Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; Exempted Fishing Permit, 32843-32845 [2018-15074]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices
artificial intelligence (AI), advanced and
quantum computing, and autonomous
systems.
Request for Information
Respondents are encouraged—but not
required—to respond to any or all of the
following questions, and may address
related topics. Please identify the
questions or topic areas each of your
comments addresses. The following
questions cover the major areas about
which NIST seeks comment. These
questions are directed towards domestic
semiconductor manufacturers,
associated supporting industries,
educational institutions, and their
stakeholders. Responses may include
estimates. Please indicate where the
response is an estimate.
Respondents may organize their
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the DATES and ADDRESSES sections of
this notice will be considered.
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sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Basic Information
Briefly describe your company or
organization in terms of:
a. What is the name of your company
or organization?
b. How is your company or
organization involved with the
semiconductor industry (e.g., industry
association, university, company
involved in semiconductor design,
fabrication, package test and assembly,
or other)?
Workforce Challenges and Needs
1. When hiring technical staff, for
what types of positions do you
encounter the most difficultly in finding
qualified employees?
a. Have you been able to identify any
causes for these recruitment difficulties
(lack of appropriate educational
programs, lack of collaboration between
industry and educational institutions,
competition within your industry,
competition for talent from outside your
industry, etc.)
2. Are there specific educational
levels that are needed for your current
workforce?
a. Are there some educational levels
where it is harder to find qualified staff?
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b. Have you been able to identify any
causes for these difficulties in finding
qualified staff (high competition for a
specific talent pool, lack of experienced
individuals, educational programs not
directly aligned with your needs, etc.)
3. Are there certain factors relating to
workforce needs that your company or
organization prioritizes when locating a
new facility, for example a strong base
of existing talent, a robust local
educational ecosystem, etc.?
4. How do you see the work force
needs of your company or organization
changing over the next 5 years, 10 years,
15 years?
a. Do you think that certain levels of
education will be more important?
b. Are there fields of training that you
think will be more important?
5. As the industry continues to evolve
and develop and integrate new
technologies (e.g., new computing
paradigms, new material systems,
broader use of AI) are there skillsets that
you see as becoming more important?
a. Do you have an opinion on the
types of training needed to develop
these skillsets for the future?
b. From your experience are there
types of partnerships with federal
agencies and/or educational institutions
that would be helpful to prepare this
workforce for the future?
6. Are there certain obstacles that you
see as the biggest impediment to
meeting your workforce needs? For
example, a lack of aligned educational
programs (including internship and
apprenticeship opportunities), a lack of
collaboration with such educational
programs, a lack of students in science
and engineering, a lack of interest in
your industry, a lack of facilities with
appropriate equipment to train workers
(e.g., community colleges without
access to fabrication equipment/
facilities), or other issues? Please
describe.
Potential Workforce Solutions
7. Are there specific approaches your
company or organization utilizes to
address your workforce needs? For
example, tailored partnerships and
curricula with regional universities and
community colleges, internship or
apprenticeship programs, training or
retraining of displaced workers, or other
approaches?
8. Are there certain approaches or
actions that would most effectively
stimulate the supply of qualified
workers for the semiconductor industry
in the near term (e.g., targeted
scholarships including internships/
apprenticeships, loan repayment
incentives, procurement of specialized
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32843
equipment for schools and universities,
immigration and visa reform, etc.)?
9. What approaches do you think
would most effectively stimulate the
supply of qualified workers for the
semiconductor industry over the long
term (e.g., professional development
opportunities for K–12 teachers and K–
12 student programs such as camps,
competitions and projects in the
semiconductor space)?
10. Although apprenticeship has, in
the past, been available mostly to those
in the traditional trades, efforts are now
underway to expand apprenticeship
into new fields, including advanced
manufacturing, IT, healthcare, energy
supply and distribution, banking and
finance and engineering (in partnership
with four-year institutions). Have you
considered engaging in apprenticeship
training to prepare your workforce?
Why or why not?
