Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Issuance of Exempted Fishing Permits, 20108-20110 [2019-09422]
Download as PDF
20108
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 89 / Wednesday, May 8, 2019 / Notices
Act (CZMA) requires NOAA to conduct
periodic evaluations of federally
approved state and territorial coastal
programs. The process includes one or
more public meetings, consideration of
written public comments, and
consultations with interested Federal,
state, and local agencies and members of
the public. During the evaluation,
NOAA will consider the extent to which
the state has met the national objectives,
adhered to the management program
approved by the Secretary of Commerce,
and adhered to the terms of financial
assistance under the CZMA. When the
evaluation is completed, NOAA’s Office
for Coastal Management will place a
notice in the Federal Register
announcing the availability of the Final
Evaluation Findings.
You may participate or submit oral
comments at the public meeting
scheduled as follows:
Date: June 18, 2019
Time: 6:00 p.m., local time
Location: Department of
Administration, Conference Room A,
One Capitol Hill, Providence, Rhode
Island 20908
Written public comments must be
received on or before June 28, 2019.
Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog
11.419.
Coastal Zone Management Program
Administration
Dated: April 30, 2019.
Keelin Kuipers,
Acting Director, Office for Coastal
Management, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019–09390 Filed 5–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–08–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XH020
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Issuance of Exempted
Fishing Permits
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
NMFS West Coast Region is
announcing exempted fishing permits
(EFP) issued to target highly migratory
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:57 May 07, 2019
Jkt 247001
species (HMS) in Federal waters off the
U.S. West Coast for 2019. NMFS
renewed 21 standard deep-set buoy gear
(standard DSBG) EFPs for 2019 and
issued a new pelagic longline EFP valid
for 24 months from the effective date.
Ten linked deep-set buoy gear (linked
DSBG) EFPs issued in 2018 remain valid
for the 2019 calendar year. The permits
are issued as exemptions from specific
prohibitions under the Fishery
Management Plan for U.S. West Coast
Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species
(HMS FMP). The general purpose of the
EFPs is to allow novel fishing practices
and gear types that are not otherwise
authorized under a fishery management
plan. Specifically, NMFS will collect
data on the effects and efficacy of using
these gears to fish for swordfish and
other HMS off the West Coast.
DATES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section for details
on the
dates that permits were issued and will
expire.
FR 40751), November 16, 2017 (82 FR
53480), and June 6, 2018 (82 FR 53481).
Standard and linked DSBG are not
currently authorized gear types under
the HMS FMP. Standard DSBG fishing
trials occurred for the past eight years
under research activity (2011 to 2015)
and EFPs (2015 to 2018) in the U.S.
West Coast EEZ off California. Linked
DSBG research fishing trials included a
total of 40 fishing days from 2015
through 2017. Data collected from these
fishing activities have demonstrated that
about 95 percent of fish species caught
with standard DSBG and 90 percent of
those caught with linked DSBG are
marketable.
Longline fishing is currently
prohibited within the U.S. West Coast
EEZ; therefore, an EFP was needed to
authorize the activity to take place in
Federal waters. The longline EFP will
provide data for fishery managers about
the performance of the gear and the
mitigation measures intended to
minimize adverse environmental
impacts in these waters.
Copies of supporting
documents are available via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov, docket NOAA–
Standard and Linked DSBG EFPs
NMFS–2019–0048, or by contacting the
Highly Migratory Species Branch of
NMFS considered all applicable
NMFS West Coast Region at WCR.HMS@ Federal laws when issuing the standard
noaa.gov.
and linked DSBG EFPs, including
section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
Chris Fanning, NMFS West Coast
seq.), and determined that the proposed
Region, 562–980–4198, or
action is not likely to adversely affect
Chris.Fanning@noaa.gov.
any endangered or threatened species or
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
result in the destruction or adverse
modification of critical habitat.
Background
Additionally, NMFS completed the
On July 2, 2014, the Pacific Fishery
appropriate analyses under the National
Management Council (Council) solicited Environmental Policy Act, in
EFP proposals to test alternative fishing accordance with NOAA Administrative
gear as a substitute in the large mesh
Order 216–6, prior to issuing the
drift net (DGN) fishery, or test new
standard and linked DSBG EFPs. In
approaches or methods of fishing DGN
2018, NMFS issued 27 standard DSBG
gear (https://www.pcouncil.org/wpEFPs valid through December 31, 2018,
content/uploads/G3a_Att1_HMS_EFP_
and ten linked DSBG EFPs valid
Notice_Ltr_July2014_SEPT2014BB.pdf).
through December 31, 2019 (Table 1).
