Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 32201-32202 [2023-10681]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 97 / Friday, May 19, 2023 / Notices
The Regional Administrator,
West Coast Region, NMFS, has made a
preliminary determination that two
Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)
applications warrant further
consideration. Both applications are
from the California Wetfish Producers
Association and request an exemption
from the expected prohibition on
primary directed fishing for Pacific
sardine during the 2023–2024 fishing
year to collect Pacific sardine as part of
industry-based scientific research.
NMFS requests public comment on the
applications.
DATES: Comments must be received by
June 20, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2023–0069, by the following
method:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA–
NMFS–2023–0069 in the Search box.
Click the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete
the required fields, and enter or attach
your comments. The EFP applications
will be available under Supporting and
Related Materials through the same link.
Instructions: Comments sent by any
other method or received after the end
of the comment period, may not be
considered by NMFS. All comments
received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov
without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.),
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
be publicly accessible. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/
A’’ in the required fields if you wish to
remain anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Taylor Debevec, West Coast Region,
NMFS, (562) 980–4066, taylor.debevec@
noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
action is authorized by the Coastal
Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) and
regulations at 50 CFR 600.745, which
allow NMFS Regional Administrators to
authorize exempted fishing permits
(EFPs) for fishing activities that would
otherwise be prohibited.
At its April 2023 meeting, the Pacific
Fishery Management Council (Council)
recommended that NMFS approve two
EFP applications for the 2023–2024
Pacific sardine fishing year. Both
applications are from the California
Wetfish Producers Association (CWPA)
and are renewal requests for an
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 May 18, 2023
Jkt 259001
exemption from the expected
prohibition on primary directed fishing
for Pacific sardine during the 2023–2024
fishing year; the purpose of the requests
are to collect Pacific sardine as part of
industry-based scientific research. The
Council considered these EFP
applications concurrently with the
2023–2024 annual harvest specifications
for Pacific sardine because Pacific
sardine catch under each EFP would be
accounted for under the proposed 2023–
2024 annual catch limit (ACL), which is
3,953 metric tons (mt). A summary of
each EFP application is provided below:
(1) Proposal for renewal of exempted
fishery permit (EFP) to allow take of
Pacific sardine (for point sets) in 2023–
24 nearshore research program: The
CWPA submitted a renewal application
for their CPS Nearshore Cooperative
Survey (NCS) program. The purpose of
this EFP project is to continue to
develop sampling methodology for
estimating CPS biomass in shallow
waters that are not accessible to NOAA
survey ships. Since 2012, the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, in
partnership with the CWPA, has been
conducting aerial surveys to estimate
the biomass and distribution of Pacific
sardine and certain other CPS in
nearshore waters in the Southern
California Bight, and in the MontereySan Francisco area since the summer of
2017. Currently, there is uncertainty in
the biomass estimates from aerial
spotter pilots. The CPS–NCS survey
aims to quantify that level of
uncertainty by capturing CPS schools
identified by aerial spotter pilots and
validating the biomass and species
composition of the schools. If approved,
this EFP would allow up to five
participating vessels to directly harvest
a total of 150 mt of Pacific sardine
during the 2023–2024 fishing year. A
portion of each point set (i.e., an
individual haul of fish captured with a
purse seine net) would be retained for
biological sampling, and the remainder
would be sold by participating
fishermen and processors to offset
research costs and avoid unnecessary
discard.
(2) Request for renewal of exempted
fishery permit (EFP) to allow fishing of
Pacific sardine for biological samples in
2023–24 nearshore research program:
The CWPA submitted a renewal
application for their biological sampling
EFP project. The primary directed
fishery for Pacific sardine has been
closed since 2015, and consequently,
scientists at the Southwest Fisheries
Science Center (Science Center) have a
limited amount of fishery-dependent
data to use in their stock assessment.
The goal of this EFP project is to
PO 00000
Frm 00026
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
32201
provide fishery-dependent catch data,
including biological data (i.e., age and
length data from directed harvest), for
potential use in Pacific sardine stock
assessments. An additional goal for this
year is to collaborate with the Science
Center in a research project designed to
enhance understanding of stock
structure by collecting year-round data.