11. Are there examples of
partnerships with local educational
institutions (e.g., a work-study program)
that you use to support your operations?
12. Are there types of support (grants,
economic development incentives or
other benefits) from federal, state and
local government agencies that have
helped enable your workforce? Of these
types of support what makes them most
effective?
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 278s.
Kevin A. Kimball,
Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 2018–15077 Filed 7–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG304
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish
Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands; 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 NMFS
Panama City, FL laboratory. If granted,
the EFP would authorize NMFS or
NMFS contracted commercial fishers
aboard their commercial fishing vessels
SUMMARY:
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sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
32844
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices
to collect certain deep-water snapper
species in waters of the U.S. exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) in the Caribbean
off Puerto Rico. The EFP would exempt
this activity from complying with
certain seasonal closures in the U.S.
Caribbean EEZ. The purpose of the EFP
is to gather information that could be
used to define essential fish habitat
(EFH) of deep-water snappers off the
coast of Puerto Rico and to determine
life history information for queen and
blackfin snappers.
DATES: Comments must be received no
later than August 15, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the application by any of the
following methods:
• Email: Sarah.Stephenson@
noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of
the email comment the following
document identifier: ‘‘PR NOAA NMFS_
EFP 2018’’.
• Mail: Sarah Stephenson, Southeast
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th
Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The EFP application and related
documents are available for review
upon written request to any of the above
addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah Stephenson, 727–824–5305;
email: Sarah.Stephenson@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 applicant requests authorization
to collect deep-water reef fish species in
the U.S. Caribbean EEZ off the west,
north, and south coasts of Puerto Rico.
The applicant is seeking to gather
information that could be used to define
essential fish habitat for deep-water
snapper species off the coast of Puerto
Rico, and to obtain additional life
history information about queen and
blackfin snapper. Specimens would be
collected by NMFS researchers and/or
contractors and contracted commercial
fishermen aboard three commercial
fishing vessels. These activities may be
conducted without NMFS staff aboard
the contracted vessels. Each vessel’s
home port is located in Puerto Rico.
This permit would exempt project
participants from certain seasonal and
area closure regulations at 50 CFR
622.435, as identified and described
below. The EFP would be effective from
the date of issuance through August 1,
2020.
Activities would consist of harvesting
reef fish during a total of 450 fishing
trips in the 2-year project period, of
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which 225 would be within the U.S.
Caribbean EEZ off Puerto Rico. The
remaining trips would be conducted in
Puerto Rico territorial waters. Sampling
sites would be randomly selected from
locations with a high probability of
containing habitat that could be
considered essential for deep-water
snappers as determined by bathymetric
maps recently produced by NOAA’s
Marine Spatial Ecology Division. The
target depth range for this project is 100
to 500 m, with sampling sites selected
in each 50 m depth range throughout
the overall depth range.
Sampling would be conducted by
hook-and-line drift fishing in deepwater habitats, with underwater cameras
attached to the fishing line. On each
fishing trip, three to seven sites would
be fished per day based on distance
between the sampling sites and weather,
with an average of five sites per day at
sea and an average of 15 days at sea per
vessel. At each site, one vertical fishing
line would be deployed from the
commercial fishing vessel with a surface
float and bottom weight for a 30 minute
soak time. Twelve #9 hooks would be
attached to the bottom 2 m of the line
and manual snapper reels would be
used to retrieve the line. A GoPro
camera encased in a light-weight
pressure-tested housing and a light
would be attached to a small, neutrally
buoyant fitting on the vertical line. This
camera array would be attached to the
fishing line at two separate points,
approximately 3 m above the bottom
weight.
Project activities would be conducted
from September 1, 2018, through August
1, 2020. The majority of sampling would
occur each year in September and
October. Sampling would occur at
approximately 75 sites at each of the
following locations in the EEZ off
Puerto Rico:
• Western region: From Isabela to
Puerto Real, including Isla de Desecheo
Marine Reserve, within 12 miles of any
point of land in Puerto Rico, from
depths of 100–500 m.
