80 FR 36323 - Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 121 (June 24, 2015)

Page Range		36323-36325
FR Document		2015-15522

The NMFS Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application from the University of Rhode Island contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. 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 Exempted Fishing Permit applications.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36323-36325]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15522]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD986


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 NMFS Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, has made a preliminary 
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application from the 
University of Rhode Island contains all of the required information and 
warrants further consideration. 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 Exempted Fishing Permit applications.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on URI Bycatch Study EFP.''
     Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on 
URI Bycatch Study EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Murphy, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9122.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The University of Rhode Island (URI) 
submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) 
to conduct a 1-year lobster trap study that Federal regulations would 
otherwise restrict. The purpose of this study is to provide data on the 
effect of alternative escape vent designs on Jonah crab and lobster 
catch in an attempt to improve the retention of Jonah crabs while not 
increasing catch of sub-legal lobsters. This EFP proposes to test the 
modified vents over a wide range of Federal waters throughout Lobster 
Management Areas 2 and 3, covering statistical areas 515, 521, 526, 
537, and 616 (see Figure 1).
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[[Page 36324]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24JN15.002

    Site selection would be based on each vessel's commercial fishing 
habits. URI is conducting this study to field test laboratory 
hypotheses that vents smaller than the minimum 5\3/4\-inch (14.61-cm) 
regulatory size will allow for greater retention of Jonah crab without 
increasing lobster mortality. This is in response to the development of 
a draft Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah Crab that proposes 
a range of legal harvest width alternatives from no minimum size to 5.5 
inches (13.97 cm). These proposed minimum sizes are smaller than the 
legal vent size length of 5\3/4\ inches (14.61 cm) for Federal lobster 
gear. Funding for this lobster trap escape vent study is provided by a 
2014 NOAA Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program grant.
    URI is requesting exemptions from the following regulations to 
allow commercial lobster vessels to set, haul, and retain on-board the 
experimental traps:

[[Page 36325]]

     Trap limit requirements to allow each vessel to fish 15 
traps more than each vessel's allocation,
     Gear specification requirements to allow for the use of 
smaller than required and closed escape vents, and
     Trap tag requirements to allow for untagged traps.
    Each vessel will use five each of the three modified traps for 
sampling: Ventless; smaller vent length of 3\1/2\ inches (8.89 cm); and 
smaller vent length of 3\9/16\ inches (9.05 inches).
    The EFP would authorize participating vessels to deploy up to three 
modified traps within their normal trawl configuration, not to exceed a 
total deployment of 15 modified traps across all trawls, per vessel. 
Traps will be hauled during normal commercial fishing activity, at 
least bi-monthly over the course of six months, up to one year. Catch 
from modified traps will be held briefly on-board vessels to record 
measurements and sex of crabs and lobster, trap vent type, and soak 
time. After data are recorded, the applicant states that all catch from 
modified traps will be promptly discarded and no catch from modified 
traps would be retained for sale. All catch data would be collected by 
the vessel captain and crew.
    If approved, URI may request minor modifications and extensions to 
the EFP throughout the study. 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: June 19, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-15522 Filed 6-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 121 / Wednesday, June 24, 2015 / Notices 36323

