82 FR 13977 - 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 82, Issue 50 (March 16, 2017)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 50 (March 16, 2017)
| Page Range | 13977-13977 | |
| FR Document | 2017-05267 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 50 (Thursday, March 16, 2017)] [Notices] [Page 13977] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-05267] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XF216 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 (Assistant Regional Administrator), has made a preliminary determination that an exempted fishing permit application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This permit would allow a commercial fishing vessel to test the economic viability of using electric jigging machines to target pollock in the Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area, and to temporarily retain undersized catch for measurement and data collection. 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 March 31, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods:Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line ``Comments on Rod and Reel Fishing in WGOM Closed Area 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 Electric Jigging Machine Fishing in WGOM Closed Area EFP.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kyle Molton, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9236, [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A commercial fisherman submitted a complete application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) on November 29, 2016, to conduct commercial fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict. The EFP would authorize one vessel to use electric jigging machines in the Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) Closure Area and to temporarily retain undersized catch for measurement and data collection. An identical EFP was issued in 2016, but no experimental fishing occurred under the previously issued EFP due to the timing of the EFP issuance and fish availability. The project, titled ``Utilization of Electric Rod and Reel to Target Pollock in WGOM Closed Area,'' would be conducted by a commercial fisherman as a pilot study to test the economic viability of using electric jigging machines to target pollock while avoiding non- target catch. The study would take place in the WGOM Closure Area, from June through August 2017, with one vessel planning to fish up to 5 days per month for a total of approximately 15 trips. The exemptions are necessary because vessels on commercial groundfish trips are prohibited from fishing in the WGOM Closure Area and from retaining undersized groundfish. The vessel would use four electric jigging machines for at least 4 to 6 hours per trip, with an additional 5 to 6 hours of steaming, for a total trip of approximately 12 hours. Fishing would primarily occur within the WGOM Closure Area, in the area known as ``The Fingers,'' with some effort being conducted outside the area. The applicant is requesting access to the WGOM Closure Area based on reports that pollock are seasonally concentrated in this area, and the likelihood that they can be targeted with minimal catch of non-target species. A research technician or at-sea monitor would accompany all trips that occur under this EFP to measure and document fish caught, and document fishing gear, bait, location, and fishing conditions to evaluate gear performance. The captain would also document fishing practices. Undersized fish would be discarded as quickly as possible after sampling. All Northeast multispecies of legal size would be landed, and all catch would be attributed to the vessel's sector annual catch entitlement. Proceeds from the sales would be retained by the vessel. The applicant would document ex-vessel price for all sold catch by species and grade for comparison with other harvest methods. The participating vessel would not be exempt from any sector monitoring or reporting requirements. 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: March 13, 2017. Karen H. Abrams, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017-05267 Filed 3-15-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 50 / Thursday, March 16, 2017 / Notices 13977
notification of the return or destruction DATES: Comments must be received on A research technician or at-sea
of APO materials, or conversion to or before March 31, 2017. monitor would accompany all trips that
judicial protective order, is hereby ADDRESSES: You may submit written occur under this EFP to measure and
requested. Failure to comply with the comments by any of the following document fish caught, and document
regulations and terms of an APO is a methods: fishing gear, bait, location, and fishing
violation which is subject to sanction. • Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov. conditions to evaluate gear performance.
Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments The captain would also document
Notification to Interested Parties
on Rod and Reel Fishing in WGOM fishing practices. Undersized fish would
We are issuing and publishing these be discarded as quickly as possible after
Closed Area EFP.’’
results of review in accordance with sampling. All Northeast multispecies of
sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act. • Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional
legal size would be landed, and all catch
Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic
Dated: March 7, 2017. would be attributed to the vessel’s
Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great
Ronald K. Lorentzen, sector annual catch entitlement.
Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Proceeds from the sales would be
Mark the outside of the envelope
and Compliance. retained by the vessel. The applicant
‘‘Comments on Electric Jigging Machine
would document ex-vessel price for all
Appendix—List of Topics Discussed in Fishing in WGOM Closed Area EFP.’’
sold catch by species and grade for
the Final Decision Memorandum FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kyle comparison with other harvest methods.
