81 FR 45459 - 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 135 (July 14, 2016)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 135 (July 14, 2016)
| Page Range | 45459-45460 | |
| FR Document | 2016-16675 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 135 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 45459-45460] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-16675] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XE691 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The Exempted Fishing Permit would allow one commercial fishing vessel to fish outside of the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass regulations in support of research conducted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension. These exemptions would enable research designed to quantify codend mesh selectivity for summer flounder, black sea bass, and scup. 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 proposed Exempted Fishing Permits. DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 29, 2016. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods:Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line ``CCE FSB mesh selectivity 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 CCE FSB mesh selectivity EFP.'' Fax: (978) 281-9135. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Scheimer, Fisheries Management Specialist, 978-281-9236. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on June 6, 2016. They are seeking regulatory exemptions to allow gear research to be conducted on a commercial vessel fishing for a project funded by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's collaborative research initiative. The EFP would authorize exemptions from the minimum mesh size and net modification requirements found at 50 CFR 648.108, 648.125, and 648.144. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited, including landing fish in excess of a possession limit or below the minimum size. Experimental fishing activity would compare the composition, commercial yield, retention efficiency, discards, and size selectivity of five different codends in the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass commercial bottom trawl fishery in the Mid-Atlantic. The current regulated mesh sizes are 5.5-inch (13.97-cm) diamond or 6-inch (15.24- cm) square for summer flounder, 5-inch (12.7-cm) diamond for scup, and 4.5-inch (11.43-cm) diamond for black sea bass. This project would test diamond mesh in 4.5-inch (11.43-cm), 5-inch (12.7-cm), 5.5-inch (13.97- cm), 6-inch (15.24-cm), and 6-inch (15.24-cm) square mesh. The research would be conducted on a commercial fishing vessel using a trouser trawl that would allow an experimental codend and the control codend to be fished at the same time. The control codend would be a standard squid liner with 6-cm diamond mesh. The researchers would conduct the experiment across the wide range of strata and conditions representative of this fishery. Tow speeds, tow cable [[Page 45460]] scope, and tow cable length would be consistent across all tows. The researchers propose to conduct 20 tows per experimental codend, for a total of 100 tows. Up to 20 days of fishing would occur between August 15 and December 31, 2016, south of Block Island and Long Island, in statistical areas 539, 613, 612, and 611. The researchers would not fish in the scup gear restricted areas or the Summer Flounder Fishery Sea Turtle Protection Area. Onboard catch processing would follow NMFS trawl survey standards. Total summer flounder, black sea bass, and scup would be weighed for each tow. Researchers will target a minimum of 200 random length measurements of each species to be sampled for each tow, but if fewer individuals are caught then all would be measured. CCE's anticipated catch is shown in table 1. Table 1--Total Estimated Catch for 100 Tows During Mesh Selectivity Study ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Legal Sub-legal ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summer Flounder.................... 18,000 lb (8.1 mt)................... 9,000 lb (4.0 mt). Black Sea Bass..................... 27,000 lb (12.2 mt).................. 13,500 lb (6.1 mt). Scup............................... 50,000 (22.7 mt)..................... 25,000 lb (11.3 mt). Incidental Catch: Skates......................... 30,000 lb (13.6 mt).................. Dogfish spiny & smooth......... 30,000 lb (13.6 mt).................. Whiting (silver hake).......... 30,000 lb (13.6 mt).................. Ling (red hake)................ 15,000 lb (6.8 mt)................... Squid (longfin)................ 10,000 lb (4.5 mt)................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CCE would contract one commercial fishing vessel that is licensed for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass in both New Jersey and New York. Fish would be landed and sold according to the appropriate state limits and be applied against the applicable annual catch limit. CCE would direct all experimental fishing activities that would occur under this EFP. This exemption may increase bycatch numbers beyond those that would normally occur within the fishery; however, the additional mortality will not exceed any catch limits and is therefore negligible. Bycatch will be returned to the water as quickly as possible to reduce mortality. If approved, the applicant 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 or impact of the initially approved EFP request. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 11, 2016. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016-16675 Filed 7-13-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 135 / Thursday, July 14, 2016 / Notices 45459
ex-vessel value of crab harvested under 1.60 percent for the 2016/2017 crab applications for proposed Exempted
the Program. The Program provides that fishing year. This is an increase of 0.12 Fishing Permits.
a proportional share of fees charged for percent from the 2015/2016 fee DATES: Comments must be received on
management and enforcement be percentage of 1.48 percent (80 FR 42792, or before July 29, 2016.
forwarded to the State of Alaska for its July 20, 2015). The change in the fee ADDRESSES: You may submit written
share of management and data percentage from 2015/2016 to 2016/ comments by any of the following
collection costs for the Program. The 2017 is due to an increase in Alaska methods:
cost recovery provision also requires the Department of Fish and Game • Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov.
harvesting and processing sectors to management costs. These additional Include in the subject line ‘‘CCE FSB
each pay half the cost recovery fees. costs were necessary to process, mesh selectivity EFP.’’