households; federal government; state, International Whaling Commission Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
local or tribal Government. (IWC). In order to respond to obligations Commerce.
Frequency: On occasion. under the International Convention for
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. the Regulation of Whaling, and the IWC, ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
This information collection request captains participating in these
may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow operations must submit certain SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Regional
the instructions to view Department of information to the relevant Native Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries,
Commerce collections currently under American whaling organization about Greater Atlantic Region, has made a
review by OMB. strikes on and catch of whales. Anyone preliminary determination that an
Written comments and retrieving a dead whale is also required Exempted Fishing Permit application
recommendations for the proposed to report. Captains must place a from the University of Rhode Island
information collection should be sent distinctive permanent identification contains all of the required information
within 30 days of publication of this mark on any harpoon, lance, or and warrants further consideration.
notice to OIRA_Submission@ explosive dart used, and must also Regulations under the Magnuson-
omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806. provide information on the mark and Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Dated: June 18, 2015. self-identification information. The Management Act and the Atlantic
Sarah Brabson, relevant Native American whaling Coastal Fisheries Cooperative
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. organization receives the reports, Management Act require publication of
[FR Doc. 2015–15448 Filed 6–23–15; 8:45 am] compiles them, and submits the this notification to provide interested
BILLING CODE 3510–HR–P
information to NOAA. parties the opportunity to comment on
The information is used to monitor Exempted Fishing Permit applications.
the hunt and to ensure that quotas are
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE not exceeded. The information is also DATES: Comments must be received on
provided to the International Whaling or before July 9, 2015.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Commission (IWC), which uses it to ADDRESSES: You may submit written
Administration monitor compliance with its
comments by any of the following
requirements.
Submission for OMB Review; Affected Public: Individuals or methods:
Comment Request households; state, local or tribal • Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov.
governments. Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments
The Department of Commerce will Frequency: On occasion. on URI Bycatch Study EFP.’’
submit to the Office of Management and Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Budget (OMB) for clearance the • Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional
This information collection request
following proposal for collection of may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic
information under the provisions of the the instructions to view Department of Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Commerce collections currently under Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Chapter 35). review by OMB. Written comments and Mark the outside of the envelope
Agency: National Oceanic and recommendations for the proposed ‘‘Comments on URI Bycatch Study
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). information collection should be sent EFP.’’
Title: Report of Whaling Operations. within 30 days of publication of this
OMB Control Number: 0648–0311. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
notice to OIRA_Submission@
Form Number(s): None. Allison Murphy, Fishery Policy Analyst,
Type of Request: Regular (extension of omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806.
978–281–9122.
a currently approved information Dated: June 18, 2015.
collection). Sarah Brabson, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Number of Respondents: 158. NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. University of Rhode Island (URI)
Average Hours per Response: 30 [FR Doc. 2015–15447 Filed 6–23–15; 8:45 am]
submitted a complete application for an
minutes for reports on whales struck or Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
on recovery of dead whales, including conduct a 1-year lobster trap study that
providing the information to the Federal regulations would otherwise
relevant Native American whaling DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE restrict. The purpose of this study is to
organization; 5 minutes for the relevant provide data on the effect of alternative
Native American whaling organization National Oceanic and Atmospheric escape vent designs on Jonah crab and
to type in each report; and 5 hours for Administration lobster catch in an attempt to improve
the relevant Native American whaling the retention of Jonah crabs while not
RIN 0648–XD986
organization to consolidate and submit increasing catch of sub-legal lobsters.
reports. Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative This EFP proposes to test the modified
Burden Hours: 45. Management Act Provisions; General vents over a wide range of Federal
Needs and Uses: This request is for Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; waters throughout Lobster Management
extension of a current information Application for Exempted Fishing Areas 2 and 3, covering statistical areas
collection. Permits
Native Americans may conduct 515, 521, 526, 537, and 616 (see Figure
certain aboriginal subsistence whaling AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 1).
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

in accordance with the provisions of the Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and BILLING CODE 3510–22–C

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 121 / Wednesday, June 24, 2015 / Notices 36325