• Northeast region: From San Juan to
Fajardo, extending out to Isla de
Culebra, within 12 miles of any point of
land in Puerto Rico, from depths of 100–
500 m.
• Southeast region: From Patillas to
Buena Vista, extending out to Isla de
Vieques, within 12 miles of any point of
land in Puerto Rico, from depths of 100–
500 m.
The applicant will target queen and
blackfin snappers, but anticipates
encountering other species. All queen
and blackfin snappers caught during the
EFP would be retained, and the gonads
and otoliths would be extracted for
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Sfmt 4703
subsequent analysis by NMFS, Puerto
Rico’s Department of Natural and
Environmental Resources, and the
University of South Carolina. Length
measurements would be recorded for all
targeted and incidental species except
for species for which harvest is
prohibited under Federal law (i.e.,
goliath and Nassau groupers, and
midnight, rainbow, and blue
parrotfishes). These species would be
returned immediately to the water with
a minimum of harm. In order to
minimize the negative biological effects
of bringing these deep-water species to
the surface, the commercial fishermen
would have venting tools onboard their
vessels to properly vent fish being
released to facilitate their return to
depth.
Based on catch and effort information
from the commercial sector in Puerto
Rico, the applicant anticipates
harvesting up to 100 specimens of both
queen and blackfin snappers in each of
the three sampling regions, each year.
Under the EFP, the applicant would be
allowed to fish for and possess blackfin
snapper during the October 1 through
December 31 seasonal closure in place
for vermilion, black, silk, or blackfin
snappers (50 CFR 622.435(a)(1)(iii)). In
addition, under the EFP, the applicant
would be allowed to fish for and possess
queen and blackfin snappers in or from
the Bajo de Sico closed area, which is
located in the project’s western area off
Puerto Rico, during the October 1 to
March 31 closure period (50 CFR
622.435(a)(2)(iv)). Based on the
sampling plan, the applicant anticipates
making a maximum of 10 fishing trips
over the 2 year period of the EFP to the
Bajo de Sico closed area during the
months of October through March.
Based on catch and effort information
from the commercial sector in Puerto
Rico, the applicant also anticipates
catching up to 100 fish of the following
species from each of the three sampling
regions each year, as incidental catch:
Black, silk, vermilion, and wenchman
snappers (Snapper Unit 1); coney,
graysby, red hind, and rock hind
groupers (Grouper Unit 3); black, red,
tiger, and yellowfin groupers (Grouper
Unit 4), and misty and yellowedge
groupers (Grouper Unit 5). It is possible
that the applicant may also incidentally
catch cardinal snapper, which is in
Snapper Unit 2 with queen snapper, as
they are targeting queen snapper and
these species are frequently caught
together.
Some of these incidental species
(namely, red, black, tiger, yellowfin,
yellowedge, and red hind groupers and
vermilion, black, and silk snappers) are
also subject to seasonal closures (50 CFR
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16JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 136 / Monday, July 16, 2018 / Notices
622.435(a)(1)(i) & (ii) & (iii)). The
applicant does not intend to retain any
of these species caught during the
respective seasonal closures. However,
the EFP would allow the applicant to
possess these species during those
closure periods for sufficient time to
collect and record length measurements,
consistent with the goals of the EFP. If
these species were caught outside of a
closed season, the contracted
commercial fishers would be able retain
them, consistent with applicable law.
These species also may be encountered
in the Bajo de Sico closed area (50 CFR
622.435(a)(2)(iv)), and the EFP would
allow the applicant to possess the
species during the seasonal area closure
for sufficient time to collect and record
length measurements. No species caught
as incidental catch during the seasonal
or area closures would be retained
during the EFP.