1. Summary Molton, Fishery Management Specialist, The participating vessel would not be
2. Background 978–281–9236, Kyle.Molton@noaa.gov. exempt from any sector monitoring or
3. Scope of the Order SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A reporting requirements.
4. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and commercial fisherman submitted a If approved, the applicant may
Adverse Inferences complete application for an exempted request minor modifications and
5. Discussion of the Issue extensions to the EFP throughout the
fishing permit (EFP) on November 29,
6. Recommendation year. EFP modifications and extensions
2016, to conduct commercial fishing
[FR Doc. 2017–05276 Filed 3–15–17; 8:45 am] activities that the regulations would may be granted without further notice if
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P otherwise restrict. The EFP would they are deemed essential to facilitate
authorize one vessel to use electric completion of the proposed research
jigging machines in the Western Gulf of and have minimal impacts that do not
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Maine (WGOM) Closure Area and to change the scope or impact of the
temporarily retain undersized catch for initially approved EFP request.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration measurement and data collection. An Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
identical EFP was issued in 2016, but no
RIN 0648–XF216 Dated: March 13, 2017.
experimental fishing occurred under the
Karen H. Abrams,
previously issued EFP due to the timing
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; of the EFP issuance and fish availability. Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
The project, titled ‘‘Utilization of
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Electric Rod and Reel to Target Pollock [FR Doc. 2017–05267 Filed 3–15–17; 8:45 am]
Fishing Permits in WGOM Closed Area,’’ would be BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries conducted by a commercial fisherman
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and as a pilot study to test the economic
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), viability of using electric jigging DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Commerce. machines to target pollock while
avoiding non-target catch. The study Office of the Secretary
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
would take place in the WGOM Closure Revised Non-Foreign Overseas Per
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Area, from June through August 2017, Diem Rates
Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, with one vessel planning to fish up to
Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS 5 days per month for a total of AGENCY: Defense Travel Management
(Assistant Regional Administrator), has approximately 15 trips. The exemptions Office, DoD.
made a preliminary determination that are necessary because vessels on ACTION: Notice of revised non-foreign
an exempted fishing permit application commercial groundfish trips are overseas per diem rates.
contains all of the required information prohibited from fishing in the WGOM
and warrants further consideration. This Closure Area and from retaining SUMMARY: The Defense Travel
permit would allow a commercial undersized groundfish. The vessel Management Office is publishing
fishing vessel to test the economic would use four electric jigging machines Civilian Personnel Per Diem Bulletin
viability of using electric jigging for at least 4 to 6 hours per trip, with Number 305. This bulletin lists
machines to target pollock in the an additional 5 to 6 hours of steaming, revisions in the per diem rates
Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area, for a total trip of approximately 12 prescribed for U.S. Government
and to temporarily retain undersized hours. Fishing would primarily occur employees for official travel in Alaska,
catch for measurement and data within the WGOM Closure Area, in the Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Northern
collection. area known as ‘‘The Fingers,’’ with Mariana Islands and Possessions of the
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
Regulations under the Magnuson- some effort being conducted outside the United States when applicable. AEA
Stevens Fishery Conservation and area. The applicant is requesting access changes announced in Bulletin Number
Management Act require publication of to the WGOM Closure Area based on 194 remain in effect. Bulletin Number
this notification to provide interested reports that pollock are seasonally 305 is being published in the Federal
parties the opportunity to comment on concentrated in this area, and the Register to assure that travelers are paid
applications for proposed exempted likelihood that they can be targeted with per diem at the most current rates.
fishing permits. minimal catch of non-target species. DATES: Effective Date: March 1, 2017.
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:12 Mar 15, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\16MRN1.SGM 16MRN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/82_FR_14027/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2017-03-16 02:19:02
Document Modified: 2017-03-16 02:19:02
| 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 March 31, 2017. | |
| Contact | Kyle Molton, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9236, [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 13977 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XF21 |
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