Applications for EFPs were submitted
Based on standard DSBG fishing activity
on February 9, 2015, for the Council’s
in 2018 and other factors (e.g., gear
consideration during the March 2015
purchase, participation in other
Council meeting. The Council
unrelated fisheries that precluded
recommended that NMFS approve EFP
fishing DSBG, appeal for renewal, etc.),
applications to use standard and linked
NMFS renewed 21 standard DSBG EFPs
DSBG and an application to use deepthrough 2019 (Table 2). As a result of
set and shallow-set longline gear in the
Federal review and a growing
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the
understanding of risks with the gear,
West Coast of the United States. NMFS
NMFS issued terms and conditions for
published notice of receipt of these
the EFPs that include more mitigation
applications, as well as the Council’s
measures than those proposed in the
recommendations, in the Federal
original applications. See the ADDRESSES
Register on the respective dates: May
section for more information on these
22, 2015 (80 FR 29662), October 17,
2016 (81 FR 71845), August 28, 2017 (81 supporting documents.
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\08MYN1.SGM
08MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 89 / Wednesday, May 8, 2019 / Notices
20109
TABLE 1—LINKED DSBG 1 EFPS ISSUED IN 2018 AND EXPIRING ON DECEMBER 31, 2019
Applicant/vessel captain
Vessel name
Vessel ID
No.
Nathan Perez .................................................................................
John Foster ....................................................................................
Steve Mintz ....................................................................................
David Haworth ...............................................................................
Donald Krebs .................................................................................
John Hall ........................................................................................
Tim Athens .....................................................................................
David Haworth ...............................................................................
Arthur Lorton ..................................................................................
Kelly Fukushima .............................................................................
Bear Flag 2 ...................................................................................
Chula .............................................................................................
D J .................................................................................................
Elizabeth H ....................................................................................
Gold Coast ....................................................................................
Kaylee H ........................................................................................
Outer Banks ..................................................................................
Pacific Horizon ..............................................................................
Sea Haven ....................................................................................
Three Boys ....................................................................................
558683
1217070
550062
644228
622026
536620
969797
627203
635102
CF2036TJ
1 Linked
DSBG EFPs may fish a combination of linked and standard DSBG.
TABLE 2—STANDARD DSBG EFPS ISSUED IN 2018 AND RENEWED FOR 2019 AND EXPIRING ON DECEMBER 31, 2019
Applicant/vessel captain
Vessel name
Vessel ID
No.
Dan Fuller ......................................................................................
William Sutton ................................................................................
Scott Brenneman ...........................................................................
Jack Stephens ...............................................................................
Ron Ellis ........................................................................................
Stephen Greyshock .......................................................................
Tim Perguson ................................................................................
Michael Graves ..............................................................................
Andrii Sidielnikov ...........................................................................
John Ford ......................................................................................
Lance Rienhart ..............................................................................
Matt White .....................................................................................
Bob Ball .........................................................................................
Kent Jacobs ...................................................................................
Fred Hepp ......................................................................................
Raymond Kennedy ........................................................................
Dustin Selck ...................................................................................
Anthony Makul ...............................................................................
Andrew Rasmussen .......................................................................
David Hutto ....................................................................................
Ben Stephens ................................................................................
Audax ............................................................................................
Aurelia ...........................................................................................
Circle Hook ...................................................................................
DEA ..............................................................................................
Defiance ........................................................................................
Emma Ray ....................................................................................
Espada ..........................................................................................
Fishtail ..........................................................................................
Irbis ...............................................................................................
JB ..................................................................................................
Leah Gail ......................................................................................
Lil Jack ..........................................................................................
Pacific Sword ................................................................................
Patricia J .......................................................................................
Plumeria ........................................................................................
Rainman .......................................................................................
Scorpio ..........................................................................................
Spirit ..............................................................................................
Sundowner ....................................................................................
Terlingin ........................................................................................
Tres Mujeres .................................................................................
CF8370FH
597524
1286891
CF0012HY
40335
CF1878ZM
624462
1030136
CF6266KM
550580
944172
595177
CF4430GJ
585405
599359
1272816
918500
611940
628101
1223771
1066033
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Longline EFP
NMFS considered all applicable
Federal laws prior to issuing the
longline EFP on April 29, 2019,
including completing a consultation
under section 7(a)(2) of the ESA. This
resulted in a biological opinion that
concluded the impacts of the EFP are
not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any listed species or result
in the destruction or adverse
modification of critical habitat (PCTS,
WCR–2018–9553). NMFS also
determined that the longline EFP is not
likely to adversely affect short-tailed
albatross, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service concurred with this
determination on February 3, 2017.
