Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit, 15465-15466 [2021-05904]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 23, 2021 / Notices
system. The permit would expire on
August 31, 2022.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial
determination has been made that the
activity proposed is categorically
excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement.
Concurrent with the publication of
this notice in the Federal Register,
NMFS is forwarding copies of the
application to the Marine Mammal
Commission and its Committee of
Scientific Advisors.
Dated: March 17, 2021.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–05925 Filed 3–22–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA940]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted
Fishing Permit
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
AGENCY:
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
The Assistant Regional
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has
made a preliminary determination that
an Exempted Fishing Permit application
submitted by the Northeast Fisheries
Science Center in support of the 2021
Study Fleet Program contains all of the
required information and warrants
further consideration. This Exempted
Fishing Permit would exempt
participating vessels from minimum fish
sizes and possession limits for species
of interest, for sampling purposes only.
Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of
this notice to provide interested parties
the opportunity to comment on
Exempted Fishing Permit applications.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before April 7, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments by the following method:
• Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line ‘‘NEFSC
STUDY FLEET EFP.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Maria Fenton, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978–281–9196.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(Center) submitted a complete
application for an Exempted Fishing
Permit (EFP) in support of the 2021
SUMMARY:
15465
Study Fleet Program. This EFP would
exempt 20 commercial fishing vessels
from minimum fish sizes and
possession limits for species of interest.
The Center established the Study
Fleet Program in 2002 to more fully
characterize commercial fishing
operations and provide sampling
opportunities to augment NMFS’s data
collection programs. As part of the
program, the Center contracts
commercial fishing vessels to collect
biological data and fish specimens for
the Center to use in research relevant to
stock assessments and fish biology. The
Center’s Study Fleet Program trains
participating captains and crew to
conduct at-sea sampling consistent with
Center sampling protocols for survey
and observer programs. During EFP
trips, crew would sort, weigh, measure,
and collect biological data from fish
prior to discarding. During sampling,
some discarded fish would remain on
deck slightly longer than they would
under normal sorting procedures.
Exemptions from minimum fish sizes
and possession restrictions would allow
vessels to temporarily retain catch for
at-sea sampling.
Table 1 lists the regulations from
which participating vessels would be
exempt for at-sea sampling or when
retaining and landing fish for research
purposes. The exemptions listed in
Table 1 are necessary for contracted
vessels to acquire the biological samples
needed to meet Center research
objectives.
TABLE 1—LIST OF VESSEL EXEMPTIONS FOR RETAINING AND LANDING FISH
2021 Study Fleet Program EF
Number of vessels
20
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part 648 .........
Minimum fish sizes:
§ 648.83 Northeast multispecies minimum fish sizes for haddock, yellowtail flounder, winter
flounder, and American plaice.
Possession restrictions:
§ 648.86(a) Haddock.
§ 648.86(d) Small-mesh multispecies.
§ 648.86(g) Yellowtail flounder.
§ 648.86(o) Possession limits implemented by the Regional Administrator.
When directed by the Center,
participating vessels would be
authorized to retain and land specific
amounts of fish exceeding possession
limits and/or below minimum fish sizes,
for research purposes only. The captain
or crew would deliver these fish to
Center staff or local Port Agents upon
landing. In these limited circumstances,
the Study Fleet Program would give
participating vessels a formal biological
sampling request prior to landing. This
would ensure that the landed fish do
not exceed any collection needs of the
Study Fleet Program, as detailed in
Table 2.
TABLE 2—2021 STUDY FLEET PROGRAM BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE COLLECTION NEEDS
Species
Stock area *
Gear types #
Haddock ....................
GOM, GB ..........
OTF, DRS ......
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:13 Mar 22, 2021
Jkt 253001
PO 00000
Collection
frequency
Monthly (Dec–
Mar).
Frm 00014
Fmt 4703
Individual fish per
collection period
80 per week (40 from
each stock area).
