82 FR 43745 - 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 82, Issue 180 (September 19, 2017)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 180 (September 19, 2017)
| Page Range | 43745-43746 | |
| FR Document | 2017-19925 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 19, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 43745-43746] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-19925] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XF657 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 Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) renewal application from the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This permit would exempt participating commercial fishing vessels from Federal lobster escape vent, trap limit, and trap tag regulations, as well as restrictions on temporary possession of egg-bearing and v- notched female and sublegal-sized juvenile lobsters, to facilitate research on the abundance and distribution of juvenile American lobster and Jonah crab along the northwest Atlantic coast. 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 applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits. DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 4, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods:Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ``Comments on CFRF Lobster Study Fleet 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 CFRF Lobster Study Fleet EFP.'' Fax: (978) 281-9135. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9180, Cynthia.Hanson@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation submitted a complete application to renew an existing Exempted Fishing Permit on August 10, 2017, to conduct fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict. The EFP would authorize 18 vessels to conduct a study using ventless traps to survey the abundance and distribution of juvenile American lobster and Jonah crab in regions and times of year not covered by traditional surveys. Overall, this EFP proposes to use a total of 54 ventless lobster traps throughout lobster management areas 2, 3, 4, and 5; covering statistical areas 514, 515, 521, 522, 525, 526, 533, 534, 537, 538, 539, 541, 542, 543, 561, 562, 613, 615, 616, 622, 623, 624, 626, 627, 628, 629, 632, 633, 634, 636, 637, 638, and 640. Maps depicting these areas are available on request. The study is designed to aid and inform management by addressing the questions of changing reproduction and recruitment dynamics of lobster, and developing a foundation of knowledge for the emergent Jonah crab fishery. Funding for this study has been awarded through the Campbell Foundation and the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grants Program (Grant #NA17NMF4270208). For this research, CFRF is requesting exemptions from the following Federal lobster regulations: 1. Gear specification requirements in 50 CFR 697.21(c) to allow for closed escape vents and smaller trap mesh and entrance heads; 2. Trap limit requirements, as listed in Sec. 697.19, for areas 2, 3, 4 and 5, to be exceeded by 3 additional traps per fishing vessel for a total of 54 additional traps; 3. Trap tag requirements, as specified in Sec. 697.19(j), to allow for the use of untagged traps (though each [[Page 43746]] experimental trap will have the participating fisherman's identification attached); and 4. Possession restrictions in Sec. Sec. 697.20(a), 697.20(d), and 697.20(g) to allow for temporary possession of juvenile, v-notched, and egg-bearing lobsters for onboard biological sampling. If the EFP is approved, this research would take place during the regular fishing activity of the participating 18 federally permitted commercial fishing vessels: 6 ``inshore'' vessels in lobster management area 2 and 12 ``offshore'' vessels in lobster management areas 3, 4, and 5. Each participating vessel would have up to three modified traps attached to a standard, Atlantic Large Whale-compliant trap trawl. No more than 54 total modified traps would be in the water at any time. Modifications to conventional lobster traps used in this study include a closed escape vents, single parlors, and smaller mesh sizes and entrance heads, all to allow for the capture of juvenile lobsters and Jonah crabs. Sampling would occur during regular fishing activity on each vessel weekly in area 2, and every 10 days in the other areas. During sampling, all lobsters and Jonah crabs will be counted, sexed, and measured. Other biological information will be recorded on both lobster and Jonah crab catch, including shell hardness and presence of eggs. The possession exemptions are required to temporarily hold catch onboard for biological sampling before animals are promptly returned to the sea. No catch of any species from experimental traps will be landed for sale. All data collected will be made available to state and Federal management agencies to improve and enhance the available data for these two crustacean species. If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and extensions to the EFP throughout the study period. 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: September 14, 2017. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017-19925 Filed 9-18-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 19, 2017 / Notices 43745
0648–0743 (Alaska Notification of Intent clarity of the information to be DATES: Comments must be received on
to Process Aleutian Islands Pacific Cod) collected; and (d) ways to minimize the or before October 4, 2017.
will be merged into this collection. burden of the collection of information ADDRESSES: You may submit written
Under that collection, the City Manager on respondents, including through the comments by any of the following
of Adak and the City Administrator of use of automated collection techniques methods:
Atka notify NMFS of their city’s intent or other forms of information • Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov.
to process Pacific cod in the upcoming technology. Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments
year. Comments submitted in response to on CFRF Lobster Study Fleet EFP.’’