NMFS finds this application warrants
further consideration based on a
preliminary review. Possible conditions
the agency may impose on this permit,
if it is granted, include but are not
limited to, a prohibition on conducting
sampling activities within marine
protected areas, marine sanctuaries, or
special management zones, without
additional authorization, and requiring
compliance with best practices in the
event of interactions with any protected
species. NMFS may also require annual
reports summarizing the amount of reef
fish species harvested during the
seasonal and area closures, as well as
during the period of effectiveness of any
issued EFP. Additionally, NMFS would
require any sea turtles taken
incidentally during the course of the
activities to be handled with due care to
prevent injury to live specimens,
observed for activity, and returned to
the water.
A final decision on issuance of the
EFP will depend on NMFS’ review of
public comments received on the
application, consultations with the
affected state(s), the Council, and the
U.S. Coast Guard, and a determination
that it is consistent with all applicable
laws.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 10, 2018.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–15074 Filed 7–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Jkt 244001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XG299
Nominations to the Marine Mammal
Scientific Review Groups
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for nominations.
AGENCY:
As required by of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the
Secretary of Commerce established three
independent regional scientific review
groups (SRGs) to provide advice on a
range of marine mammal science and
management issues. NMFS conducted a
membership review of the Alaska,
Atlantic, and Pacific SRGs, and is
soliciting nominations for new members
to fill vacancies and gaps in expertise.
DATES: Nominations must be received
by August 15, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Nominations can be
emailed to Shannon.Bettridge@
noaa.gov, or mailed to: Marine Mammal
and Sea Turtle Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910–3226, Attn: SRGs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shannon Bettridge, Office of Protected
Resources, 301–427–8402,
Shannon.Bettridge@noaa.gov.
Information about the SRGs, including
the SRG Terms of Reference, is available
at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
national/marine-mammal-protection/
scientific-review-groups.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
117(d) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1386(d))
directs the Secretary of Commerce to
establish three independent regional
SRGs to advise the Secretary (authority
delegated to NMFS). The Alaska SRG
advises on marine mammals that occur
in waters off Alaska that are under the
jurisdiction of the United States. The
Pacific SRG advises on marine
mammals that occur in waters off the
U.S. West Coast, Hawaiian Islands, and
the U.S. Territories in the Central and
Western Pacific that are under the
jurisdiction of the United States. The
Atlantic SRG advises on marine
mammals that occur in waters off the
Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S.
Territories in the Caribbean that are
under the jurisdiction of the United
States.
SRGs members are highly qualified
individuals with expertise in marine
SUMMARY:
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32845
mammal biology and ecology,
population dynamics and modeling,
commercial fishing technology and
practices, and stocks taken under
section 101(b) of the MMPA. The SRGs
provide expert reviews of draft marine
mammal stock assessment reports and
other information related to the matters
identified in section 117(d)(1) of the
MMPA, including:
A. Population estimates and the
population status and trends of marine
mammal stocks;
B. Uncertainties and research needed
regarding stock separation, abundance,
or trends, and factors affecting the
distribution, size, or productivity of the
stock;
C. Uncertainties and research needed
regarding the species, number, ages,
gender, and reproductive status of
marine mammals;
D. Research needed to identify
modifications in fishing gear and
practices likely to reduce the incidental
mortality and serious injury of marine
mammals in commercial fishing
operations;
E. The actual, expected, or potential
impacts of habitat destruction,
including marine pollution and natural
environmental change, on specific
marine mammal species or stocks, and
for strategic stocks, appropriate
conservation or management measures
to alleviate any such impacts; and
F. Any other issue which the
Secretary or the groups consider
appropriate.
SRG members collectively serve as
independent advisors to NMFS and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
provide their expert review and
recommendations through participation
in the SRG. Members attend annual
meetings and undertake activities as
independent persons providing
expertise in their subject areas.
Members are not appointed as
representatives of professional
organizations or particular stakeholder
groups, including government entities,
and are not permitted to represent or
advocate for those organizations,
groups, or entities during SRG meetings,
discussions, and deliberations.
SRG membership is voluntary; and,
except for reimbursable travel and
related expenses, service is without pay.
The term of service for SRG members is
three years, and members may serve up
to three consecutive terms if
reappointed.
