Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 38286-38287 [2018-16770]

Download as PDF 38286 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 151 / Monday, August 6, 2018 / Notices Julia Byrd, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; phone: (843) 571– 4366; email: julia.byrd@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 threestep process including: (1) Data Workshop; (2) Assessment Process utilizing webinars; and (3) Review Workshop. The product of the Data Workshop is a data report which compiles and evaluates potential datasets and recommends which datasets are appropriate for assessment analyses. The product of the Assessment Process is a stock assessment report which describes the fisheries, evaluates the status of the stock, estimates biological benchmarks, projects future population conditions, and recommends research and monitoring needs. The assessment is independently peer reviewed at the Review Workshop. The product of the Review Workshop is a Summary documenting panel opinions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the stock assessment and input data. Participants for SEDAR Workshops are appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, and Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Participants include: Data collectors and database managers; stock assessment scientists, biologists, and researchers; constituency representatives including fishermen, environmentalists, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); international experts; and staff of Councils, Commissions, and state and federal agencies. The items of discussion at the Data Scoping webinar are as follows: 1. Participants will review SEDAR 58 stock identification recommendations. 2. Participants will identify potential data sources and discuss data needs and treatments in order to prepare for the Data Workshop. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:36 Aug 03, 2018 Jkt 244001 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 Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the SAFMC office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 business days prior to the meeting. Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are subject to change. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 31, 2018. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–16699 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XG385 Magnuson-Stevens 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 Acting Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would allow four commercial fishing vessels, directed by Coonamessett Farm Foundation, to be exempt from Atlantic sea scallop regulations for the purpose of bycatch reduction research. 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 21, 2018. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 You may submit written comments by any of the following methods: • Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments on CFF Extended Link Apron EFP.’’ • Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments on CFF Extended Link Apron EFP.’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management Specialist, 978–282–8456. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on July 10, 2018, to conduct commercial fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict. The EFP would authorize vessels to test the efficacy of an extended link scallop dredge apron at reducing the capture of yellowtail and windowpane flounder and small scallops over the duration of four directed research cruises. The EFP would support research associated with a project titled ‘‘Development of an Extended Link Apron: A Broad Range Tool for Bycatch Reduction,’’ that has been funded under the 2017 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. CFF is requesting exemptions that would exempt four commercial fishing vessels from the following regulations: • Atlantic sea scallop days-at-sea (DAS) allocations at 50 CFR 648.53(b); • Crew size restrictions at § 648.51(c); • Dredge gear restrictions for minimum mesh size at § 648.51(b)(2) and gear obstructions at § 648.51(b)(4)(iii); • Atlantic sea scallop observer program requirements at § 648.11(g); • Access area program requirements at § 648.59(a)(1)–(3), (b)(2), (b)(4); • Rotational closed area exemptions for Closed Area I Access Area at § 648.60(c), Closed Area II Access Area at § 648.60(d), and all four of the Nantucket Lightship areas at § 648.60(e)–(h); and • Possession limits and minimum size requirements specified in 50 CFR part 648, subpart B and subparts D through O, to allow temporary possession for biological sampling. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited. The project would consist of conduct four, 7-day research trips for a total of 28 days-at-sea on limited access (LA) vessels fishing on Georges Bank. All trips will take place from September ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\06AUN1.SGM 06AUN1 38287 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 151 / Monday, August 6, 2018 / Notices 2018 through June 2019. Vessels would complete approximately 55 paired, 30minute tows per trip at a standard vessel speed of 4.8 knots. In addition to open areas, tows could occur in Closed Area I, Closed Area II, or the four Nantucket Lightship Scallop Rotational Areas. The four research trips would be centralized around areas with high yellowtail and winter flounder bycatch and in areas with a high abundance of harvestable size scallops mixed with pre-recruit scallops. Vessels would fish two, 15-foot (4.57m) Turtle Deflector Dredges; one dredge would be rigged with a standard apron while the other would be rigged with an extended vertical link apron. The project will alternate tows with and without the dredge over net over both dredges. Standard linking is defined as a single link between ring spaces, and the extended link is defined as two links linked together between rings. Both dredges would use 4-inch (10.16-cm) rings and a 10-inch (25.40-cm) twine top. 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 and 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 finfish or scallop catch would be landed for sale. Table 1 contains an estimate of the finfish catch anticipated for the project. TABLE 1—CFF EXTENDED LINK APRON PROJECT CATCH ESTIMATES Weight (lbs) Species sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Sea Scallop .............................................................................................................................................................. Yellowtail Flounder .................................................................................................................................................. Winter Flounder ....................................................................................................................................................... Windowpane Flounder ............................................................................................................................................. Summer Flounder .................................................................................................................................................... Fourspot Flounder ................................................................................................................................................... American Plaice Flounder ....................................................................................................................................... Witch Flounder ......................................................................................................................................................... Haddock ................................................................................................................................................................... Atlantic Cod ............................................................................................................................................................. Monkfish ................................................................................................................................................................... Spiny Dogfish ........................................................................................................................................................... Barndoor Skate ........................................................................................................................................................ NE Skate Complex (excluding barndoor skate) ...................................................................................................... CFF needs these exemptions to allow them to conduct experimental dredge towing without being charged DAS, and to deploy gear in closed access areas where concentrations of primary bycatch species are sufficiently high to provide statistically robust results. Researchers also need mesh size and gear obstruction exemptions in order to use the dredge net cover. Utilizing the dredge net cover will allow researchers to quantify fish that would normally escape through the gear during normal fishing operations. Participating vessels need crew size waivers to accommodate science personnel, and possession waivers will enable researchers to conduct finfish sampling activities. The project would be exempt from the sea scallop observer program requirements because activities conducted on the trip are not consistent with normal fishing operations. 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:36 Aug 03, 2018 Jkt 244001 fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: August 1, 2018. Margo B. Schulze-Haugen, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–16770 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XF696 Marine Mammals; File No. 21217 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that Aaron Roberts, Ph.D., University of North Texas, Biological Sciences, 1155 Union Circle, #310559, Denton, TX 76203, has applied for an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 21217. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 16,552 549 803 2,828 943 74 90 12 58 100 8,420 87 1,109 63,528 Weight (kg) 7,508 249 364 1,283 428 34 41 5 26 45 3,819 39 503 28,816 Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or before September 5, 2018. ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for review by selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species (APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 21217 from the list of available applications. These documents are also available upon written request or by appointment in the Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. Written comments on this application should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or by email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please include the File No. 21217 in the subject line of the email comment. Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the specific DATES: E:\FR\FM\06AUN1.SGM 06AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 151 (Monday, August 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38286-38287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16770]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG385


