Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 38990-38991 [2021-15725]

Download as PDF 38990 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 139 / Friday, July 23, 2021 / Notices (2) Discussion of management measures for tropical tuna, temperate tuna (e.g., North Pacific albacore and Pacific bluefin tuna), and sharks as well as administrative topics; (3) Recommendations and evaluations by the SAS and GAC; and (4) Other issues as they arise. Special Accommodations Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to William Stahnke (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq. Dated: July 20, 2021. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–15747 Filed 7–20–21; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on April 23, 2021, (86 FR 21706) during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. Title: Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses. OMB Control Number: 0648–0145. Form Number(s): None. Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection). Number of Respondents: 1. Average Hours per Response: Annual report: 40 hours; extension request: 20 hours (annualized). VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:49 Jul 22, 2021 Jkt 253001 Total Annual Burden Hours: The annual total time for license holders to prepare paperwork related to meeting the requirements of DSHMRA is 60 hours (40 hours per annual report and 20 hours (on an annualized basis) for extension requests). Needs and Uses: This request is for the extension of the currently approved information collection. No changes have been made to the collection requirements. NOAA’s regulations at 15 CFR 970 govern the issuing and monitoring of exploration and production licenses under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. The NOAA Office for Coastal Management is responsible for approving and administering licenses. Any persons seeking a license must submit certain information that allows NOAA to ensure the applicant meets the standards of the Act. Licensees are required to conduct monitoring and make reports, and they may request revisions, transfers, or extensions of licenses. Information required for the issuance and extension of licenses is provided to fulfill statutory requirements to ensure that license applicants have identified areas of interest for deep seabed hard mineral exploration and production; developed plans for those activities; have the financial resources available to conduct proposed activity; and have considered the effects of the activity on the natural and human environment. This information is used to determine whether licenses should be granted or extended. Exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act are only for activities by U.S. citizens in international waters. No license or permit applications have been received since the early 1980s, and none are expected during this collection period. U.S. deep seabed exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits are not recognized by the International Seabed Authority and would not have security of tenure due to the lack of U.S. accession to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Treaty. Two exploration licenses issued in the early 1980s are held by Lockheed Martin Corporation. The licenses are subject to annual reporting requirements and extension requests every five years. No at-sea exploration is authorized under the licenses without further authorization from NOAA. Such activities are not expected during the reporting period for the same reason as above. Affected Public: Large businesses. PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Frequency: Report on activities pursuant to the exploration licenses due annually. Extension requests must be submitted every five years. Respondent’s Obligation: Required to maintain licenses. Legal Authority: Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) (30 U.S.C. 1401–1473); 15 CFR part 970. This information collection request may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view the Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/ public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648–0145. Sheleen Dumas, Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Commerce Department. [FR Doc. 2021–15707 Filed 7–22–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–08–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XB253] 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 submitted by Nordic, Inc. in partnership with the Coonamessett Farm Foundation contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. 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. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\23JYN1.SGM 23JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 139 / Friday, July 23, 2021 / Notices Comments must be received on or before August 9, 2021. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method: • Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ‘‘Nordic Scallop Transplanting EFP.’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management Specialist, shannah.jaburek@noaa.gov, (978) 281–9135. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Nordic, Inc. submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to conduct commercial fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict. This EFP would exempt the participating vessels from: Day-at-sea requirements at 50 CFR 648.53; crew size restrictions at § 648.51(c); scallop fishing restrictions in the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area—South at § 648.60(g); scallop trawl restrictions at § 648.51(a)(1) and (f); scallop dredge restrictions at § 648.51(b)(2) and (b)(3); and minimum size and possession restrictions for onboard sampling and scallop transplanting in § 648 subparts B and D through O. Nordic, Inc., Eastern Fisheries, Quinn Fisheries, and Fulcher Trawling applied for an EFP on April 22, 2021, to work with the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) on a scallop transplanting study. This project would continue previous scallop transplanting work done by CFF and investigate the feasibility of using scallop transplanting to increase scallop growth by moving them from deep, scallop dense areas to shallower, less populated areas. The proposed EFP would allow Nordic, Inc. and CFF to transplant 750,000 scallops in the Nantucket Lightship Access Area-South with trawls and a dredge. A subsample of the catch would be tagged (i.e., 10,000 scallops), along with a subsample of previously transplanted scallops caught in the proposed research area. Transplanting work would begin when an EFP is issued, and monitoring of the harvest and transplant areas would occur during scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) funded surveys conducted by CFF, the Virginia Institute of Technology, and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. CFF would provide scientific staff to oversee transplant operations, tag scallops, and collect data during field operations. Scallops would be harvested by a commercial scalloping vessel that already preformed transplanting operations. Four vessels would harvest scallops with a two-panel box net towed between 2.5 and 3.5 knots (4.6 and 6.5 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:49 Jul 22, 2021 Jkt 253001 km per hour) for 10 minutes per tow. These vessels would steam to the transplant area with the trawl doors closed and the net remaining in the water. One vessel would harvest scallops by towing two, 4.57-meter wide New Bedford style dredges for 10 minutes per tow. No catch will be landed for sale. Once catch is brought on board, it would be sorted by size, marked, and stored in cooled fish totes. A subsample of scallops would be tagged with disc tags. Tagging would occur between dusk and dawn to minimize mortality. Scallops would be released overboard at the transplanting area. 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 20, 2021. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–15725 Filed 7–22–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XA349] 2020 Marine Mammal Stock Assessment Reports National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; response to comments. AGENCY: As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS has considered public comments for revisions of the 2020 marine mammal stock assessment reports (SAR). This notice announces the availability of 80 final 2020 SARs that were updated and finalized. NMFS also announces the availability of a revised final 2019 North Atlantic right whale SAR that includes a typographic correction. ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of SARs are available on the internet as regional compilations and separated by SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 38991 individual species/stocks at the following addresses, respectively: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ national/marine-mammal-protection/ marine-mammal-stock-assessmentreports-region https://www.fisheries. noaa.gov/national/marine-mammalprotection/marine-mammal-stockassessment-reports-species-stock. Dr. Zachary Schakner, Office of Science and Technology, 301–427–8106, Zachary.Schakner@noaa.gov; Marcia Muto, 206–526–4026, Marcia.Muto@ noaa.gov, regarding Alaska regional stock assessments; Elizabeth Josephson, 508–495–2362, Elizabeth.Josephson@ noaa.gov, regarding Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean regional stock assessments; or Jim Carretta, 858–546– 7171, Jim.Carretta@noaa.gov, regarding Pacific regional stock assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Section 117 of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) requires NMFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to prepare stock assessments for each stock of marine mammals occurring in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States, including the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). These reports must contain information regarding the distribution and abundance of the stock, population growth rates and trends, estimates of annual human-caused Mortality and Serious Injury (M/SI) from all sources, descriptions of the fisheries with which the stock interacts, and the status of the stock. Initial reports were completed in 1995. The MMPA requires NMFS and FWS to review the SARs at least annually for strategic stocks and stocks for which significant new information is available, and at least once every three years for non-strategic stocks. The term ‘‘strategic stock’’ means a marine mammal stock: (A) For which the level of direct humancaused mortality exceeds the potential biological removal level or PBR (defined by the MMPA as the maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population (OSP)); (B) which, based on the best available scientific information, is declining and is likely to be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) within the foreseeable future; or (C) which is listed as a threatened species or endangered species under the ESA. NMFS and the FWS are required to revise a SAR if the status of the stock E:\FR\FM\23JYN1.SGM 23JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 139 (Friday, July 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38990-38991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15725]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB253]