If approved, this EFP would allow up to
five participating vessels to directly
harvest up to 520 mt of Pacific sardine
during the 2023–2024 fishing year. A
portion of each landing would be
retained for biological sampling by the
California Department of Fish and
Wildlife, and the remainder would be
sold by participating fishermen and
processors to offset research costs and
avoid unnecessary discard.
Altogether, these EFP projects total
670 mt. If NMFS does not issue one or
more of these EFPs, the requested
tonnage would be available for harvest
by other permissible fishing activities
during the 2023–2024 fishing year (e.g.,
live bait or minor directed harvest).
After publication of this notice in the
Federal Register, NMFS may approve
and issue permits to participating
vessels after the close of the public
comment period. NMFS will consider
comments submitted in deciding
whether to approve the applications as
requested. NMFS may approve the
applications in their entirety or may
make any alterations needed to achieve
the goals of the EFP projects and the
FMP. NMFS may also approve different
amounts of Pacific sardine allocation for
each EFP project if any changes are
made to the 2023–2024 proposed
sardine harvest specifications before
final implementation.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 15, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–10680 Filed 5–18–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XC953]
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.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
32202
ACTION:
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 97 / Friday, May 19, 2023 / Notices
Notice; request for comments.
The Assistant Regional
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has
made a preliminary determination that
Exempted Fishing Permits to facilitate
the use of fishing year 2023 and 2024
monkfish research set-aside days-at-sea
warrant further consideration. This
notice provides interested parties the
opportunity to comment on the
proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before June 5, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments by the following method:
• Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments
on 2023 Monkfish RSA EFP.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Spencer Talmage, Fishery Policy
Analyst, 978–281–9232,
spencer.talmage@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exempted
Fishing Permits (EFP) that waive
monkfish landing limits have been
routinely approved since 2007 to
increase operational efficiency and
optimize research funds generated from
the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA)
Program. These EFPs would facilitate
compensation fishing in support of the
projects funded under the 2023/2024
monkfish RSA competition. Consistent
with previous years of the monkfish
RSA program, these RSA compensation
fishing EFPs would authorize an
exemption for participating vessels from
days-at-sea (DAS) landing limit
restrictions in the Monkfish Northern
and Southern Fishery Management
Areas found at 50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) and
(2). Vessels fishing under an RSA DAS
would be allowed to harvest monkfish
in excess of the usual landing limits
associated with their Federal permits.
The Monkfish RSA Program is
allocated 500 monkfish RSA DAS
annually, as established by the New
England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Councils in Amendment 2
to the Monkfish Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) (70 FR 21929, April 28,
2005). These monkfish RSA DAS are
awarded through a competitive grant
program in support of monkfish
research. Award recipients sell RSA
DAS to limited access monkfish vessel
owners to fund approved monkfish RSA
research projects. Award recipients
receive an allocation of RSA DAS and
a maximum amount of monkfish that
may be landed under available DAS.
Projects are constrained to the total
DAS, maximum available landing
weight, or grant award timetable,
whichever is reached first. To calculate
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:30 May 18, 2023
Jkt 259001
a maximum weight allocation that is
similar to the Councils’ original intent
to be harvested under the allocated 500
RSA DAS, NMFS uses twice the landing
limit for Permit Category A and C
monkfish vessel fishing in the Southern
Fishery Management Area (4,074 lb (2
mt) whole weight) for each RSA DAS.
Annually, a maximum of 2,037,000 lb
(924 mt) of whole weight may be
harvested across all Monkfish RSA
projects. Allowing vessels an exemption
from monkfish landing limits provides
an incentive for vessels to purchase and
fish under RSA DAS to catch more
monkfish per trip, while constraining
each project to a maximum available
harvest limit ensures that the overall
monkfish RSA catch will not be an
excessive burden on the fishery as a
whole.
If approved, grant awardees may
request minor modifications and
extensions to their EFPs 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 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: May 15, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–10681 Filed 5–18–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XD023]
South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council; Public Meetings
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
AGENCY:
The South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
hold meetings of the following: Citizen
Science Committee, Mackerel Cobia
Committee, Dolphin Wahoo Committee,
and Snapper Grouper Committee. The
meeting week will also include a formal
public comment session and a meeting
of the Full Council.