NMFS annually reviews the expertise
available on the SRG and identifies gaps
in the expertise that is needed to
provide advice pursuant to section
117(d) of the MMPA. In conducting the
reviews, NMFS attempts to achieve, to
E:\FR\FM\16JYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 136 (Monday, July 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32843-32845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15074]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XG304
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; 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 NMFS Panama City, FL laboratory. If
granted, the EFP would authorize NMFS or NMFS contracted commercial
fishers aboard their commercial fishing vessels
[[Page 32844]]
to collect certain deep-water snapper species in waters of the U.S.
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Caribbean off Puerto Rico. The EFP
would exempt this activity from complying with certain seasonal
closures in the U.S. Caribbean EEZ. The purpose of the EFP is to gather
information that could be used to define essential fish habitat (EFH)
of deep-water snappers off the coast of Puerto Rico and to determine
life history information for queen and blackfin snappers.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than August 15, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the application by any of the
following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject
line of the email comment the following document identifier: ``PR NOAA
NMFS_EFP 2018''.
Mail: Sarah Stephenson, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS,
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
The EFP application and related documents are available for review
upon written request to any of the above addresses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Stephenson, 727-824-5305; email:
[email protected].
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 applicant requests authorization to collect deep-water reef
fish species in the U.S. Caribbean EEZ off the west, north, and south
coasts of Puerto Rico. The applicant is seeking to gather information
that could be used to define essential fish habitat for deep-water
snapper species off the coast of Puerto Rico, and to obtain additional
life history information about queen and blackfin snapper. Specimens
would be collected by NMFS researchers and/or contractors and
contracted commercial fishermen aboard three commercial fishing
vessels. These activities may be conducted without NMFS staff aboard
the contracted vessels. Each vessel's home port is located in Puerto
Rico. This permit would exempt project participants from certain
seasonal and area closure regulations at 50 CFR 622.435, as identified
and described below. The EFP would be effective from the date of
issuance through August 1, 2020.
Activities would consist of harvesting reef fish during a total of
450 fishing trips in the 2-year project period, of which 225 would be
within the U.S. Caribbean EEZ off Puerto Rico. The remaining trips
would be conducted in Puerto Rico territorial waters. Sampling sites
would be randomly selected from locations with a high probability of
containing habitat that could be considered essential for deep-water
snappers as determined by bathymetric maps recently produced by NOAA's
Marine Spatial Ecology Division. The target depth range for this
project is 100 to 500 m, with sampling sites selected in each 50 m
depth range throughout the overall depth range.
Sampling would be conducted by hook-and-line drift fishing in deep-
water habitats, with underwater cameras attached to the fishing line.
On each fishing trip, three to seven sites would be fished per day
based on distance between the sampling sites and weather, with an
average of five sites per day at sea and an average of 15 days at sea
per vessel. At each site, one vertical fishing line would be deployed
from the commercial fishing vessel with a surface float and bottom
weight for a 30 minute soak time. Twelve #9 hooks would be attached to
the bottom 2 m of the line and manual snapper reels would be used to
retrieve the line. A GoPro camera encased in a light-weight pressure-
tested housing and a light would be attached to a small, neutrally
buoyant fitting on the vertical line. This camera array would be
attached to the fishing line at two separate points, approximately 3 m
above the bottom weight.
Project activities would be conducted from September 1, 2018,
through August 1, 2020. The majority of sampling would occur each year
in September and October. Sampling would occur at approximately 75
sites at each of the following locations in the EEZ off Puerto Rico:
Western region: From Isabela to Puerto Real, including
Isla de Desecheo Marine Reserve, within 12 miles of any point of land
in Puerto Rico, from depths of 100-500 m.
Northeast region: From San Juan to Fajardo, extending out
to Isla de Culebra, within 12 miles of any point of land in Puerto
Rico, from depths of 100-500 m.
Southeast region: From Patillas to Buena Vista, extending
out to Isla de Vieques, within 12 miles of any point of land in Puerto
Rico, from depths of 100-500 m.