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 Acting Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary 
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all 
of the required information and warrants further consideration. This 
Exempted Fishing Permit would allow four commercial fishing vessels, 
directed by Coonamessett Farm Foundation, to be exempt from Atlantic 
sea scallop regulations for the purpose of bycatch reduction research.
    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 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on CFF Extended Link Apron EFP.''
     Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS, NE 
Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark 
the outside of the envelope ``Comments on CFF Extended Link Apron 
EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-282-8456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted 
a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on July 10, 
2018, to conduct commercial fishing activities that the regulations 
would otherwise restrict. The EFP would authorize vessels to test the 
efficacy of an extended link scallop dredge apron at reducing the 
capture of yellowtail and windowpane flounder and small scallops over 
the duration of four directed research cruises. The EFP would support 
research associated with a project titled ``Development of an Extended 
Link Apron: A Broad Range Tool for Bycatch Reduction,'' that has been 
funded under the 2017 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) 
Program.
    CFF is requesting exemptions that would exempt four commercial 
fishing vessels from the following regulations:
     Atlantic sea scallop days-at-sea (DAS) allocations at 50 
CFR 648.53(b);
     Crew size restrictions at Sec.  648.51(c);
     Dredge gear restrictions for minimum mesh size at Sec.  
648.51(b)(2) and gear obstructions at Sec.  648.51(b)(4)(iii);
     Atlantic sea scallop observer program requirements at 
Sec.  648.11(g);
     Access area program requirements at Sec.  648.59(a)(1)-
(3), (b)(2), (b)(4);
     Rotational closed area exemptions for Closed Area I Access 
Area at Sec.  648.60(c), Closed Area II Access Area at Sec.  648.60(d), 
and all four of the Nantucket Lightship areas at Sec.  648.60(e)-(h); 
and
     Possession limits and minimum size requirements specified 
in 50 CFR part 648, subpart B and subparts D through O, to allow 
temporary possession for biological sampling.
    Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted 
fishing activity would be prohibited.
    The project would consist of conduct four, 7-day research trips for 
a total of 28 days-at-sea on limited access (LA) vessels fishing on 
Georges Bank. All trips will take place from September

[[Page 38287]]

2018 through June 2019. Vessels would complete approximately 55 paired, 
30-minute tows per trip at a standard vessel speed of 4.8 knots. In 
addition to open areas, tows could occur in Closed Area I, Closed Area 
II, or the four Nantucket Lightship Scallop Rotational Areas. The four 
research trips would be centralized around areas with high yellowtail 
and winter flounder bycatch and in areas with a high abundance of 
harvestable size scallops mixed with pre-recruit scallops.
    Vessels would fish two, 15-foot (4.57-m) Turtle Deflector Dredges; 
one dredge would be rigged with a standard apron while the other would 
be rigged with an extended vertical link apron. The project will 
alternate tows with and without the dredge over net over both dredges. 
Standard linking is defined as a single link between ring spaces, and 
the extended link is defined as two links linked together between 
rings. Both dredges would use 4-inch (10.16-cm) rings and a 10-inch 
(25.40-cm) twine top.
    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 and 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 finfish or scallop catch would be landed for sale. 
Table 1 contains an estimate of the finfish catch anticipated for the 
project.

        Table 1--CFF Extended Link Apron Project Catch Estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Species                   Weight (lbs)     Weight (kg)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sea Scallop.............................          16,552           7,508
Yellowtail Flounder.....................             549             249
Winter Flounder.........................             803             364
Windowpane Flounder.....................           2,828           1,283
Summer Flounder.........................             943             428
Fourspot Flounder.......................              74              34
American Plaice Flounder................              90              41
Witch Flounder..........................              12               5
Haddock.................................              58              26
Atlantic Cod............................             100              45
Monkfish................................           8,420           3,819
Spiny Dogfish...........................              87              39
Barndoor Skate..........................           1,109             503
NE Skate Complex (excluding barndoor              63,528          28,816
 skate).................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CFF needs these exemptions to allow them to conduct experimental 
dredge towing without being charged DAS, and to deploy gear in closed 
access areas where concentrations of primary bycatch species are 
sufficiently high to provide statistically robust results. Researchers 
also need mesh size and gear obstruction exemptions in order to use the 
dredge net cover. Utilizing the dredge net cover will allow researchers 
to quantify fish that would normally escape through the gear during 
normal fishing operations. Participating vessels need crew size waivers 
to accommodate science personnel, and possession waivers will enable 
researchers to conduct finfish sampling activities. The project would 
be exempt from the sea scallop observer program requirements because 
activities conducted on the trip are not consistent with normal fishing 
operations.
    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: August 1, 2018.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-16770 Filed 8-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P


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