Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 33061-33062 [2019-14728]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 133 / Thursday, July 11, 2019 / Notices stock area. Up to 50 black sea bass would be temporarily held onboard to record their length and sex during each sampling event. Vessels would need to obtain the appropriate state exemptions to all applicable state regulations. If approved, CFRF and RI DEM may request minor modifications and extensions to the EFP throughout the study period. EFP modifications and extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 5, 2019. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2019–14727 Filed 7–10–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Evaluation of North Inlet Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Office for Coastal Management (OCM), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for public comment. AGENCY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office for Coastal Management will hold a public meeting and is soliciting comment for the performance evaluation of the North Inlet Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. SUMMARY: North Inlet Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Evaluation: The public meeting will be held on Tuesday August 6, 2019, and written comments must be received on or before Friday, August 16, 2019. For the specific date, time, and location of the public meetings, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the reserve by any of the following methods: Public Meeting and Oral Comments: A public meeting will be held in Georgetown, South Carolina for the North Inlet Winyah Bay Reserve. For the jspears on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:26 Jul 10, 2019 Jkt 247001 specific location, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Written Comments: Please direct written comments to Pam Kylstra, Evaluator, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2234 S Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina or via email to Pam.Kylstra@noaa.gov. Comments that the Office for Coastal Management receives are considered part of the public record and may be publicly accessible. Any personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) submitted voluntarily by the sender may also be publicly accessible. NOAA will accept anonymous comments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam Kylstra, Evaluator, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2234 S Hobson Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina or via email to Pam.Kylstra@noaa.gov by phone at (843) 740–1313, or via email to Pam.Kylstra@noaa.gov. Copies of the previous evaluation findings, Management Plan, and Site Profile may be viewed and downloaded on the internet at https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/ evaluations. A copy of the evaluation notification letter and most recent performance report may be obtained upon request by contacting the person identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sections 312 and 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) require NOAA to conduct periodic evaluations of federally-approved National Estuarine Research Reserves. The process includes a public meeting, consideration of written public comments, and consultations with interested Federal, state, and local agencies and members of the public. For the evaluation of National Estuarine Research Reserves, NOAA will consider the extent to which the state has met the national objectives, adhered to its management plan approved by the Secretary of Commerce, and adhered to the terms of financial assistance under the Coastal Zone Management Act. 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 and submit oral comments at the public meeting scheduled as follows: Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2019. Time: 5:30 p.m., local time. Location: Kimble Lodge on Hobcaw Barony, 22 Hobcaw Road, Georgetown, South Carolina 29440. Written comments must be received on or before Friday, August 16, 2019. PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 33061 Dated: July 5, 2019. Nkolika Ndubisi, Management and Program Analyst, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419, Coastal Zone Management Program Administration. [FR Doc. 2019–14733 Filed 7–10–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–08–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XX002 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 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. The Exempted Fishing Permit would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish outside of scallop regulations in support of research conducted by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation. Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits. DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 26, 2019. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods: • Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ‘‘CFF Compensation Fishing Gear Research EFP.’’ • Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments on CFF Compensation Fishing Gear Research EFP.’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Farr, Fisheries Management Specialist, 978–282–8477 or Shannah SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM 11JYN1 jspears on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES 33062 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 133 / Thursday, July 11, 2019 / Notices Jaburek, Fisheries Management Specialist, 978–282–8456. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on May 1, 2019, that would allow gear research to be conducted by vessels on compensation fishing trips associated with projects funded by the 2019 Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. The exemptions would allow 21 participating commercial fishing vessels to exceed the crew size regulations at 50 CFR 648.51(c) to place a researcher on the vessel and temporarily exempt the participating vessels from possession limits and minimum size requirements specified in 50 CFR part 648, subsections B and D through O, for biological sampling purposes. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited, including landing fish in excess of a possession limit or below the minimum size. Experimental fishing activity would test a one-way extended link dredge gear modification to reduce flatfish bycatch and catch of pre-recruit scallops in the scallop dredge fishery. Any modification would comply with existing scallop gear regulations. All trips would take place in scallop open access areas of Southern New England and scallop fishing areas open to scallop RSA compensation fishing. The exemption from crew size limits is needed because a research technician would accompany vessels on the compensation fishing trips to collect catch data associated with the dredge modifications. The crew size exemption would be for approximately 120 days-atsea and must be used in conjunction with a valid compensation fishing letter of authorization. The technician would only engage in data collection activities and would not process catch to be landed for sale. Exemption from possession limit and minimum sizes would support catch sampling activities and ensure the vessel is not in conflict with possession regulations while collecting catch data. All catch above a possession limit or below a minimum size would be discarded as soon as possible following data collection. The proposed gear modifications are not expected to increase catch above typical commercial fishing practices and gears. All research trips would otherwise be consistent with normal commercial fishing activity and catch would be retained for sale. If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:26 Jul 10, 2019 Jkt 247001 extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 5, 2019. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2019–14728 Filed 7–10–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XR012 Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; availability of fishery evaluation and management plans, a proposed evaluation and determination, and a draft environmental assessment for public comment. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) have provided two Fishery Management and Evaluation Plans (FMEP), and the Nez Perce Tribe has provided a Tribal Resource Management Plan (TRMP), pursuant to the protective regulations promulgated for Pacific salmon and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The FMEPs and TRMP specify the implementation of fisheries targeting fall Chinook salmon, and coho salmon in the Snake River Basin. This document serves to notify the public of the availability of the FMEPs, a Proposed Evaluation and Pending Determination (PEPD) on the Nez Perce Tribe’s TRMP, and a draft Environmental Assessment for comment prior to a decision by NMFS on whether to approve the proposed fisheries. DATES: Comments must be received at the appropriate address (see ADDRESSES) no later than 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 August 12, 2019. Comments received after this date may not be accepted. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the application should be addressed to the NMFS Sustainable Fisheries Division, 1201 NE Lloyd Boulevard, Suite 1100, Portland, OR 97232. Comments may be submitted by email. The mailbox address for providing email comments is: Snake.River.Salmon.Fisheries@ noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of the email comment the following identifier: Comments on Snake River Salmon Fisheries. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlene Hurst, at phone number: (503) 230–5409, or via email: Charlene.n.hurst@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ESA-Listed Species Covered in This Notice • Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated Snake River Spring/Summer, and Snake River Fall. • Steelhead (O. mykiss): Threatened, naturally produced and artificially propagated Snake River Basin. • Sockeye salmon (O. nerka): Endangered, naturally produced and artificially propagated Snake River. Background The fall Chinook salmon FMEP submitted jointly by IDFG, ODFW, and WDFW describes fisheries targeting adult hatchery- and natural-origin fall Chinook salmon within the Snake River Basin waters in the States of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The coho FMEP submitted by IDFG describes fisheries targeting adult hatchery- and naturalorigin coho salmon within Snake River Basin waters in Idaho and their boundary waters with Washington and Oregon. All FMEPs were submitted to NMFS under limit 4 of the ESA 4(d) Rule for salmon and steelhead. These fisheries were designed to support fishing opportunities while minimizing potential risks to ESA-listed species. The FMEP describes timing, location, harvest impact limits, licensing, and gear requirements, and requires that all fish caught with an intact adipose fin be released unharmed. A variety of monitoring and evaluation is included in the FMEPs. Prior to approving an FMEP, NMFS must publish notification announcing the availability of the FMEP for public review and comment. The Nez Perce Tribe TRMP describes fisheries targeting adult fall Chinook and coho salmon within the Snake River Basin. The plan was provided to NMFS under the ESA Tribal 4(d) Rule. The E:\FR\FM\11JYN1.SGM 11JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33061-33062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14728]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XX002