Catcher/processor quota shareholders analyze, and report fishery data for • Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional
are required to pay the full fee monitoring and management of the crab Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic
percentage for crab processed at sea. fisheries in the Program. Additionally, Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great
A crab allocation holder generally the value of crab harvested under the Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
incurs a cost recovery fee liability for Program decreased by $1.6 million. This Mark the outside of the envelope
every pound of crab landed. The crab decrease in value of the fishery ‘‘Comments on CCE FSB mesh
allocations include Individual Fishing contributed to the increase in the fee selectivity EFP.’’
Quota, Crew Individual Fishing Quota, percentage between 2015/2016 and • Fax: (978) 281–9135.
Individual Processing Quota, 2016/2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Community Development Quota, and
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1862; Pub. L. 109– Elizabeth Scheimer, Fisheries
the Adak community allocation. The 241; Pub. L. 109–479. Management Specialist, 978–281–9236.
Registered Crab Receiver (RCR) permit
holder must collect the fee liability from SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cornell
Dated: July 11, 2016.
the crab allocation holder who is Cooperative Extension (CCE) submitted
Emily H. Menashes,
landing crab. Additionally, the RCR a complete application for an Exempted
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fishing Permit (EFP) on June 6, 2016.
permit holder must collect his or her Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
own fee liability for all crab delivered to They are seeking regulatory exemptions
[FR Doc. 2016–16655 Filed 7–13–16; 8:45 am] to allow gear research to be conducted
the RCR. The RCR permit holder is
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P on a commercial vessel fishing for a
responsible for submitting this payment
to NMFS on or before July 31, in the project funded by the Mid-Atlantic
year following the crab fishing year in Fishery Management Council’s
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE collaborative research initiative. The
which landings of crab were made.
The dollar amount of the fee due is National Oceanic and Atmospheric EFP would authorize exemptions from
determined by multiplying the fee Administration the minimum mesh size and net
percentage (not to exceed 3 percent) by modification requirements found at 50
the ex-vessel value of crab debited from RIN 0648–XE691 CFR 648.108, 648.125, and 648.144. Any
the allocation. Specific details on the fishing activity conducted outside the
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; scope of the exempted fishing activity
Program’s cost recovery provision may
General Provisions for Domestic would be prohibited, including landing
be found in the implementing
Fisheries; Application for Exempted fish in excess of a possession limit or
regulations at 50 CFR 680.44.
Fishing Permits below the minimum size.
Fee Percentage Experimental fishing activity would
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Each year, NMFS calculates and Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and compare the composition, commercial
publishes in the Federal Register the fee Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), yield, retention efficiency, discards, and
percentage according to the factors and Commerce. size selectivity of five different codends
methodology described in Federal ACTION: Notice; request for comments. in the summer flounder, scup, and black
regulations at § 680.44(c)(2). The sea bass commercial bottom trawl
formula for determining the fee SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional fishery in the Mid-Atlantic. The current
percentage is the ‘‘direct program costs’’ Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, regulated mesh sizes are 5.5-inch (13.97-
divided by ‘‘value of the fishery,’’ where Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has cm) diamond or 6-inch (15.24-cm)
‘‘direct program costs’’ are the direct made a preliminary determination that square for summer flounder, 5-inch
program costs for the Program for the an Exempted Fishing Permit application (12.7-cm) diamond for scup, and 4.5-
previous fiscal year, and ‘‘value of the contains all of the required information inch (11.43-cm) diamond for black sea
fishery’’ is the ex-vessel value of the and warrants further consideration. The bass. This project would test diamond
catch subject to the crab cost recovery Exempted Fishing Permit would allow mesh in 4.5-inch (11.43-cm), 5-inch
fee liability for the current year. Fee one commercial fishing vessel to fish (12.7-cm), 5.5-inch (13.97-cm), 6-inch
collections for any given year may be outside of the summer flounder, scup, (15.24-cm), and 6-inch (15.24-cm)
less than, or greater than, the actual and black sea bass regulations in square mesh.
costs and fishery value for that year, support of research conducted by the The research would be conducted on
because, by regulation, the fee Cornell Cooperative Extension. These a commercial fishing vessel using a
percentage is established in the first exemptions would enable research trouser trawl that would allow an
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
quarter of a crab fishery year based on designed to quantify codend mesh experimental codend and the control
the fishery value and the costs of the selectivity for summer flounder, black codend to be fished at the same time.
prior year. sea bass, and scup. The control codend would be a standard
Based upon the fee percentage Regulations under the Magnuson- squid liner with 6-cm diamond mesh.
formula described above, the estimated Stevens Fishery Conservation and The researchers would conduct the
percentage of costs to value for the Management Act require publication of experiment across the wide range of
2015/2016 fishery was 1.60 percent. this notification to provide interested strata and conditions representative of
Therefore, the fee percentage will be parties the opportunity to comment on this fishery. Tow speeds, tow cable
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![45460 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 135 / Thursday, July 14, 2016 / Notices
scope, and tow cable length would be areas 539, 613, 612, and 611. The tow. Researchers will target a minimum
consistent across all tows. The researchers would not fish in the scup of 200 random length measurements of
researchers propose to conduct 20 tows gear restricted areas or the Summer each species to be sampled for each tow,
per experimental codend, for a total of Flounder Fishery Sea Turtle Protection but if fewer individuals are caught then
100 tows. Up to 20 days of fishing Area. Onboard catch processing would all would be measured. CCE’s
would occur between August 15 and follow NMFS trawl survey standards. anticipated catch is shown in table 1.