The applicant will target queen and blackfin snappers, but
anticipates encountering other species. All queen and blackfin snappers
caught during the EFP would be retained, and the gonads and otoliths
would be extracted for subsequent analysis by NMFS, Puerto Rico's
Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and the University
of South Carolina. Length measurements would be recorded for all
targeted and incidental species except for species for which harvest is
prohibited under Federal law (i.e., goliath and Nassau groupers, and
midnight, rainbow, and blue parrotfishes). These species would be
returned immediately to the water with a minimum of harm. In order to
minimize the negative biological effects of bringing these deep-water
species to the surface, the commercial fishermen would have venting
tools onboard their vessels to properly vent fish being released to
facilitate their return to depth.
Based on catch and effort information from the commercial sector in
Puerto Rico, the applicant anticipates harvesting up to 100 specimens
of both queen and blackfin snappers in each of the three sampling
regions, each year. Under the EFP, the applicant would be allowed to
fish for and possess blackfin snapper during the October 1 through
December 31 seasonal closure in place for vermilion, black, silk, or
blackfin snappers (50 CFR 622.435(a)(1)(iii)). In addition, under the
EFP, the applicant would be allowed to fish for and possess queen and
blackfin snappers in or from the Bajo de Sico closed area, which is
located in the project's western area off Puerto Rico, during the
October 1 to March 31 closure period (50 CFR 622.435(a)(2)(iv)). Based
on the sampling plan, the applicant anticipates making a maximum of 10
fishing trips over the 2 year period of the EFP to the Bajo de Sico
closed area during the months of October through March.
Based on catch and effort information from the commercial sector in
Puerto Rico, the applicant also anticipates catching up to 100 fish of
the following species from each of the three sampling regions each
year, as incidental catch: Black, silk, vermilion, and wenchman
snappers (Snapper Unit 1); coney, graysby, red hind, and rock hind
groupers (Grouper Unit 3); black, red, tiger, and yellowfin groupers
(Grouper Unit 4), and misty and yellowedge groupers (Grouper Unit 5).
It is possible that the applicant may also incidentally catch cardinal
snapper, which is in Snapper Unit 2 with queen snapper, as they are
targeting queen snapper and these species are frequently caught
together.
Some of these incidental species (namely, red, black, tiger,
yellowfin, yellowedge, and red hind groupers and vermilion, black, and
silk snappers) are also subject to seasonal closures (50 CFR
[[Page 32845]]
622.435(a)(1)(i) & (ii) & (iii)). The applicant does not intend to
retain any of these species caught during the respective seasonal
closures. However, the EFP would allow the applicant to possess these
species during those closure periods for sufficient time to collect and
record length measurements, consistent with the goals of the EFP. If
these species were caught outside of a closed season, the contracted
commercial fishers would be able retain them, consistent with
applicable law. These species also may be encountered in the Bajo de
Sico closed area (50 CFR 622.435(a)(2)(iv)), and the EFP would allow
the applicant to possess the species during the seasonal area closure
for sufficient time to collect and record length measurements. No
species caught as incidental catch during the seasonal or area closures
would be retained during the EFP.
NMFS finds this application warrants further consideration based on
a preliminary review. Possible conditions the agency may impose on this
permit, if it is granted, include but are not limited to, a prohibition
on conducting sampling activities within marine protected areas, marine
sanctuaries, or special management zones, without additional
authorization, and requiring compliance with best practices in the
event of interactions with any protected species. NMFS may also require
annual reports summarizing the amount of reef fish species harvested
during the seasonal and area closures, as well as during the period of
effectiveness of any issued EFP. Additionally, NMFS would require any
sea turtles taken incidentally during the course of the activities to
be handled with due care to prevent injury to live specimens, observed
for activity, and returned to the water.
A final decision on issuance of the EFP will depend on NMFS' review
of public comments received on the application, consultations with the
affected state(s), the Council, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and a
determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 10, 2018.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-15074 Filed 7-13-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