DATES: The Council meeting will be
held from 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
12, 2023 until 12 p.m. on Friday, June
16, 2023.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting address: The meetings will be
held at the World Golf Village
Renaissance, 500 Legacy Trail, St.
Augustine, FL; phone: (904) 635–940–
8000. The meeting will also be available
via webinar. Registration is required.
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Council address: South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 4055
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N
Charleston, SC 29405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim
Iverson, Public Information Officer,
SAFMC; phone: (843 302–8440 or toll
free: (866) SAFMC–10; fax: (843) 769–
4520; email: kim.iverson@safmc.net.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting
information, including agendas,
overviews, and briefing book materials
will be posted on the Council’s website
at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/
council-meetings/. Webinar registration
links for the meeting will also be
available from the Council’s website.
Public comment: Public comment on
agenda items may be submitted through
the Council’s online comment form
available from the Council’s website at:
https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/
council-meetings/. Written comments
will be accepted from May 26, 2023
until June 16, 2023. These comments are
accessible to the public, part of the
Administrative Record of the meeting,
and immediately available for Council
consideration. A formal public comment
session will also be held during the
Council meeting.
The items of discussion in the
individual meeting agendas are as
follows:
Council Session I, Monday, June 12,
2023, 8:30 a.m. Until 12 p.m. (Closed
Session)
The Council will meet in Closed
Session to receive a litigation brief,
review and discuss advisory panel
applications, appointments to the
Council’s Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC) and SEDAR Pool, and
consider selection of the 2022 Law
Enforcement Officer of the Year.
Council Session I, Monday, June 12,
2023, 1:30 p.m. Until 4 p.m. (Open
Session)
The Council will receive reports from
state agencies, Council liaisons, NOAA
Office of Law Enforcement, and the U.S.
Coast Guard. The Council will receive
an update on Highly Migratory Species,
the Commercial Electronic Logbook
Amendment, and the Council’s
Research and Monitoring Plan,
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32201-32202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10681]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC953]
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.
[[Page 32202]]
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary
determination that Exempted Fishing Permits to facilitate the use of
fishing year 2023 and 2024 monkfish research set-aside days-at-sea
warrant further consideration. This notice provides interested parties
the opportunity to comment on the proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 5, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``Comments on 2023 Monkfish RSA EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Policy
Analyst, 978-281-9232, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) that waive
monkfish landing limits have been routinely approved since 2007 to
increase operational efficiency and optimize research funds generated
from the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. These EFPs would
facilitate compensation fishing in support of the projects funded under
the 2023/2024 monkfish RSA competition. Consistent with previous years
of the monkfish RSA program, these RSA compensation fishing EFPs would
authorize an exemption for participating vessels from days-at-sea (DAS)
landing limit restrictions in the Monkfish Northern and Southern
Fishery Management Areas found at 50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) and (2). Vessels
fishing under an RSA DAS would be allowed to harvest monkfish in excess
of the usual landing limits associated with their Federal permits.
The Monkfish RSA Program is allocated 500 monkfish RSA DAS
annually, as established by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Councils in Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) (70 FR 21929, April 28, 2005). These monkfish RSA DAS are
awarded through a competitive grant program in support of monkfish
research. Award recipients sell RSA DAS to limited access monkfish
vessel owners to fund approved monkfish RSA research projects. Award
recipients receive an allocation of RSA DAS and a maximum amount of
monkfish that may be landed under available DAS. Projects are
constrained to the total DAS, maximum available landing weight, or
grant award timetable, whichever is reached first. To calculate a
maximum weight allocation that is similar to the Councils' original
intent to be harvested under the allocated 500 RSA DAS, NMFS uses twice
the landing limit for Permit Category A and C monkfish vessel fishing
in the Southern Fishery Management Area (4,074 lb (2 mt) whole weight)
for each RSA DAS. Annually, a maximum of 2,037,000 lb (924 mt) of whole
weight may be harvested across all Monkfish RSA projects. Allowing
vessels an exemption from monkfish landing limits provides an incentive
for vessels to purchase and fish under RSA DAS to catch more monkfish
per trip, while constraining each project to a maximum available
harvest limit ensures that the overall monkfish RSA catch will not be
an excessive burden on the fishery as a whole.
If approved, grant awardees may request minor modifications and
extensions to their EFPs 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 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: May 15, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-10681 Filed 5-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P