81_FR_20436 81 FR 20369 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

81 FR 20369 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 67 (April 7, 2016)

Page Range20369-20369
FR Document2016-07984

The NMFS Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, has made a preliminary determination that an exempted fishing permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This exempted fishing permit would allow a commercial lobster fishing vessel in collaboration with the University of New England to conduct research on the injury and mortality of Atlantic cod caught as bycatch in lobster traps fished in the Gulf of Maine. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for a proposed exempted fishing permit.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 20369]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07984]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE550


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.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, has made a preliminary 
determination that an exempted fishing permit application contains all 
of the required information and warrants further consideration. This 
exempted fishing permit would allow a commercial lobster fishing vessel 
in collaboration with the University of New England to conduct research 
on the injury and mortality of Atlantic cod caught as bycatch in 
lobster traps fished in the Gulf of Maine.
    Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for a 
proposed exempted fishing permit.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 22, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on 2016 UNE Atlantic Cod Bycatch from Lobster Traps EFP.''
     Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Greater Atlantic Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, 
MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``2016 UNE Atlantic Cod 
Bycatch from Lobster Traps EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 282-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The University of New England (UNE) 
submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) 
to assess injury and mortality of cod caught as bycatch in lobster 
traps fished in the Gulf of Maine (GOM). This EFP would exempt a 
commercial lobster fishing vessel from the prohibition on landing 
Northeast (NE) multispecies established under the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) at 50 CFR 
648.14(k)(1)(i)(B). The vessel would also be exempt from the possession 
limits and minimum size requirements specified in 50 CFR part 648, 
subparts B and D through O. The exemption from the prohibition on 
landing NE multispecies would allow the vessel to retain cod to 
evaluate injuries resulting from their catch. The possession limit and 
minimum size requirement exemptions would allow the vessel's crew to 
tag cod with acoustic transmitters and collect biological data before 
cod and other bycaught species are returned to sea. The EFP would allow 
these exemptions from May through October 2016. The data from this 
study are designed to provide fisheries managers information on cod 
discard mortality associated with the GOM lobster fishery. The NMFS 
Bycatch Reduction Engineering program funds this project.
    If the EFP is approved, the participating lobster vessel would 
deploy 400 traps in statistical area 513. Lobster traps would be hauled 
twice a week for 24 weeks, with a soak time of approximately 48-72 
hours for each trip. The crew of the vessel would collect viability 
data for cod bycatch as outlined in the research proposal. A subsample 
(n = 100) of cod would be tagged with acoustic transmitters and 
released. The tagged cod would be monitored by an array of 30 acoustic 
receivers to evaluate acute and delayed mortality in their natural 
environment. Approximately 10 cod would be retained and landed each 
month to assess barotrauma and other physical effects of their capture. 
UNE research staff would accompany each trip in which cod are tagged or 
retained as part of the study. The vessel will retain the previously 
mentioned 10 cod per sampling month and all legal lobsters will be 
retained and sold. All other animals captured in the traps would be 
returned to the sea as soon as possible.
    If approved, the applicants 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 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: April 4, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-07984 Filed 4-6-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 67 / Thursday, April 7, 2016 / Notices 20369 notification to request inactive status for and warrants further consideration. This Bycatch Reduction Engineering program a small tuna purse seine vessel or for exempted fishing permit would allow a funds this project. written notification of the intent to commercial lobster fishing vessel in If the EFP is approved, the transfer a tuna purse seine vessel to collaboration with the University of participating lobster vessel would foreign registry and flag; 60 minutes for New England to conduct research on the deploy 400 traps in statistical area 513. a tuna tracking form or for a monthly injury and mortality of Atlantic cod Lobster traps would be hauled twice a tuna receiving report; 30 minutes for caught as bycatch in lobster traps fished week for 24 weeks, with a soak time of IMO application or exemption request; in the Gulf of Maine. approximately 48–72 hours for each 30 minutes for chain of custody Regulations under the Magnuson- trip. The crew of the vessel would recordkeeping reporting requirement. Stevens Fishery Conservation and collect viability data for cod bycatch as Estimated Total Annual Burden Management Act require publication of outlined in the research proposal. A Hours: 248. this notification to provide interested subsample (n = 100) of cod would be Estimated Total Annual Cost to parties