Additionally, NMFS completed the
appropriate analyses under the National
Environmental Policy Act, in
accordance with NOAA Administrative
Order 216–6, prior to issuing the
longline EFP described in Table 3.
As a result of Federal review, NMFS
issued terms and conditions for this EFP
that include more mitigation measures
than those proposed in the original
application. For example, to monitor
and lower the risk of interactions with
protected species, the terms and
conditions require 100 percent observer
coverage of the activities, night setting
of shallow-set longlines, and specify nofishing areas (e.g., the Southern
California Bight and within leatherback
critical habitat or 50 nautical miles from
the coast, whichever is greater). The
terms and conditions also mandate gear,
bait and operational techniques, such as
the use of a streamer line, and limits on
incidents of hooking or entanglement of
loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles.
If two interactions with loggerhead sea
turtles or three interactions with
leatherback sea turtles are observed
during the EFP activities, NMFS will
require longline activities under the EFP
to cease after any remaining gear in the
water is retrieved. NMFS will also
require the EFP operations to cease if
one mortality of a leatherback sea turtle
is observed.
See the ADDRESSES section for more
information on these supporting
documents.
TABLE 3—LONGLINE EFP ISSUED ON APRIL 29, 2019, AND VALID FOR 24 MONTHS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE
Vessel ID
No.
Applicant/vessel captain
Vessel name
David Haworth .............................................................................
Pacific Horizon ................................................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:57 May 07, 2019
Jkt 247001
PO 00000
Frm 00020
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\08MYN1.SGM
08MYN1
627203
20110
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 89 / Wednesday, May 8, 2019 / Notices
TABLE 3—LONGLINE EFP ISSUED ON APRIL 29, 2019, AND VALID FOR 24 MONTHS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE—
Continued
Vessel name
John Gibbs ...................................................................................
Southern Horizon ............................................................................
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
[FR Doc. 2019–09422 Filed 5–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2019–ICCD–0060]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Comment Request; Impact
Aid Program—Application for Section
7002 Assistance
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education (OESE),
Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing a revision of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before July 8,
2019.
ADDRESSES: To access and review all the
documents related to the information
collection listed in this notice, please
use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number ED–
2019–ICCD–0060. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be
submitted electronically through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov by selecting the
Docket ID number or via postal mail,
commercial delivery, or hand delivery.
If the regulations.gov site is not
available to the public for any reason,
ED will temporarily accept comments at
ICDocketMgr@ed.gov. Please include the
docket ID number and the title of the
information collection request when
requesting documents or submitting
comments. Please note that comments
submitted by fax or email and those
submitted after the comment period will
not be accepted. Written requests for
information or comments submitted by
postal mail or delivery should be
addressed to the Director of the
Information Collection Clearance
Division, U.S. Department of Education,
550 12th Street SW, PCP, Room 9086,
Washington, DC 20202–0023.
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:57 May 07, 2019
Jkt 247001
For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Amanda
Ognibene, 202–453–6637.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department of Education (ED), in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
public and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed,
revised, and continuing collections of
information. This helps the Department
assess the impact of its information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. It also
helps the public understand the
Department’s information collection
requirements and provide the requested
data in the desired format. ED is
soliciting comments on the proposed
information collection request (ICR) that
is described below. The Department of
Education is especially interested in
public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is this collection
necessary to the proper functions of the
Department; (2) will this information be
processed and used in a timely manner;
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Department enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how
might the Department minimize the
burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use
of information technology. Please note
that written comments received in
response to this notice will be
considered public records.
Title of Collection: Impact Aid
Program—Application for Section 7002
Assistance.
OMB Control Number: 1810–0036.
Type of Review: A revision of an
existing information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: State,
Local, and Tribal Governments.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 215.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 323.
Abstract: The U.S. Department of
Education is requesting approval for the
Application for Assistance under
Section 7002 of Title VII of the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA). This application is for a
grant program otherwise known as
Impact Aid Payments for Federal
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated: May 2, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Vessel ID
No.
Applicant/vessel captain
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
1052597
Property. Local Educational Agencies
(LEAs) that have lost taxable property
due to Federal activities request
financial assistance by completing an
annual application. Regulations for
Section 7002 of the Impact Aid Program
are found at 34 CFR 222, subpart B.
