Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery; Applications for Exempted Fishing Permits; 2024-2025 Fishing Year, 53396-53397 [2024-14010]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
53396
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 26, 2024 / Notices
the CMECS to reflect those
recommendations found to be valuable
for implementation of the CMECS and
supportive of the user community
needs.
Information is compiled quarterly by
the CMECS Implementation Working
Group, an interagency group of CMECS
technical experts. This information is
used to assess needs for revisions to the
CMECS. Information is not
disseminated to the public.
including your address, phone number,
email address, or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you may ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
II. Method of Collection
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
This information is collected by an
electronic form posted on the CMECS
website. However, we also accept paper
format for anyone unable to access the
form through the internet. Some follow
up interviews may occur to better
understand recommendations as
needed.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0799.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular (Extension of
current information collection.)
Affected Public: Not-for-profit
institutions; State, Local, or Tribal
government; Federal government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
100.
Estimated Time per Response: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 100.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: 0.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: The FGDC requires
periodic reviews and maintenance of
federal standards. Collection of
information from users is critical to this
process.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to
permit the Department/Bureau to: (a)
Evaluate whether the proposed
information collection is necessary for
the proper functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the
accuracy of our estimate of the time and
cost burden for this proposed collection,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
Evaluate ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Minimize the
reporting burden on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:15 Jun 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
[FR Doc. 2024–14005 Filed 6–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–08–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE012]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Coastal Pelagic Species
Fishery; Applications for Exempted
Fishing Permits; 2024–2025 Fishing
Year
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of application;
request for comments.
AGENCY:
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 (CWPA) and request an
exemption from the expected
prohibition on primary directed fishing
for Pacific sardine during the 2024–2025
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
July 26, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2024–0058, by the following
method:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Visit https://
www.regulations.gov and type NOAA–
NMFS–2024–0058 in the Search box.
Click the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete
the required fields, and enter or attach
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
your comments. The EFP applications
will be available under Supporting and
Related Materials through the same link.
Instructions: Comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or
individual, 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 https://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:
Katie Davis, West Coast Region, NMFS,
(323) 362–2126, katie.davis@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Approving
the EFP applications would be
authorized under the Coastal Pelagic
Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan
(FMP) and regulations at 50 CFR
600.745, which allow NMFS Regional
Administrators to authorize EFPs for
fishing activities that would otherwise
be prohibited.
At its April 2024 meeting, the Pacific
Fishery Management Council (Council)
recommended that NMFS approve two
EFP applications for the 2024–2025
Pacific sardine fishing year. Both
applications are from the CWPA and are
renewal requests for an exemption from
the expected prohibition on primary
directed fishing for Pacific sardine
during the 2024–2025 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 2024–2025
annual harvest specifications for Pacific
sardine because Pacific sardine catch
under each EFP would be accounted for
under the proposed 2024–2025 annual
catch limit (ACL), which is 6,005 metric
tons (mt). A summary of each EFP
application is provided below:
(1) Request renewal of exempted
fishery permit (EFP) to allow take of
Pacific sardine in point sets in 2024–
2025 in support of the CPS–NCA
research program: The CWPA submitted
a renewal application for their CPS
Nearshore Cooperative Survey (NCS)
program. The purpose of this EFP
project is to collect data for estimating
CPS biomass in shallow waters that are
not accessible to NOAA ships. The
California Department of Fish and
Wildlife, in partnership with the CWPA,
has been conducting aerial surveys to
E:\FR\FM\26JNN1.SGM
26JNN1
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 26, 2024 / Notices
estimate the biomass and distribution of
Pacific sardine and certain other CPS in
nearshore waters in the Southern
California Bight since 2012, and in the
Monterey-San Francisco area since the
summer of 2017. The CPS–NCS survey
would capture CPS schools identified
by aerial spotter pilots, and weigh and
sample the catch onshore to validate the
biomass and species composition of the
schools observed in the nearshore aerial
survey. If approved, this EFP would
allow up to eight participating vessels to
directly harvest a total of 150 mt of
Pacific sardine during the 2024–2025
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 renewal of exempted
fishery permit (EFP) to allow fishing of
Pacific sardine for biological samples in
2024–2025 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 (SWFSC) have a limited
amount of fishery-dependent data to use
in their stock assessment. The goal of
this EFP project is to provide fisherydependent catch data, including
biological data (i.e., age and length data
from directed harvest), for potential use
in Pacific sardine stock assessments. If
approved, this EFP would allow up to
eight participating vessels to directly
harvest up to 520 mt of Pacific sardine
during the 2024–2025 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 2024–2025 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:15 Jun 25, 2024
Jkt 262001
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 2024–2025 proposed
sardine harvest specifications before
final implementation.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 21, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–14010 Filed 6–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Generic Clearance for Marine
Recreational Information Program:
Design & Field Test Studies
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 10,
2024 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: Generic Clearance for Marine
Recreational Information Program:
Design & Field Test Studies
OMB Control Number: 0648–XXXX.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular submission
[new information collection].