II. Method of Collection this notice will be summarized and/or • Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional
included in the request for OMB Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic
Paper logbooks and paper and approval of this information collection; Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great
electronic reports are required from they also will become a matter of public Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
participants. Methods of submittal record. Mark the outside of the envelope
include mail, Internet, and facsimile ‘‘Comments on CFRF Lobster Study
Dated: September 14, 2017.
transmission of paper forms. Fleet EFP.’’
The notification from the City Sarah Brabson,
• Fax: (978) 281–9135.
Manager of Adak and the City NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Administrator of Atka of their city’s [FR Doc. 2017–19887 Filed 9–18–17; 8:45 am]
Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management
intent to process Pacific cod must be BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Specialist, 978–281–9180,
submitted by certified mail through the Cynthia.Hanson@noaa.gov.
United States Postal Service.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
III. Data Commercial Fisheries Research
OMB Control Number: 0648–0213. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Foundation submitted a complete
Form Number(s): None. Administration application to renew an existing
Type of Review: Regular submission Exempted Fishing Permit on August 10,
(revision/extension of a current RIN 0648–XF657 2017, to conduct fishing activities that
information collection). the regulations would otherwise restrict.
Affected Public: Individuals or Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative The EFP would authorize 18 vessels to
households; business or other for-profit Management Act Provisions; General conduct a study using ventless traps to
organizations. Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; survey the abundance and distribution
Estimated Number of Respondents: Application for Exempted Fishing of juvenile American lobster and Jonah
606. Permits crab in regions and times of year not
Estimated Time per Response: 35 covered by traditional surveys. Overall,
minutes per active response and 5 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries this EFP proposes to use a total of 54
minutes per inactive response for Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and ventless lobster traps throughout lobster
Catcher Vessel Longline and Pot Gear Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), management areas 2, 3, 4, and 5;
DFL; 18 minutes for active response and Commerce. covering statistical areas 514, 515, 521,
5 minutes for inactive response for ACTION: Notice; request for comments. 522, 525, 526, 533, 534, 537, 538, 539,
Catcher Vessel Trawl Gear DFL; 7 541, 542, 543, 561, 562, 613, 615, 616,
minutes for Mothership Check-in/ SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional 622, 623, 624, 626, 627, 628, 629, 632,
Check-out Report; 50 minutes per active Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 633, 634, 636, 637, 638, and 640. Maps
response and 5 minutes per inactive Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has depicting these areas are available on
response for Catcher/processor Longline made a preliminary determination that request. The study is designed to aid
and Pot Gear DCPL; 5 minutes for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) and inform management by addressing
Shoreside Processor Check-in/Check-out renewal application from the the questions of changing reproduction
Report; 20 minutes for Product Transfer Commercial Fisheries Research and recruitment dynamics of lobster,
Report; 14 minutes for Vessel Activity Foundation (CFRF) contains all of the and developing a foundation of
Report; and 30 minutes for Notification required information and warrants knowledge for the emergent Jonah crab
of Intent to Process Aleutian Islands further consideration. This permit fishery.