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\23MRN1.SGM
Maximum weight
allowed per trip
300 lb (136 kg)
23MRN1
Maximum
allowance
4,800 lb (2,177 kg)
15466
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 54 / Tuesday, March 23, 2021 / Notices
TABLE 2—2021 STUDY FLEET PROGRAM BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE COLLECTION NEEDS—Continued
Species
Stock area *
Gear types #
Collection
frequency
Individual fish per
collection period
Winter Flounder .........
GOM, GB, SNE
OTF, DRS ......
3,840 lb (1,742 kg)
GOM, GB, SNE
OTF, DRS ......
135 lb (61 kg) ...
2,160 lb (980 kg)
American Plaice ........
Any Area ...........
OTF ................
120 per week (40 from
each stock area).
120 per week (40 from
each stock area).
100 per month ............
240 lb (109 kg)
Yellowtail Flounder ....
300 lb (136 kg)
5,760 lb (2,613 kg)
Atlantic Mackerel .......
SNE ..................
OTM, OTF Jig
300 per trip .................
300 lb (136 kg)
1,800 lb (816 kg)
Shortfin Squid ............
Any Area ...........
OTM, OTF .....
30 per month ..............
15 lb (7 kg) .......
60 lb (27 kg)
Summer Flounder ......
Black Sea Bass .........
Scup ..........................
Haddock ....................
Bluefish ......................
Witch Flounder ..........
Yellowtail Flounder ....
Atlantic Herring ..........
Atlantic Mackerel .......
Butterfish ...................
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
Any
OTF ................
OTF ................
OTM, OTF .....
OTF ................
OTF ................
OTF ................
OTF ................
OTM, OTF, Jig
OTM, OTF, Jig
OTM, OTF .....
Monthly (Jan–
Apr).
Monthly (Jan–
Apr).
Monthly (May–
Apr).
Monthly (Jan–
Jun).
Monthly (Dec–
Mar).
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Opportunistic ......
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
Maximum
65 lb (29 kg) .....
22 lb (10 kg) .....
13 lb (6 kg) .......
20 lb (9 kg) .......
61 lb (28 kg) .....
10 lb (5 kg) .......
10 lb (5 kg) .......
5 lb (2 kg) .........
5 lb (2 kg) .........
5 lb (2 kg) .........
650 lb (295 kg)
220 lb (100 kg)
130 lb (59 kg)
200 lb (91 kg)
610 lb (277 kg)
100 lb (45 kg)
100 lb (45 kg)
50 lb (23 kg)
50 lb (23 kg)
50 lb (23 kg)
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
..........
...........
...........
...........
..........
...........
..........
...........
...........
...........
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
per
per
per
per
per
per
per
per
per
per
trip
trip
trip
trip
trip
trip
trip
trip
trip
trip
Maximum weight
allowed per trip
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
Maximum
allowance
* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM); Georges Bank (GB); Southern New England (SNE).
# Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF); sea scallop dredge (DRS); otter trawl midwater (OTM).
All catch would be attributed to the
appropriate commercial fishing quota.
For a vessel fishing on a groundfish
sector trip, all catch of groundfish stocks
allocated to sectors would be deducted
from the vessel’s sector’s annual catch
entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a
stock has been reached in a sector,
vessels would no longer be allowed to
fish in that stock area unless the sector
acquired additional ACE for the stock in
question. For common pool vessels, all
groundfish catch would be counted
toward the appropriate trimester total
allowable catch (TAC). Common pool
vessels would be exempt from the
possession and trip limits listed in
Table 1, but would still be subject to
trimester TAC closures.
If approved, the Center 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 impact that does not
change the scope 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: March 17, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–05904 Filed 3–22–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:45 Mar 22, 2021
Jkt 253001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and
Information Administration
Commerce Spectrum Management
Advisory Committee Meeting
National Telecommunications
and Information Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of open meeting.