Number of Respondents: 46,000.
Average Hours Per Response: Surveys
five minutes, Cognitive interviews one
hour, focus groups one hour, and panel
designs fifteen minutes.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,375.
Needs and Uses: This request is to
initiate a new information collection
using a generic clearance to allow the
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
53397
Marine Recreational Information
Program to develop, test, and improve
its surveys and methodologies. Marine
recreational anglers are surveyed to
collect catch and effort data, fish biology
data, and angler socioeconomic
characteristics. This request is part of an
on-going initiative to improve MRIP
surveys as mandated by the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852) and
the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries
Management Act of 2018 (16 U.S.C.
1881) and recommended by the
National Academies of Science,
Engineering and Medicine. Marine
recreational fishing catch and effort data
are collected through a combination of
mail surveys, telephone surveys and onsite intercept surveys with recreational
anglers. The procedures utilized to this
effect will include but are not limited to
experiments with levels of incentives
for various types of survey operations,
focus groups, cognitive laboratory
activities, pilot testing, exploratory
interviews, experiments with
questionnaire design, and usability
testing of electronic data collection
instruments.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households.
Frequency: On Occasion.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (16 U.S.C. 1852) and the
Modernizing Recreational Fisheries
Management Act of 2018 (16 U.S.C.
1881).
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 the title of the collection.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024–14024 Filed 6–25–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\26JNN1.SGM
26JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53396-53397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14010]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE012]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery; Applications for Exempted
Fishing Permits; 2024-2025 Fishing Year
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of application; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: 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 (CWPA) and request an
exemption from the expected prohibition on primary directed fishing for
Pacific sardine during the 2024-2025 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 July 26, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2024-0058, by the following method:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and type
NOAA-NMFS-2024-0058 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, to any other
address or individual, 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
https://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: Katie Davis, West Coast Region, NMFS,
(323) 362-2126, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Approving the EFP applications would be
authorized under the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745, which allow NMFS Regional
Administrators to authorize EFPs for fishing activities that would
otherwise be prohibited.
At its April 2024 meeting, the Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) recommended that NMFS approve two EFP applications for the
2024-2025 Pacific sardine fishing year. Both applications are from the
CWPA and are renewal requests for an exemption from the expected
prohibition on primary directed fishing for Pacific sardine during the
2024-2025 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 2024-
2025 annual harvest specifications for Pacific sardine because Pacific
sardine catch under each EFP would be accounted for under the proposed
2024-2025 annual catch limit (ACL), which is 6,005 metric tons (mt). A
summary of each EFP application is provided below:
(1) Request renewal of exempted fishery permit (EFP) to allow take
of Pacific sardine in point sets in 2024-2025 in support of the CPS-NCA
research program: The CWPA submitted a renewal application for their
CPS Nearshore Cooperative Survey (NCS) program. The purpose of this EFP
project is to collect data for estimating CPS biomass in shallow waters
that are not accessible to NOAA ships. The California Department of
Fish and Wildlife, in partnership with the CWPA, has been conducting
aerial surveys to
[[Page 53397]]
estimate the biomass and distribution of Pacific sardine and certain
other CPS in nearshore waters in the Southern California Bight since
2012, and in the Monterey-San Francisco area since the summer of 2017.
The CPS-NCS survey would capture CPS schools identified by aerial
spotter pilots, and weigh and sample the catch onshore to validate the
biomass and species composition of the schools observed in the
nearshore aerial survey. If approved, this EFP would allow up to eight
participating vessels to directly harvest a total of 150 mt of Pacific
sardine during the 2024-2025 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 renewal of exempted fishery permit (EFP) to allow
fishing of Pacific sardine for biological samples in 2024-2025
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 (SWFSC) have a
limited amount of fishery-dependent data to use in their stock
assessment. The goal of this EFP project is to 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. If approved, this EFP would allow up to eight
participating vessels to directly harvest up to 520 mt of Pacific
sardine during the 2024-2025 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 2024-2025
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 2024-2025 proposed sardine
harvest specifications before final implementation.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 21, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-14010 Filed 6-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