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 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. The 
Exempted Fishing Permit would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish 
outside of scallop regulations in support of research conducted by the 
Coonamessett Farm Foundation. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this 
notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment 
on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 26, 2019.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Farr, Fisheries Management 
Specialist, 978-282-8477 or Shannah

[[Page 33062]]

Jaburek, Fisheries Management Specialist, 978-282-8456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted 
a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on May 1, 
2019, that would allow gear research to be conducted by vessels on 
compensation fishing trips associated with projects funded by the 2019 
Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. The exemptions would allow 21 
participating commercial fishing vessels to exceed the crew size 
regulations at 50 CFR 648.51(c) to place a researcher on the vessel and 
temporarily exempt the participating vessels from possession limits and 
minimum size requirements specified in 50 CFR part 648, subsections B 
and D through O, for biological sampling purposes. Any fishing activity 
conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be 
prohibited, including landing fish in excess of a possession limit or 
below the minimum size.
    Experimental fishing activity would test a one-way extended link 
dredge gear modification to reduce flatfish bycatch and catch of pre-
recruit scallops in the scallop dredge fishery. Any modification would 
comply with existing scallop gear regulations. All trips would take 
place in scallop open access areas of Southern New England and scallop 
fishing areas open to scallop RSA compensation fishing.
    The exemption from crew size limits is needed because a research 
technician would accompany vessels on the compensation fishing trips to 
collect catch data associated with the dredge modifications. The crew 
size exemption would be for approximately 120 days-at-sea and must be 
used in conjunction with a valid compensation fishing letter of 
authorization. The technician would only engage in data collection 
activities and would not process catch to be landed for sale. Exemption 
from possession limit and minimum sizes would support catch sampling 
activities and ensure the vessel is not in conflict with possession 
regulations while collecting catch data. All catch above a possession 
limit or below a minimum size would be discarded as soon as possible 
following data collection. The proposed gear modifications are not 
expected to increase catch above typical commercial fishing practices 
and gears. All research trips would otherwise be consistent with normal 
commercial fishing activity and catch would be retained for sale.
    If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and 
extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and 
extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed 
essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have 
minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially 
approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope 
of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited.

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

    Dated: July 5, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-14728 Filed 7-10-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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