Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 7822-7823 [2022-02839]

Download as PDF 7822 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 28 / Thursday, February 10, 2022 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XB801] Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team and Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel will hold a joint public meeting. DATES: The online meeting will be held Tuesday, March 1, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific Standard Time or until business for the day as been completed. ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held online. Specific meeting information, including directions on how to join the meeting and system requirements will be provided in the meeting announcement on the Pacific Council’s website (see www.pcouncil.org). You may send an email to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@ noaa.gov) or contact him at (503) 820– 2412 for technical assistance. Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220–1384. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kerry Griffin, Staff Officer, Pacific Council; telephone: (503) 820–2409. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The primary purpose of this meeting is to discuss and potentially develop work products for the Pacific Council’s March 2022 meeting. Topics will include marine planning, ecosystem matters, and future meeting planning. Other SUMMARY: matters on the Pacific Council’s March agenda may be discussed as well. The meeting agenda will be available on the Pacific Council’s website in advance of the meeting. Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after publication of this document that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@ noaa.gov; (503) 820–2412) at least 10 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: February 7, 2022. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2022–02844 Filed 2–9–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XB789] Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits 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 (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of research conducted by the applicant. Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs. DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 25, 2022. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods: • Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ‘‘CFRF Ventless Trap EFP.’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Deighan, Fishery Management Specialist, Laura.Deighan@noaa.gov, (978) 281–9184. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation submitted a complete application for an EFP to conduct commercial fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict to continue to provide distribution, abundance, and biological data on juvenile lobsters and Jonah crabs from times and areas with low coverage from traditional surveys. This EFP would exempt the participating vessels from the following Federal regulations: SUMMARY: TABLE 1—REQUESTED EXEMPTIONS Citation 50 CFR 697.21(c) .................. § 697.19 ................................. jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 § 697.19(j) .............................. § 697.20(a), (d), (g), and (h)(1) and (2). Regulation Gear specification requirements. Trap limit requirements. Trap tag requirements. Possession restrictions. This project is a continuation of ongoing effort to collect data on juvenile lobster and Jonah crab abundance and VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:18 Feb 09, 2022 Need for exemption Jkt 256001 To allow for closed escape vents and smaller trap mesh and entrance heads. To allow for three additional traps per fishing vessel for a total of up to 66 additional traps. To allow for the use of untagged traps (though each modified trap will have the participating fisherman’s identification attached). To allow for onboard biological sampling of undersized, v-notched, and egg-bearing lobsters and undersized and egg-bearing Jonah crabs and retention of up to 300 legal and sublegal Jonah crabs per month for a molting study. distribution in areas and times of year with low or no coverage by traditional surveys. To date, this project has PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 collected data from over 175,000 lobsters and 105,000 Jonah crabs. The current EFP will expire April 5, 2022; E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM 10FEN1 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 28 / Thursday, February 10, 2022 / Notices this EFP would cover a study period of April 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. The project includes 4 inshore vessels (Lobster Management Area 2) and 16 offshore vessels (Lobster Management Areas 1, 3, and 4). Each vessel would fish with 3 modified, ventless traps designed to capture juvenile lobsters, totaling 60 modified traps. The project team hopes to add 2 additional offshore vessels (Lobster Management Areas 1, 3, 4, and/or 5) in 2022, which would increase the total to 66 traps. The modified traps would adhere to the standard coast-wide survey gear for lobster and Jonah crab set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and would be fished within standard Atlantic Large Whalecompliant trawls. The traps would remain in the water up to 12 months and be hauled every 7 days by the inshore vessels and every 10 days by the offshore vessels. This study would take place during the regular fishing activity of the participating vessels, but catch from modified traps would remain separate from that of standard gear. Operators would collect data on size, sex, presence of eggs, and shell hardness for lobsters and Jonah crabs and v-notch and shell disease for lobsters. In addition to onboard sampling, three inshore and three offshore vessels would retain up to 50 Jonah crabs per month each, for a total of up to 300 crabs per month, for a molting study. Operators would return all other specimens from modified gear to the ocean once sampling is complete. The study is designed to inform management by addressing questions of changing reproduction and recruitment dynamics of lobster and develop a foundation of knowledge for the datadeficient Jonah crab fishery. The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation would share data with the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management every 6 months. 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. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:18 Feb 09, 2022 Jkt 256001 Dated: February 7, 2022. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2022–02839 Filed 2–9–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XB733] Determination of Overfishing or an Overfished Condition National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has found that Gulf of Mexico gag is now subject to overfishing and overfished; Bering Sea snow crab is now overfished; Atlantic mackerel is still subject to overfishing and overfished; and Georges Bank winter flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, and Atlantic Coast bluefish are still overfished. NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, notifies the appropriate regional fishery management council (Council) whenever it determines that a stock or stock complex is subject to overfishing, overfished, or approaching an overfished condition. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathryn Frens, (301)–427–8523. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 304(e)(2) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2), NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, must notify Councils, and publish a notice in the Federal Register, whenever it determines that a stock or stock complex is subject to overfishing, overfished, or approaching an overfished condition. NMFS has determined that Gulf of Mexico gag is now subject to overfishing and overfished. The Gulf of Mexico gag determination is based on the most recent assessment, completed in 2021 and using data through 2019, which indicates that this stock is subject to overfishing because the fishing mortality rate is above the threshold, and overfished because the stock biomass is below the threshold. NMFS has notified the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council of the requirement SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7823 to end overfishing on and to rebuild this stock. NMFS has determined that Bering Sea snow crab is now overfished. This determination is based on the most recent assessment, completed in 2021and using data through 2021, which indicates that this stock is overfished because the mature male biomass is below the threshold. NMFS has notified the North Pacific Fishery Management Council of the requirement to rebuild this stock. NMFS has determined that Atlantic mackerel is still subject to overfishing and overfished. This determination is based on the most recent assessment, completed in 2020 and using data through 2019, which indicates that this stock is subject to overfishing because the fishing mortality rate is above the threshold, and overfished because the stock biomass is below the threshold. NMFS continues to work with the New England Fishery Management Council to end overfishing and to rebuild this stock. NMFS has determined that Georges Bank winter flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, and Atlantic Coast bluefish are still overfished. The two winter flounder determinations are based on the most recent assessments, completed in 2020 and using data through 2019, which indicate that these stocks are overfished because the biomasses are below their respective thresholds. NMFS continues to work with the New England Fishery Management Council to rebuild these stocks. The Atlantic Coast bluefish determination is based on the most recent assessment, completed in 2021 and using data through 2019, which indicates that this stock is overfished because the biomass is below the threshold. NMFS continues to work with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to rebuild this stock. Dated: February 7, 2022. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2022–02857 Filed 2–9–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration Recruitment of First Responder Network Authority Board Member National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM 10FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7822-7823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02839]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB789]


Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management 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 (EFP) application 
contains all of the required information and warrants further 
consideration. The EFP would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish 
outside fishery regulations in support of research conducted by the 
applicant. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative 
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for 
proposed EFPs.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``CFRF Ventless Trap EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Deighan, Fishery Management 
Specialist, [email protected], (978) 281-9184.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation 
submitted a complete application for an EFP to conduct commercial 
fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict to 
continue to provide distribution, abundance, and biological data on 
juvenile lobsters and Jonah crabs from times and areas with low 
coverage from traditional surveys. This EFP would exempt the 
participating vessels from the following Federal regulations:

                                          Table 1--Requested Exemptions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Citation                            Regulation                       Need for exemption
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50 CFR 697.21(c).....................  Gear specification requirements..  To allow for closed escape vents and
                                                                           smaller trap mesh and entrance heads.
Sec.   697.19........................  Trap limit requirements..........  To allow for three additional traps
                                                                           per fishing vessel for a total of up
                                                                           to 66 additional traps.
Sec.   697.19(j).....................  Trap tag requirements............  To allow for the use of untagged traps
                                                                           (though each modified trap will have
                                                                           the participating fisherman's
                                                                           identification attached).
Sec.   697.20(a), (d), (g), and        Possession restrictions..........  To allow for onboard biological
 (h)(1) and (2).                                                           sampling of undersized, v-notched,
                                                                           and egg-bearing lobsters and
                                                                           undersized and egg-bearing Jonah
                                                                           crabs and retention of up to 300
                                                                           legal and sublegal Jonah crabs per
                                                                           month for a molting study.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This project is a continuation of ongoing effort to collect data on 
juvenile lobster and Jonah crab abundance and distribution in areas and 
times of year with low or no coverage by traditional surveys. To date, 
this project has collected data from over 175,000 lobsters and 105,000 
Jonah crabs. The current EFP will expire April 5, 2022;

[[Page 7823]]

this EFP would cover a study period of April 1, 2022, through June 30, 
2023.
    The project includes 4 inshore vessels (Lobster Management Area 2) 
and 16 offshore vessels (Lobster Management Areas 1, 3, and 4). Each 
vessel would fish with 3 modified, ventless traps designed to capture 
juvenile lobsters, totaling 60 modified traps. The project team hopes 
to add 2 additional offshore vessels (Lobster Management Areas 1, 3, 4, 
and/or 5) in 2022, which would increase the total to 66 traps. The 
modified traps would adhere to the standard coast-wide survey gear for 
lobster and Jonah crab set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission and would be fished within standard Atlantic Large Whale-
compliant trawls. The traps would remain in the water up to 12 months 
and be hauled every 7 days by the inshore vessels and every 10 days by 
the offshore vessels.
    This study would take place during the regular fishing activity of 
the participating vessels, but catch from modified traps would remain 
separate from that of standard gear. Operators would collect data on 
size, sex, presence of eggs, and shell hardness for lobsters and Jonah 
crabs and v-notch and shell disease for lobsters. In addition to 
onboard sampling, three inshore and three offshore vessels would retain 
up to 50 Jonah crabs per month each, for a total of up to 300 crabs per 
month, for a molting study. Operators would return all other specimens 
from modified gear to the ocean once sampling is complete.
    The study is designed to inform management by addressing questions 
of changing reproduction and recruitment dynamics of lobster and 
develop a foundation of knowledge for the data-deficient Jonah crab 
fishery. The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation would share data 
with the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program, the Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management 
every 6 months.
    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: February 7, 2022.
Ngagne Jafnar Gueye,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-02839 Filed 2-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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