• Trap limit requirements to allow SUMMARY: In accordance with the respondents, including through the use
each vessel to fish 15 traps more than Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 of information technology. Please note
each vessel’s allocation, U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is that written comments received in
• Gear specification requirements to proposing a new information collection. response to this notice will be
allow for the use of smaller than DATES: Interested persons are invited to considered public records.
required and closed escape vents, and submit comments on or before August Title of Collection: School Climate
• Trap tag requirements to allow for 24, 2015. Surveys (SCLS) Benchmark Study 2016.
untagged traps. ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in OMB Control Number: 1850–NEW.
Each vessel will use five each of the response to this notice should be
three modified traps for sampling: submitted electronically through the Type of Review: A new information
Ventless; smaller vent length of 31⁄2 Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// collection.
inches (8.89 cm); and smaller vent www.regulations.gov by selecting Respondents/Affected Public:
length of 39⁄16 inches (9.05 inches). Docket ID number ED–2015–ICCD–0081 Individuals.
The EFP would authorize or via postal mail, commercial delivery, Total Estimated Number of Annual
participating vessels to deploy up to or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov Responses: 358,649.
three modified traps within their normal site is not available to the public for any Total Estimated Number of Annual
trawl configuration, not to exceed a total reason, ED will temporarily accept Burden Hours: 190,665.
deployment of 15 modified traps across comments at ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
all trawls, per vessel. Traps will be Please note that comments submitted by Abstract: The School Climate Surveys
hauled during normal commercial fax or email and those submitted after (SCLS) are a suite of survey instruments
fishing activity, at least bi-monthly over the comment period will not be being developed for schools, districts,
the course of six months, up to one year. accepted; ED will ONLY accept and states by the U.S. Department of
Catch from modified traps will be held comments during the comment period Education’s (ED) National Center for
briefly on-board vessels to record in this mailbox when the regulations.gov Education Statistics (NCES). This
measurements and sex of crabs and site is not available. Written requests for national effort extends current activities
lobster, trap vent type, and soak time. information or comments submitted by that measure school climate, including
After data are recorded, the applicant postal mail or delivery should be the state-level efforts of the Safe and
states that all catch from modified traps addressed to the Director of the Supportive Schools (S3) grantees, which
will be promptly discarded and no catch Information Collection Clearance were awarded funds in 2010 by the ED’s
from modified traps would be retained Division, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students
for sale. All catch data would be 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, (OSHS) to improve school climate.
collected by the vessel captain and Mailstop L–OM–2–2E319, Room 2E105, Through the SCLS, schools nationwide
crew. Washington, DC 20202. will have access to survey instruments
If approved, URI may request minor FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
and a survey platform that will allow for
modifications and extensions to the EFP specific questions related to collection the collection and reporting of school
throughout the study. EFP modifications activities, please contact Kashka, climate data across stakeholders at the
and extensions may be granted without Kubzdela 202–502–7411. local level. The surveys can be used to
further notice if they are deemed produce school-, district-, and state-
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
essential to facilitate completion of the level scores on various indicators of
Department of Education (ED), in
proposed research and have minimal school climate from the perspectives of
accordance with the Paperwork
impacts that do not change the scope or students, teachers, noninstructional
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
impact of the initially approved EFP school staff and principals, and parents
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
request. Any fishing activity conducted and guardians. This request is to
public and Federal agencies with an
outside the scope of the exempted conduct a national SCLS benchmark
opportunity to comment on proposed,
fishing activity would be prohibited. study, collecting data from a nationally
revised, and continuing collections of
representative sample of schools across
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. information. This helps the Department
the United States, to create a national
Dated: June 19, 2015.
assess the impact of its information
comparison point for users of SCLS. A
collection requirements and minimize
Emily H. Menashes, nationally representative sample of 500
the public’s reporting burden. It also
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable schools serving students in grades 5–12
helps the public understand the
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. will be sampled to participate in the
Department’s information collection
[FR Doc. 2015–15522 Filed 6–23–15; 8:45 am] national benchmark study in spring
requirements and provide the requested
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 2016. The data collected from the
data in the desired format. ED is
sampled schools will be used to
soliciting comments on the proposed
produce national school climate scores
information collection request (ICR) that
on the various topics covered by SCLS,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION is described below. The Department of
which will be released in the updated
Education is especially interested in
[Docket No.: ED–2015–ICCD–0081] SCLS platform and provide a basis for
public comment addressing the
comparison between data collected by
following issues: (1) Is this collection
Agency Information Collection schools and school systems and the
necessary to the proper functions of the
Activities; Comment Request; School national school climate.
Department; (2) will this information be
Climate Surveys (SCLS) Benchmark
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

processed and used in a timely manner; Dated: June 18, 2015.
Study 2016 (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; Stephanie Valentine,
AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences/ (4) how might the Department enhance Acting Director, Information Collection
National Center for Education Statistics the quality, utility, and clarity of the Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy
information to be collected; and (5) how Officer. Office of Management.
(NCES), Department of Education (ED).
might the Department minimize the [FR Doc. 2015–15438 Filed 6–23–15; 8:45 am]
ACTION: Notice.
burden of this collection on the BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

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Document Created: 2015-12-15 14:08:53
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 14:08:53

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice; request for comments.
Dates		Comments must be received on or before July 9, 2015.
Contact		Allison Murphy, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9122.
FR Citation		80 FR 36323
RIN Number		0648-XD98

80 FR 36323 - Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 121 (June 24, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration