[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19457-19459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07218]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XX053]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit
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
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in support of the 2020 Study
Fleet Program contains all of the required information and warrants
further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt
participating vessels from minimum fish sizes and possession limits for
species of interest, for sampling purposes only.
[[Page 19458]]
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested
parties the opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing Permit
applications.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 22, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following
methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
``NEFSC STUDY FLEET EFP.''
Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS,
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``NEFSC STUDY
FLEET EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Fenton, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9196.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(Center) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing
Permit (EFP) in support of the 2020 Study Fleet Program. This EFP would
exempt 19 commercial fishing vessels from minimum fish sizes and
possession limits for species of interest, as well as allow temporary
retention of species prior to discarding.
The Center established the Study Fleet Program in 2002 to more
fully characterize commercial fishing operations and provide sampling
opportunities to augment NMFS's data collection programs. As part of
the program, the Center contracts commercial fishing vessels to collect
biological data and fish specimens for the Center to use in research
relevant to stock assessments and fish biology. The Center's Study
Fleet Program trains participating captains and crew to conduct at-sea
sampling consistent with Center sampling protocols for survey and
observer programs. During EFP trips, crew would sort, weigh, and
measure fish prior to discarding. During sampling, some discarded fish
would remain on deck slightly longer than they would under normal
sorting procedures. Exemptions from minimum fish sizes and possession
restrictions would allow vessels to temporarily retain catch for at-sea
sampling.
Table 1 lists the regulations from which participating vessels
would be exempt for at-sea sampling or when retaining and landing fish
for research purposes. The exemptions listed in Table 1 are necessary
for contracted vessels to acquire the biological samples needed to meet
Center research objectives.
Table 1--List of Vessel Exemptions for Retaining and Landing Fish
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020 Study fleet program EFP
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Vessels.................... 19.
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part Minimum fish sizes
648.
Sec. 648.83 Northeast
multispecies minimum fish sizes
for redfish, yellowtail
flounder, and winter flounder.
Possession restrictions
Sec. 648.86(a) Haddock.
Sec. 648.86(g) Yellowtail
flounder.
Sec. 648.94 Monkfish.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
When directed by the Center, participating vessels would also be
authorized to retain and land specific amounts of fish exceeding
possession limits and/or below minimum fish sizes, for research
purposes only. The captain or crew would deliver these fish to Center
staff upon landing. In these limited circumstances, the Study Fleet
Program would give participating vessels a formal biological sampling
request prior to landing. This would ensure that the landed fish do not
exceed any collection needs of the Study Fleet, as detailed in Table 2.
Table 2--Study Fleet Program's Biological Sample Collection Needs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individual fish
Species Stock area * Gear types Collection per collection Maximum weight Maximum allowance
frequency period allowed per trip
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acadian redfish................. GOM............... OTF............... Monthly (Mar-July) 50 per month...... 150 lb (331 kg)... 750 lb (1,653 kg).
Haddock......................... GOM, GB........... OTF, DRS.......... Monthly (Dec-Mar). 80 per week (40 300 lb (661 kg)... 4,800 lb (10,582
from each stock kg).
area).
Winter flounder................. GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, DRS.......... Monthly (Jan-Apr). 120 per week (40 160 lb (353 kg)... 3,840 lb (8,466
from each stock kg).
area).
Yellowtail flounder............. GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, DRS.......... Monthly (Jan-Apr). 120 per week (40 90 lb (198 kg).... 2,160 lb (4,762
from each stock kg).
area).
Monkfish........................ SNE............... OTF............... Twice............. 10 per trip....... 120 lb (295 kg)... 240 lb (529 kg).
Butterfish...................... SNE............... OTM............... Twice............. 20 per trip....... 10 lb (22 kg)..... 20 lb (44 kg).
Atlantic mackerel............... SNE............... OTM............... Twice............. 20 per trip....... 10 lb (22 kg)..... 20 lb (44 kg).
Shortfin squid.................. Any Area.......... OTM, OTF.......... Monthly (Dec-Mar). 30 per month...... 15 lb (33 kg)..... 60 lb (132 kg).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GB), Southern New England (SNE)
# Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF), bottom longline (LLB), sink gillnet (GNS), sea scallop dredge (DRS), fish pot (PTF), hand lines, auto jig
(HND), purse seine (PUR), otter trawl midwater (OTM), pair trawl midwater (PTM).
[[Page 19459]]
All catch would be attributed to the appropriate commercial fishing
quota. For a vessel fishing on a groundfish sector trip, all catch of
groundfish stocks allocated to sectors would be deducted from the
vessel's sector's annual catch entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a
stock has been reached in a sector, vessels would no longer be allowed
to fish in that stock area unless the sector acquired additional ACE
for the stock in question. For common pool vessels, all groundfish
catch would be counted toward the appropriate trimester total allowable
catch (TAC). Common pool vessels would be exempt from possession and
trip limits on EFP trips when directed for sampling by the Center, but
would still be subject to trimester TAC closures.
If approved, the Center 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 impact that does 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: April 1, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07218 Filed 4-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P