AGENCY:
This notice announces a
public meeting of the Commerce
Spectrum Management Advisory
Committee (Committee). The Committee
provides advice to the Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for
Communications and Information and
the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) on
spectrum management policy matters.
DATES: The meeting will be held April
8, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.,
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be
conducted in an electronic format and
open to the public via audio
teleconference (866–880–0098
participant code 48261650). Public
comments may be emailed to
arichardson@ntia.gov or mailed to
Commerce Spectrum Management
Advisory Committee, National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration, 1401 Constitution
Avenue NW, Room 4600, Washington,
DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Antonio Richardson, Designated Federal
Officer, at (202) 482–4156 or
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
arichardson@ntia.gov; and/or visit
NTIA’s website at https://www.ntia.gov/
category/csmac.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The Committee provides
advice to the Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Communications and
Information on needed reforms to
domestic spectrum policies and
management in order to: License radio
frequencies in a way that maximizes
public benefits; keep wireless networks
as open to innovation as possible; and
make wireless services available to all
Americans. See Charter at https://
www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/
publications/csmac_charter_
10.1.19.pdf.
This Committee is subject to the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and is
consistent with the National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration Act, 47 U.S.C. 904(b).
The Committee functions solely as an
advisory body in compliance with the
FACA. For more information about the
Committee visit: https://www.ntia.gov/
category/csmac.
Matters To Be Considered: The
Committee provides advice to the
Assistant Secretary to assist in
developing and maintaining spectrum
management policies that enable the
United States to maintain or strengthen
its global leadership role in the
introduction of communications
technology, services, and innovation;
thus expanding the economy, adding
jobs, and increasing international trade,
while at the same time providing for the
E:\FR\FM\23MRN1.SGM
23MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15465-15466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05904]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA940]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit
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 submitted by
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in support of the 2021 Study
Fleet Program contains all of the required information and warrants
further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt
participating vessels from minimum fish sizes and possession limits for
species of interest, for sampling purposes only. Regulations under the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require
publication of this notice to provide interested parties the
opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing Permit applications.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 7, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``NEFSC STUDY FLEET EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Fenton, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9196.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(Center) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing
Permit (EFP) in support of the 2021 Study Fleet Program. This EFP would
exempt 20 commercial fishing vessels from minimum fish sizes and
possession limits for species of interest.
The Center established the Study Fleet Program in 2002 to more
fully characterize commercial fishing operations and provide sampling
opportunities to augment NMFS's data collection programs. As part of
the program, the Center contracts commercial fishing vessels to collect
biological data and fish specimens for the Center to use in research
relevant to stock assessments and fish biology. The Center's Study
Fleet Program trains participating captains and crew to conduct at-sea
sampling consistent with Center sampling protocols for survey and
observer programs. During EFP trips, crew would sort, weigh, measure,
and collect biological data from fish prior to discarding. During
sampling, some discarded fish would remain on deck slightly longer than
they would under normal sorting procedures. Exemptions from minimum
fish sizes and possession restrictions would allow vessels to
temporarily retain catch for at-sea sampling.
Table 1 lists the regulations from which participating vessels
would be exempt for at-sea sampling or when retaining and landing fish
for research purposes. The exemptions listed in Table 1 are necessary
for contracted vessels to acquire the biological samples needed to meet
Center research objectives.
Table 1--List of Vessel Exemptions for Retaining and Landing Fish
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2021 Study Fleet Program EF
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of vessels 20
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exempted regulations in 50 Minimum fish sizes:
CFR part 648. Sec. 648.83 Northeast multispecies
minimum fish sizes for haddock,
yellowtail flounder, winter flounder,
and American plaice.
Possession restrictions:
Sec. 648.86(a) Haddock.
Sec. 648.86(d) Small-mesh multispecies.
Sec. 648.86(g) Yellowtail flounder.
Sec. 648.86(o) Possession limits
implemented by the Regional
Administrator.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
When directed by the Center, participating vessels would be
authorized to retain and land specific amounts of fish exceeding
possession limits and/or below minimum fish sizes, for research
purposes only. The captain or crew would deliver these fish to Center
staff or local Port Agents upon landing. In these limited
circumstances, the Study Fleet Program would give participating vessels
a formal biological sampling request prior to landing. This would
ensure that the landed fish do not exceed any collection needs of the
Study Fleet Program, as detailed in Table 2.
Table 2--2021 Study Fleet Program Biological Sample Collection Needs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individual fish per Maximum weight allowed
Species Stock area * Gear types Collection frequency collection period per trip Maximum allowance
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haddock......................... GOM, GB................... OTF, DRS................ Monthly (Dec-Mar)......... 80 per week (40 from 300 lb (136 kg).......... 4,800 lb (2,177 kg)
each stock area).
[[Page 15466]]
Winter Flounder................. GOM, GB, SNE.............. OTF, DRS................ Monthly (Jan-Apr)......... 120 per week (40 240 lb (109 kg).......... 3,840 lb (1,742 kg)
from each stock
area).
Yellowtail Flounder............. GOM, GB, SNE.............. OTF, DRS................ Monthly (Jan-Apr)......... 120 per week (40 135 lb (61 kg)........... 2,160 lb (980 kg)
from each stock
area).
American Plaice................. Any Area.................. OTF..................... Monthly (May-Apr)......... 100 per month....... 300 lb (136 kg).......... 5,760 lb (2,613 kg)
Atlantic Mackerel............... SNE....................... OTM, OTF Jig............ Monthly (Jan-Jun)......... 300 per trip........ 300 lb (136 kg).......... 1,800 lb (816 kg)
Shortfin Squid.................. Any Area.................. OTM, OTF................ Monthly (Dec-Mar)......... 30 per month........ 15 lb (7 kg)............. 60 lb (27 kg)
Summer Flounder................. Any Area.................. OTF..................... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 65 lb (29 kg)............ 650 lb (295 kg)
Black Sea Bass.................. Any Area.................. OTF..................... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 22 lb (10 kg)............ 220 lb (100 kg)
Scup............................ Any Area.................. OTM, OTF................ Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 13 lb (6 kg)............. 130 lb (59 kg)
Haddock......................... Any Area.................. OTF..................... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 20 lb (9 kg)............. 200 lb (91 kg)
Bluefish........................ Any Area.................. OTF..................... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 61 lb (28 kg)............ 610 lb (277 kg)
Witch Flounder.................. Any Area.................. OTF..................... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 10 lb (5 kg)............. 100 lb (45 kg)
Yellowtail Flounder............. Any Area.................. OTF..................... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 10 lb (5 kg)............. 100 lb (45 kg)
Atlantic Herring................ Any Area.................. OTM, OTF, Jig........... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 5 lb (2 kg).............. 50 lb (23 kg)
Atlantic Mackerel............... Any Area.................. OTM, OTF, Jig........... Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 5 lb (2 kg).............. 50 lb (23 kg)
Butterfish...................... Any Area.................. OTM, OTF................ Opportunistic............. Maximum 5 per trip.. 5 lb (2 kg).............. 50 lb (23 kg)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM); Georges Bank (GB); Southern New England (SNE).
# Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF); sea scallop dredge (DRS); otter trawl midwater (OTM).
All catch would be attributed to the appropriate commercial fishing
quota. For a vessel fishing on a groundfish sector trip, all catch of
groundfish stocks allocated to sectors would be deducted from the
vessel's sector's annual catch entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a
stock has been reached in a sector, vessels would no longer be allowed
to fish in that stock area unless the sector acquired additional ACE
for the stock in question. For common pool vessels, all groundfish
catch would be counted toward the appropriate trimester total allowable
catch (TAC). Common pool vessels would be exempt from the possession
and trip limits listed in Table 1, but would still be subject to
trimester TAC closures.
If approved, the Center 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 impact that does not change the scope 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: March 17, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-05904 Filed 3-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