Applicants prepare and submit these
applications through an e-application
on ED’s Impact Aid Grant System
website. The e-application offers
recurring LEA applicants significant
advantages in preparing the application
because it pre-populates much of the
LEA’s identifying information and
Federal property data. The e-application
automatically checks for completion of
all necessary items and includes
arithmetic checks for table subtotals and
the application total. This software
reduces the number of errors in
applications submitted to ED.
Dated: May 3, 2019.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Information Collection
Clearance Program, Information Management
Branch, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019–09457 Filed 5–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No. ED–2019–ICCD–0059]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Comment Request; Impact
Aid Program—Application for Section
7003 Assistance
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education (OESE),
Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing a revision of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before July 8,
2019.
SUMMARY:
To access and review all the
documents related to the information
collection listed in this notice, please
use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number ED–
2019–ICCD–0059. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\08MYN1.SGM
08MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20108-20110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09422]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XH020
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; General
Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Issuance of Exempted Fishing Permits
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS West Coast Region is announcing exempted fishing permits
(EFP) issued to target highly migratory species (HMS) in Federal waters
off the U.S. West Coast for 2019. NMFS renewed 21 standard deep-set
buoy gear (standard DSBG) EFPs for 2019 and issued a new pelagic
longline EFP valid for 24 months from the effective date. Ten linked
deep-set buoy gear (linked DSBG) EFPs issued in 2018 remain valid for
the 2019 calendar year. The permits are issued as exemptions from
specific prohibitions under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West
Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS FMP). The general
purpose of the EFPs is to allow novel fishing practices and gear types
that are not otherwise authorized under a fishery management plan.
Specifically, NMFS will collect data on the effects and efficacy of
using these gears to fish for swordfish and other HMS off the West
Coast.
DATES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for details on the
dates that permits were issued and will expire.
ADDRESSES: Copies of supporting documents are available via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov, docket NOAA-NMFS-2019-
0048, or by contacting the Highly Migratory Species Branch of NMFS West
Coast Region at [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Fanning, NMFS West Coast Region,
562-980-4198, or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On July 2, 2014, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council)
solicited EFP proposals to test alternative fishing gear as a
substitute in the large mesh drift net (DGN) fishery, or test new
approaches or methods of fishing DGN gear (https://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/G3a_Att1_HMS_EFP_Notice_Ltr_July2014_SEPT2014BB.pdf).
Applications for EFPs were submitted on February 9, 2015, for the
Council's consideration during the March 2015 Council meeting. The
Council recommended that NMFS approve EFP applications to use standard
and linked DSBG and an application to use deep-set and shallow-set
longline gear in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast
of the United States. NMFS published notice of receipt of these
applications, as well as the Council's recommendations, in the Federal
Register on the respective dates: May 22, 2015 (80 FR 29662), October
17, 2016 (81 FR 71845), August 28, 2017 (81 FR 40751), November 16,
2017 (82 FR 53480), and June 6, 2018 (82 FR 53481).
Standard and linked DSBG are not currently authorized gear types
under the HMS FMP. Standard DSBG fishing trials occurred for the past
eight years under research activity (2011 to 2015) and EFPs (2015 to
2018) in the U.S. West Coast EEZ off California. Linked DSBG research
fishing trials included a total of 40 fishing days from 2015 through
2017. Data collected from these fishing activities have demonstrated
that about 95 percent of fish species caught with standard DSBG and 90
percent of those caught with linked DSBG are marketable.
Longline fishing is currently prohibited within the U.S. West Coast
EEZ; therefore, an EFP was needed to authorize the activity to take
place in Federal waters. The longline EFP will provide data for fishery
managers about the performance of the gear and the mitigation measures
intended to minimize adverse environmental impacts in these waters.
Standard and Linked DSBG EFPs
NMFS considered all applicable Federal laws when issuing the
standard and linked DSBG EFPs, including section 7(a)(2) of the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and determined
that the proposed action is not likely to adversely affect any
endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or
adverse modification of critical habitat. Additionally, NMFS completed
the appropriate analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act,
in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-6, prior to issuing
the standard and linked DSBG EFPs. In 2018, NMFS issued 27 standard
DSBG EFPs valid through December 31, 2018, and ten linked DSBG EFPs
valid through December 31, 2019 (Table 1). Based on standard DSBG
fishing activity in 2018 and other factors (e.g., gear purchase,
participation in other unrelated fisheries that precluded fishing DSBG,
appeal for renewal, etc.), NMFS renewed 21 standard DSBG EFPs through
2019 (Table 2). As a result of Federal review and a growing
understanding of risks with the gear, NMFS issued terms and conditions
for the EFPs that include more mitigation measures than those proposed
in the original applications. See the ADDRESSES section for more
information on these supporting documents.
