Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting Requirements for Commercial Fisheries Authorization Under Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, 54532-54533 [2015-22709]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 175 / Thursday, September 10, 2015 / Notices
and Nantucket Lightship at § 648.58(c).
It would also exempt participating
vessels from the Atlantic sea scallop
observer program requirements at
§ 648.11(g) and from possession limits
and minimum size requirements
specified in 50 CFR part 648,
subsections B and D through O, for
sampling purposes only. Any fishing
activity conducted outside the scope of
the exempted fishing activity would be
prohibited.
Four vessels would conduct scallop
dredging in October 2015-April 2016, on
four 7-day trips, for a total of 28 DAS.
Each trip would complete
approximately 50 tows per trip for an
overall total of 200 tows for the project.
Trips would take place in the open areas
of southern New England and Georges
Bank as well as in Georges Bank scallop
access areas that are closed. Trips would
be centralized around areas with high
yellowtail and winter flounder bycatch
and in areas that contain a wide range
of scallop sizes to examine changes in
size selectivity due to dredge design and
wire scope.
All tows would be conducted in
tandem using one TDD and one LPD for
a duration of 60 minutes with a tow
speed range of 4–5.5 knots. Both
dredges would be 15 feet (4.57 meters)
in width using 4-inch (10.16 cm) rings,
and would be rigged with a 7-row
apron, and twine top hanging ratio of
2:1. Both dredges would be equipped
with a regulation turtle chain mat for
any tows west of 71° W. longitude. The
LPD dredge in comparison to the TDD
dredge has a reduced frame angle from
45° to 22.5°, an extended shoe from 15
inches (38.10 cm) to 22 inches (55.88
cm), and a reduced frame height from 15
inches (38.10) to 9.5 inches (24.13 cm).
Each tow pair would be conducted in a
straight line varying between long (4:1)
and short (3:1) scope ratios in an AB–
BA alternating pattern. Scope is the
ratio of deployed towing cable to ocean
depth.
To film finfish interactions, both
dredge frames would have an
underwater camera attached to the outer
frame bars facing the depressor plate.
Each interaction would be recorded
using Observer XT computer software
and would fall into three categories:
Horizontal escape where the fish swims
perpendicular to the dredge; vertical
escape where the fish swims over the
frame; and overcome/capture where the
fish passes under the cutting bar or
through the openings between the
depressor plate and cutting bar. Filming
will help test the hypothesis that the
LPD frame aids in flatfish escapement
and reduces interaction time with the
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17:28 Sep 09, 2015
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dredge potentially, reducing incidental
mortality rates.
For all tows, the sea scallop catch
would be counted into baskets and
weighed. One basket from each dredge
would be randomly selected and the
scallops would be measured in 5-mm
increments to determine size selectivity.
Finfish catch would be sorted by species
then counted, weighed, and measured
in 1-mm increments. Depending on the
volume of scallops and finfish captured,
the catch would be subsampled as
necessary. No catch would be retained
for longer than needed to conduct
sampling and no catch would be landed
for sale.
PROJECT CATCH ESTIMATES
Species
lbs
mt
Scallops ........................
Yellowtail .......................
Winter Flounder ............
Windowpane Flounder ..
Monkfish .......................
Summer Flounder .........
Barndoor Skate .............
NE Skate Complex .......
Atlantic Cod ..................
Haddock ........................
Silver/Offshore Hake ....
Unclassified hakes ........
110,231
2,000
500
3,500
4,500
150
500
75,000
50
75
125
100
50.00
0.91
0.23
1.59
2.04
0.007
0.23
34.02
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.06
CFF needs these exemptions to allow
them to conduct experimental dredge
towing without being charged DAS, as
well as deploy gear in access areas that
are currently closed to scallop fishing.
Participating vessels need crew size
waivers to accommodate science
personnel and possession waivers will
enable them to conduct finfish sampling
activities.
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: September 4, 2015.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–22834 Filed 9–9–15; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Proposed Information Collection;
Comment Request; Reporting
Requirements for Commercial
Fisheries Authorization Under Section
118 of the Marine Mammal Protection
Act
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of
Commerce, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information
collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before November 9,
2015.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument and instructions should be
directed to Lisa White, (301) 427–8402
or Lisa.White@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Abstract
This request is for an extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
Reporting injury to and/or mortalities
of marine mammals is mandated under
Section 118 of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act. This information is
required to determine the impacts of
commercial fishing on marine mammal
populations. This information is also
used to categorize commercial fisheries
into Categories I, II, or III. Participants
in the first two categories must be
authorized to take marine mammals,
while those in Category III are exempt
from that requirement. All categories
must report injuries or mortalities on a
National Marine Fisheries Service form.
II. Method of Collection
Respondents have a choice of either
electronic or paper forms. Methods of
submittal include online forms, email of
electronic or scanned forms, and mail
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 175 / Thursday, September 10, 2015 / Notices
and facsimile transmission of paper
forms.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0292.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of currently approved
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; Individuals or
households.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
200.