the opportunity to comment on tagged with acoustic transmitters and Public: $4,578. applications for a proposed exempted released. The tagged cod would be IV. Request for Comments fishing permit. monitored by an array of 30 acoustic DATES: Comments must be received on receivers to evaluate acute and delayed Comments are invited on: (a) Whether mortality in their natural environment. the proposed collection of information or before April 22, 2016. Approximately 10 cod would be is necessary for the proper performance ADDRESSES: You may submit written retained and landed each month to of the functions of the agency, including comments by any of the following assess barotrauma and other physical whether the information shall have methods: effects of their capture. UNE research practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the • Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov. staff would accompany each trip in agency’s estimate of the burden Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments which cod are tagged or retained as part (including hours and cost) of the on 2016 UNE Atlantic Cod Bycatch from of the study. The vessel will retain the proposed collection of information; (c) Lobster Traps EFP.’’ previously mentioned 10 cod per ways to enhance the quality, utility, and • Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional sampling month and all legal lobsters clarity of the information to be Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic will be retained and sold. All other collected; and (d) ways to minimize the Regional Office, 55 Great Republic animals captured in the traps would be burden of the collection of information Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the returned to the sea as soon as possible. on respondents, including through the outside of the envelope ‘‘2016 UNE If approved, the applicants may use of automated collection techniques Atlantic Cod Bycatch from Lobster request minor modifications and or other forms of information Traps EFP.’’ extensions to the EFP throughout the technology. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid year. EFP modifications and extensions Comments submitted in response to may be granted without further notice if Lichwell, Fishery Management this notice will be summarized and/or they are deemed essential to facilitate Specialist, (978) 282–9112. included in the request for OMB completion of the proposed research approval of this information collection; SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The University of New England (UNE) and have minimal impacts that do not they also will become a matter of public change the scope of the initially record. submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to assess approved EFP request. Any fishing Dated: April 4, 2016. injury and mortality of cod caught as activity conducted outside the scope of Sarah Brabson, bycatch in lobster traps fished in the the exempted fishing activity would be NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. Gulf of Maine (GOM). This EFP would prohibited. [FR Doc. 2016–07976 Filed 4–6–16; 8:45 am] exempt a commercial lobster fishing Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P vessel from the prohibition on landing Dated: April 4, 2016. Northeast (NE) multispecies established Emily H. Menashes, under the Northeast Multispecies DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fishery Management Plan (FMP) at 50 Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. CFR 648.14(k)(1)(i)(B). The vessel would National Oceanic and Atmospheric [FR Doc. 2016–07984 Filed 4–6–16; 8:45 am] also be exempt from the possession Administration BILLING CODE 3510–22–P limits and minimum size requirements RIN 0648–XE550 specified in 50 CFR part 648, subparts B and D through O. The exemption from Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; the prohibition on landing NE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE General Provisions for Domestic multispecies would allow the vessel to Fisheries; Application for Exempted Department of the Air Force retain cod to evaluate injuries resulting Fishing Permits from their catch. The possession limit [Docket ID: USAF–2016–HQ–0003] AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries and minimum size requirement exemptions would allow the vessel’s Privacy Act of 1974; System of Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Records Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), crew to tag cod with acoustic Commerce. transmitters and collect biological data AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES ACTION: Notice; request for comments. before cod and other bycaught species DoD. are returned to sea. The EFP would ACTION:Notice to alter a System of SUMMARY: The NMFS Assistant Regional allow these exemptions from May Records. Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, through October 2016. The data from Greater Atlantic Region, has made a this study are designed to provide SUMMARY: The Department of the Air preliminary determination that an fisheries managers information on cod Force proposes to alter a system of exempted fishing permit application discard mortality associated with the records notice, System Identifier, F036 contains all of the required information GOM lobster fishery. The NMFS AFMC D, entitled ‘‘Education/Training VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:35 Apr 06, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\07APN1.SGM 07APN1


Document Created: 2016-04-06 23:43:46
Document Modified: 2016-04-06 23:43:46
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice; request for comments.
DatesComments must be received on or before April 22, 2016.
ContactReid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 282-9112.
FR Citation81 FR 20369 
RIN Number0648-XE55
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