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 submitted by 
Nordic, Inc. in partnership with the Coonamessett Farm Foundation 
contains all of the required information and warrants further 
consideration. 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.

[[Page 38991]]


DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 9, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Nordic Scallop Transplanting EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management 
Specialist, [email protected], (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Nordic, Inc. submitted a complete 
application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to conduct commercial 
fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict. This 
EFP would exempt the participating vessels from: Day-at-sea 
requirements at 50 CFR 648.53; crew size restrictions at Sec.  
648.51(c); scallop fishing restrictions in the Nantucket Lightship 
Closed Area--South at Sec.  648.60(g); scallop trawl restrictions at 
Sec.  648.51(a)(1) and (f); scallop dredge restrictions at Sec.  
648.51(b)(2) and (b)(3); and minimum size and possession restrictions 
for onboard sampling and scallop transplanting in Sec.  648 subparts B 
and D through O.
    Nordic, Inc., Eastern Fisheries, Quinn Fisheries, and Fulcher 
Trawling applied for an EFP on April 22, 2021, to work with the 
Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) on a scallop transplanting study. 
This project would continue previous scallop transplanting work done by 
CFF and investigate the feasibility of using scallop transplanting to 
increase scallop growth by moving them from deep, scallop dense areas 
to shallower, less populated areas.
    The proposed EFP would allow Nordic, Inc. and CFF to transplant 
750,000 scallops in the Nantucket Lightship Access Area-South with 
trawls and a dredge. A subsample of the catch would be tagged (i.e., 
10,000 scallops), along with a subsample of previously transplanted 
scallops caught in the proposed research area. Transplanting work would 
begin when an EFP is issued, and monitoring of the harvest and 
transplant areas would occur during scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) 
funded surveys conducted by CFF, the Virginia Institute of Technology, 
and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth School of Marine 
Science and Technology.
    CFF would provide scientific staff to oversee transplant 
operations, tag scallops, and collect data during field operations. 
Scallops would be harvested by a commercial scalloping vessel that 
already preformed transplanting operations. Four vessels would harvest 
scallops with a two-panel box net towed between 2.5 and 3.5 knots (4.6 
and 6.5 km per hour) for 10 minutes per tow. These vessels would steam 
to the transplant area with the trawl doors closed and the net 
remaining in the water. One vessel would harvest scallops by towing 
two, 4.57-meter wide New Bedford style dredges for 10 minutes per tow. 
No catch will be landed for sale.
    Once catch is brought on board, it would be sorted by size, marked, 
and stored in cooled fish totes. A subsample of scallops would be 
tagged with disc tags. Tagging would occur between dusk and dawn to 
minimize mortality. Scallops would be released overboard at the 
transplanting area.
    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 20, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-15725 Filed 7-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.