Estimated Time per Response: 15
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 50.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $0 in recordkeeping/reporting
costs and application fees.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
proposed collection of information; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection;
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: September 3, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015–22709 Filed 9–9–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
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RIN 0648–XE102
Schedules for Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops and
Protected Species Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshops
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshops.
AGENCY:
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Free Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops and Protected
Species Safe Handling, Release, and
Identification Workshops will be held in
October, November, and December of
2015. Certain fishermen and shark
dealers are required to attend a
workshop to meet regulatory
requirements and to maintain valid
permits. Specifically, the Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop is mandatory
for all federally permitted Atlantic shark
dealers. The Protected Species Safe
Handling, Release, and Identification
Workshop is mandatory for vessel
owners and operators who use bottom
longline, pelagic longline, or gillnet
gear, and who have also been issued
shark or swordfish limited access
permits. Additional free workshops will
be conducted during 2016 and will be
announced in a future notice.
DATES: The Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops will be held on October 8,
November 12, and December 3, 2015.
The Protected Species Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshops
will be held on October 7, October 21,
November 4, November 18, December 2,
and December 16, 2015.
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for
further details.
ADDRESSES: The Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops will be held in
Somerville, MA; Mount Pleasant, SC;
and Largo, FL.
The Protected Species Safe Handling,
Release, and Identification Workshops
will be held in Panama City, FL;
Warwick, RI; Wilmington, NC; Largo,
FL; Kenner, LA; and Ronkonkoma, NY.
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for
further details on workshop locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick
Pearson by phone: (727) 824–5399, or by
fax: (727) 824–5398.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
workshop schedules, registration
information, and a list of frequently
asked questions regarding these
workshops are posted on the Internet at:
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/
workshops/.
SUMMARY:
Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshops
Since January 1, 2008, Atlantic shark
dealers have been prohibited from
receiving, purchasing, trading, or
bartering for Atlantic sharks unless a
valid Atlantic Shark Identification
Workshop certificate is on the premises
of each business listed under the shark
dealer permit that first receives Atlantic
sharks (71 FR 58057; October 2, 2006).
Dealers who attend and successfully
complete a workshop are issued a
certificate for each place of business that
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54533
is permitted to receive sharks. These
certificate(s) are valid for 3 years.
Approximately 113 free Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshops have been
conducted since January 2007.
Currently, permitted dealers may send
a proxy to an Atlantic Shark
Identification Workshop. However, if a
dealer opts to send a proxy, the dealer
must designate a proxy for each place of
business covered by the dealer’s permit
which first receives Atlantic sharks.
Only one certificate will be issued to
each proxy. A proxy must be a person
who is currently employed by a place of
business covered by the dealer’s permit;
is a primary participant in the
identification, weighing, and/or first
receipt of fish as they are offloaded from
a vessel; and who fills out dealer
reports. Atlantic shark dealers are
prohibited from renewing a Federal
shark dealer permit unless a valid
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop
certificate for each business location
that first receives Atlantic sharks has
been submitted with the permit renewal
application. Additionally, trucks or
other conveyances that are extensions of
a dealer’s place of business must
possess a copy of a valid dealer or proxy
Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop
certificate.
Workshop Dates, Times, and Locations
1. October 8, 2015, 12 p.m.–4 p.m., La
Quinta Inn, 23 Cummings Street,
Somerville, MA 02145.
2. November 12, 2015, 12 p.m.–4 p.m.,
Hampton Inn, 1104 Isle of Palms
Connector, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.
3. December 3, 2015, 12 p.m.–4 p.m.,
Hampton Inn, 100 East Bay Drive,
Largo, FL 33770.
Registration
To register for a scheduled Atlantic
Shark Identification Workshop, please
contact Eric Sander at esander@
peoplepc.com or at (386) 852–8588.
Registration Materials
To ensure that workshop certificates
are linked to the correct permits,
participants will need to bring the
following specific items to the
workshop:
• Atlantic shark dealer permit holders
must bring proof that the attendee is an
owner or agent of the business (such as
articles of incorporation), a copy of the
applicable permit, and proof of
identification.
• Atlantic shark dealer proxies must
bring documentation from the permitted
dealer acknowledging that the proxy is
attending the workshop on behalf of the
permitted Atlantic shark dealer for a
specific business location, a copy of the
E:\FR\FM\10SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54532-54533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22709]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting
Requirements for Commercial Fisheries Authorization Under Section 118
of the Marine Mammal Protection Act
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 9,
2015.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet
at JJessup@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Lisa White, (301) 427-8402 or Lisa.White@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for an extension of a currently approved
information collection.
Reporting injury to and/or mortalities of marine mammals is
mandated under Section 118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This
information is required to determine the impacts of commercial fishing
on marine mammal populations. This information is also used to
categorize commercial fisheries into Categories I, II, or III.
Participants in the first two categories must be authorized to take
marine mammals, while those in Category III are exempt from that
requirement. All categories must report injuries or mortalities on a
National Marine Fisheries Service form.
II. Method of Collection
Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper forms.
Methods of submittal include online forms, email of electronic or
scanned forms, and mail
[[Page 54533]]
and facsimile transmission of paper forms.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0292.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of currently approved
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations;
Individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs and application fees.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: September 3, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-22709 Filed 9-9-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
