / Notices total for all three vessels would increase the total number of traps in the fishery by 240 traps, a negligible number when compared to the current number of lobster traps deployed in the fishery. Modifications to a conventional lobster trap would include a closed escape vent, a smaller mesh size, and a smaller entrance head. All lobsters retrieved from standard and modified traps would remain onboard for a short period of time to allow for sampling, after which they would be returned to the water. Biological information would be collected on all lobsters, including: Carapace length; sexual determination; cull status; and presence of eggs, vnotches, and shell disease. Bycatch species would also be kept onboard for enumeration, weight collection, and measurement. If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 30, 2013. Emily H. Menashes, Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. filing of the charter with the appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives oversight committees, which ever date is earlier. The NCADAC is a federal advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463). DATES: The NCADAC Charter is renewed for a period of time that is either 90 days after the government’s Third National Climate Assessment is released to the public or two years from the date of the filing of the charter with the appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives oversight committees, which ever date is earlier. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Cynthia J. Decker, Designated Federal Officer, National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee, NOAA, Rm. 11230, R/SAB, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. (Phone: 301–734–1156, Email: Cynthia.decker@noaa.gov); or visit the NOAA NCADAC Web site at https:// www.ncadac.noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The renewal of the charter for this time period is critical to the success of the National Climate Assessment. No amendments were made to the Charter. Dated: July 29, 2013. Jason Donaldson, Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. 2013–18652 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–KD–P [FR Doc. 2013–18656 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am] DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Charter Renewal. sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 3510–KD–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Charter Renewal. RIN 0648–BA53 AGENCY: AGENCY: The Department of Commerce’s Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration has renewed the charter for the National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee (NCADAC) for a period of time that is either 90 days after the government’s Third National Climate Assessment is released to the public or two years from the date of the Jkt 229001 Dated: _July 29, 2013. Jason Donaldson, Chief Financial Officer/Chief Financial Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 18:55 Aug 01, 2013 The renewal of the charter for this time period is critical to the success of NOAA. Only one amendment was made to the charter. Under Section 9, Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings, language has been revised to state ‘‘The SAB will meet approximately three times each year in person if possible.’’ This reflects the need for the Board members to regularly gather together for their meetings but also allows room for those meetings to be fewer than three per year and virtual, if necessary. The SAB will continue to have ad hoc virtual meetings in between the in-person meetings as necessary. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE VerDate Mar<15>2010 The SAB Charter is renewed for two years from the date of the filing of the charter with the appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives oversight committees. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Cynthia J. Decker, Executive Director and Designated Federal Officer, NOAA Science Advisory Board, NOAA, Rm. 11230, R/SAB, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. (Phone: 301–734–1156, Email: Cynthia.decker@noaa.gov); or visit the NOAA SAB Web site at https:// www.sab.noaa.gov. DATES: [FR Doc. 2013–18653 Filed 8–1–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P SUMMARY: 46923 The Department of Commerce’s Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration has renewed the charter for the NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB) for a period of two years from the date of the filing of the charter with the appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives oversight committees. The NOAA SAB is a federal advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463). SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Fishery off the South Atlantic States; Amendment 22 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Supplemental Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS); request for comments. AGENCY: NMFS, Southeast Region, in collaboration with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), is publishing this supplemental NOI to SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\02AUN1.SGM 02AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46922-46923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18656]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC786


Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management 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, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Administrator), has made a 
preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit Application 
contains all the required information and warrants further 
consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt participating 
commercial fishing vessels from the escape vent, trap limits, and trap 
tag requirements of the Federal lobster regulations in order to help 
determine the abundance and distribution of juvenile American lobsters 
at the Massachusetts and Rhode Island offshore wind farm area. The 
research is being conducted by the Commercial Fisheries Research 
Foundation.
    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 Exempted Fishing Permits.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: NERO.EFP@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on CFRF Lobster EFP.''
     Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE 
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark 
the outside of the envelope ``Comments on CFRF Lobster EFP.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Jacob, Environmental Technician, 
978-281-9180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation 
(CFRF) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit 
on June 24, 2013. To conduct its research on the abundance and 
distribution of juvenile American lobster in Lobster Management Area 
(LMA) 2, the CFRF is requesting exemptions from the following Federal 
lobster regulations: (1) Gear specifications to allow for closed escape 
vents, as prohibited in 50 CFR 697.21(c)(2); (2) trap limits to be 
exceeded by 80 additional traps per fishing vessel, for a total of 240 
additional traps, as prohibited in Sec.  697.19(a)(2) for LMA 2; and 
(3) trap tag requirements, as specified in Sec.  697.19(f). Escape 
vents are designed to allow smaller, sublegal-sized lobsters to escape 
standard lobster traps; therefore, closed escape vents are necessary to 
target juvenile American lobsters and collect information on their 
abundance and distribution. Federal lobster regulations also limit the 
number of traps that each permit holder can fish, which is based on 
their permit qualification. Therefore, each participating vessel would 
need exemptions in order to fish the survey traps in excess of their 
trap allocation. The wind farm development area includes 24 lease 
blocks, and sampling would take place with 1 trawl of 10 traps per 
lease block, requiring 24 trawls of 10 traps (240 traps), or 80 traps 
per vessel. Federal lobster regulations also require a trap tag to be 
fixed to each active lobster trap; however, the survey traps will 
remain separate from each vessel's commercial fishing traps, and would 
be hauled during sampling trips only. Therefore, there is no need to 
have these survey traps fixed with the conventional lobster trap tags. 
Instead, there would be identification tags fixed to each trap for 
identification purposes.
    Funding for this pilot study would be provided through the Bureau 
of Ocean Energy Management. The proposed lobster sampling would take 
place outside of regular fishing activity, with one or two scientist(s) 
from the University of Rhode Island onboard each vessel. Gear would be 
set for a 5-day soak during regular commercial fishing trips, without a 
scientist onboard; however, no sampling would take place when survey 
gear is being set. If an EFP is granted, there would be an additional 
240 modified traps in the water for 6 consecutive months (May through 
October), and for a 2-year study period. Each participating vessel 
would have eight trawls with 10 traps per trawl, consisting of 6 vent-
less traps and 4 standard traps per trawl, for a total of 48 modified 
traps and 32 standard traps for each vessel, to be hauled after a 5-
night soak. The addition of 144 modified traps and 96 standard traps in

[[Page 46923]]

total for all three vessels would increase the total number of traps in 
the fishery by 240 traps, a negligible number when compared to the 
current number of lobster traps deployed in the fishery.
    Modifications to a conventional lobster trap would include a closed 
escape vent, a smaller mesh size, and a smaller entrance head. All 
lobsters retrieved from standard and modified traps would remain 
onboard for a short period of time to allow for sampling, after which 
they would be returned to the water.
    Biological information would be collected on all lobsters, 
including: Carapace length; sexual determination; cull status; and 
presence of eggs, v-notches, and shell disease. Bycatch species would 
also be kept onboard for enumeration, weight collection, and 
measurement.
    If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and 
extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and 
extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed 
essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have 
minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially 
approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope 
of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: July 30, 2013.
Emily H. Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-18656 Filed 8-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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