National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 2, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold hearings on fishery data collection management options in Hilo, HI and Honolulu, HI. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific times, dates, and agenda items).

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a meeting of its Marine Mammal Advisory Committee (MMAC) to discuss issues relating to the interactions of marine mammals with pelagic fisheries in the Hawaiian Islands.

NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator), has determined that an application for revised Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs) contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The Assistant Regional Administrator is considering the impacts of the activities to be authorized under the EFPs with respect to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue EFPs. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to issue revised EFPs in response to an application submitted by the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fisherman's Association (CCCHFA), in collaboration with Maine Division of Marine Resources (MEDMR), and Research, Environmental and Management Support (REMSA). Previous public comment was solicited on these EFPs, which would allow up to 20 commercial vessels to conduct an experimental demersal longline fishery for haddock in Georges Bank (GB) Closed Area (CA) II and portions of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area. This action would revise these EFPs by including an exemption from the May GB Seasonal Closure Area. This fishery would take place at various times from May 2005 through February 2006. The purpose of the proposed study is to determine if hook-and-line gear could be used to target haddock with minimal bycatch of cod in order to establish potential future Special Access Programs (SAPs) in these areas as allowed under Amendment 13 to the FMP.