[[Page 20109]]
Table 1--Linked DSBG \1\ EFPs Issued in 2018 and Expiring on December
31, 2019
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant/vessel captain Vessel name Vessel ID No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nathan Perez.................... Bear Flag 2........ 558683
John Foster..................... Chula.............. 1217070
Steve Mintz..................... D J................ 550062
David Haworth................... Elizabeth H........ 644228
Donald Krebs.................... Gold Coast......... 622026
John Hall....................... Kaylee H........... 536620
Tim Athens...................... Outer Banks........ 969797
David Haworth................... Pacific Horizon.... 627203
Arthur Lorton................... Sea Haven.......... 635102
Kelly Fukushima................. Three Boys......... CF2036TJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Linked DSBG EFPs may fish a combination of linked and standard DSBG.
Table 2--Standard DSBG EFPs Issued in 2018 and Renewed for 2019 and
Expiring on December 31, 2019
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant/vessel captain Vessel name Vessel ID No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Fuller...................... Audax.............. CF8370FH
William Sutton.................. Aurelia............ 597524
Scott Brenneman................. Circle Hook........ 1286891
Jack Stephens................... DEA................ CF0012HY
Ron Ellis....................... Defiance........... 40335
Stephen Greyshock............... Emma Ray........... CF1878ZM
Tim Perguson.................... Espada............. 624462
Michael Graves.................. Fishtail........... 1030136
Andrii Sidielnikov.............. Irbis.............. CF6266KM
John Ford....................... JB................. 550580
Lance Rienhart.................. Leah Gail.......... 944172
Matt White...................... Lil Jack........... 595177
Bob Ball........................ Pacific Sword...... CF4430GJ
Kent Jacobs..................... Patricia J......... 585405
Fred Hepp....................... Plumeria........... 599359
Raymond Kennedy................. Rainman............ 1272816
Dustin Selck.................... Scorpio............ 918500
Anthony Makul................... Spirit............. 611940
Andrew Rasmussen................ Sundowner.......... 628101
David Hutto..................... Terlingin.......... 1223771
Ben Stephens.................... Tres Mujeres....... 1066033
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longline EFP
NMFS considered all applicable Federal laws prior to issuing the
longline EFP on April 29, 2019, including completing a consultation
under section 7(a)(2) of the ESA. This resulted in a biological opinion
that concluded the impacts of the EFP are not likely to jeopardize the
continued existence of any listed species or result in the destruction
or adverse modification of critical habitat (PCTS, WCR-2018-9553). NMFS
also determined that the longline EFP is not likely to adversely affect
short-tailed albatross, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
concurred with this determination on February 3, 2017. Additionally,
NMFS completed the appropriate analyses under the National
Environmental Policy Act, in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order
216-6, prior to issuing the longline EFP described in Table 3.
As a result of Federal review, NMFS issued terms and conditions for
this EFP that include more mitigation measures than those proposed in
the original application. For example, to monitor and lower the risk of
interactions with protected species, the terms and conditions require
100 percent observer coverage of the activities, night setting of
shallow-set longlines, and specify no-fishing areas (e.g., the Southern
California Bight and within leatherback critical habitat or 50 nautical
miles from the coast, whichever is greater). The terms and conditions
also mandate gear, bait and operational techniques, such as the use of
a streamer line, and limits on incidents of hooking or entanglement of
loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles. If two interactions with
loggerhead sea turtles or three interactions with leatherback sea
turtles are observed during the EFP activities, NMFS will require
longline activities under the EFP to cease after any remaining gear in
the water is retrieved. NMFS will also require the EFP operations to
cease if one mortality of a leatherback sea turtle is observed.
See the ADDRESSES section for more information on these supporting
documents.
Table 3--Longline EFP Issued on April 29, 2019, and Valid for 24 Months
From the Effective Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant/vessel captain Vessel name Vessel ID No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Haworth................... Pacific Horizon.... 627203
[[Page 20110]]
John Gibbs...................... Southern Horizon... 1052597
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 2, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-09422 Filed 5-7-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P