December 31, 2016, south of Block Total summer flounder, black sea bass,
Island and Long Island, in statistical and scup would be weighed for each
TABLE 1—TOTAL ESTIMATED CATCH FOR 100 TOWS DURING MESH SELECTIVITY STUDY
Species Legal Sub-legal
Summer Flounder ................................................................................................................... 18,000 lb (8.1 mt) .......... 9,000 lb (4.0 mt).
Black Sea Bass ...................................................................................................................... 27,000 lb (12.2 mt) ........ 13,500 lb (6.1 mt).
Scup ........................................................................................................................................ 50,000 (22.7 mt) ............ 25,000 lb (11.3 mt).
Incidental Catch:
Skates .............................................................................................................................. 30,000 lb (13.6 mt).
Dogfish spiny & smooth .................................................................................................. 30,000 lb (13.6 mt).
Whiting (silver hake) ........................................................................................................ 30,000 lb (13.6 mt).
Ling (red hake) ................................................................................................................ 15,000 lb (6.8 mt).
Squid (longfin) ................................................................................................................. 10,000 lb (4.5 mt).
CCE would contract one commercial DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE meetings.html for directions to the
fishing vessel that is licensed for meeting location.
summer flounder, scup, and black sea National Oceanic and Atmospheric Status: The meeting will be open to
bass in both New Jersey and New York. Administration public participation with a 15-minute
Fish would be landed and sold public comment period on August 2
Science Advisory Board; Meetings from 12:30–12:45 p.m. CDT (check Web
according to the appropriate state limits
and be applied against the applicable AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and site to confirm time). The SAB expects
annual catch limit. CCE would direct all Atmospheric Research (OAR), National that public statements presented at its
experimental fishing activities that Oceanic and Atmospheric meetings will not be repetitive of
would occur under this EFP. This Administration (NOAA), Department of previously submitted verbal or written
exemption may increase bycatch Commerce (DOC). statements. In general, each individual
numbers beyond those that would or group making a verbal presentation
ACTION: Notice of open meeting. will be limited to a total time of two (2)
normally occur within the fishery;
however, the additional mortality will minutes. Individuals or groups planning
SUMMARY: The Science Advisory Board to make a verbal presentation should
not exceed any catch limits and is (SAB) was established by a Decision contact the SAB Acting Executive
therefore negligible. Bycatch will be Memorandum dated September 25, Director by July 26, 2016 to schedule
returned to the water as quickly as 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory their presentation. Written comments
possible to reduce mortality. Committee with responsibility to advise should be received in the SAB
If approved, the applicant may the Under Secretary of Commerce for Executive Director’s Office by July 26,
request minor modifications and Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies 2016, to provide sufficient time for SAB
extensions to the EFP throughout the for research, education, and application review. Written comments received by
year. EFP modifications and extensions of science to operations and information the SAB Executive Director after July 26,
may be granted without further notice if services. SAB activities and advice 2016, will be distributed to the SAB, but
they are deemed essential to facilitate provide necessary input to ensure that may not be reviewed prior to the
completion of the proposed research National Oceanic and Atmospheric meeting date. Seating at the meeting
and have minimal impacts that do not Administration (NOAA) science will be available on a first-come, first-
programs are of the highest quality and served basis.
change the scope or impact of the
provide optimal support to resource Special Accommodations: These
initially approved EFP request.
management. meetings are physically accessible to
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Time and Date: The meeting will be people with disabilities. Requests for
Dated: July 11, 2016. held Tuesday August 2 from 9:15 a.m. special accommodations may be
Emily H. Menashes, CDT to 5:30 p.m. CDT and on directed no later than 12:00 p.m. on July
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Wednesday August 3 from 8:15 a.m. 26, 2016, to Dr. Cynthia Decker, SAB
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. CDT to 1:30 p.m. CDT. These times and Executive Director, SSMC3, Room
the agenda topics described below are 11230, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
[FR Doc. 2016–16675 Filed 7–13–16; 8:45 am]
subject to change. Please refer to the Spring, MD 20910; Email:
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Web page http://www.sab.noaa.gov/ Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov.
Meetings/meetings.html for the most up- Matters To Be Considered: The
to-date meeting times and agenda. meeting will include the following
Place: The meeting will be held at the topics: (1) Report on Arctic Research
Bryant Conference Center, 240 Paul W. Review from the Ecosystem Sciences
Bryant Dr., Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Please and Management Working Group; (2)
check the SAB Web site http:// Updates from the NOAA Administrator
www.sab.noaa.gov/Meetings/ and Chief Scientist; (3) NOAA Response
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Document Created: 2016-07-14 01:54:47
Document Modified: 2016-07-14 01:54:47
| 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 29, 2016. | |
| Contact | Elizabeth Scheimer, Fisheries Management Specialist, 978-281-9236. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 45459 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE69 |
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