Pacific Cod (currently approved under would exempt participating commercial Funding for this study has been
0648–0743). fishing vessels from Federal lobster awarded through the Campbell
Estimated Total Annual Burden escape vent, trap limit, and trap tag Foundation and the Saltonstall-Kennedy
Hours: 15,692 hours. regulations, as well as restrictions on Grants Program (Grant
Estimated Total Annual Cost to temporary possession of egg-bearing and #NA17NMF4270208). For this research,
Public: $9,536 in recordkeeping/ v-notched female and sublegal-sized CFRF is requesting exemptions from the
reporting costs. juvenile lobsters, to facilitate research following Federal lobster regulations:
on the abundance and distribution of 1. Gear specification requirements in
IV. Request for Comments juvenile American lobster and Jonah 50 CFR 697.21(c) to allow for closed
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether crab along the northwest Atlantic coast. escape vents and smaller trap mesh and
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
the proposed collection of information Regulations under the Magnuson- entrance heads;
is necessary for the proper performance Stevens Fishery Conservation and 2. Trap limit requirements, as listed in
of the functions of the agency, including Management Act and the Atlantic § 697.19, for areas 2, 3, 4 and 5, to be
whether the information shall have Coastal Fisheries Cooperative exceeded by 3 additional traps per
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Management Act require publication of fishing vessel for a total of 54 additional
agency’s estimate of the burden this notification to provide interested traps;
(including hours and cost) of the parties the opportunity to comment on 3. Trap tag requirements, as specified
proposed collection of information; (c) applications for proposed Exempted in § 697.19(j), to allow for the use of
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and Fishing Permits. untagged traps (though each
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:12 Sep 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\19SEN1.SGM 19SEN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/82_FR_43925/page/1.svg)
![43746 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 19, 2017 / Notices
experimental trap will have the DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE The IFQ Program also includes other
participating fisherman’s identification restrictions to prevent the halibut and
attached); and National Oceanic and Atmospheric sablefish fisheries from domination by
4. Possession restrictions in Administration large boats or by any particular vessel
§§ 697.20(a), 697.20(d), and 697.20(g) to class. NMFS designed the requirements
allow for temporary possession of Proposed Information Collection; to maintain a predominantly owner-
juvenile, v-notched, and egg-bearing Comment Request; Individual Fishing operated fishery, which was a key
lobsters for onboard biological Quotas for Pacific Halibut and characteristic of the halibut and
sampling. Sablefish in the Alaska Fisheries sablefish fisheries prior to the
If the EFP is approved, this research AGENCY: National Oceanic and implementation of the IFQ Program. The
would take place during the regular Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), IFQ Program provides each fisherman
fishing activity of the participating 18 Commerce. an IFQ that can be used any time during
federally permitted commercial fishing the open season to allow each fisherman
ACTION: Notice.
vessels: 6 ‘‘inshore’’ vessels in lobster to set his/her own pace and fishing
management area 2 and 12 ‘‘offshore’’ SUMMARY: The Department of effort.
vessels in lobster management areas 3, Commerce, as part of its continuing Under the IFQ Program, quota share
4, and 5. Each participating vessel effort to reduce paperwork and (QS) represents a harvesting privilege
would have up to three modified traps respondent burden, invites the general for a person. Annually, NMFS issues
attached to a standard, Atlantic Large public and other Federal agencies to IFQ to QS holders to harvest specified
Whale-compliant trap trawl. No more take this opportunity to comment on poundage. The specific amount of IFQ
than 54 total modified traps would be in proposed and/or continuing information held by a person is determined by the
the water at any time. Modifications to collections, as required by the number of QS units held, the total
conventional lobster traps used in this Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. number of QS units issued in a specific
study include a closed escape vents, regulatory area, and the total pounds of
DATES: Written comments must be
single parlors, and smaller mesh sizes sablefish or halibut allocated for the IFQ
submitted on or before November 20,
and entrance heads, all to allow for the fisheries in a particular year. Fishermen
2017.
capture of juvenile lobsters and Jonah may harvest the IFQ over the entire
crabs. Sampling would occur during ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments fishing season, which extends
regular fishing activity on each vessel to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental approximately from March through
weekly in area 2, and every 10 days in Paperwork Clearance Officer, November 15.
the other areas. Department of Commerce, Room 6616, The IFQ Manual Landing Report form
During sampling, all lobsters and 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., will be removed from this information
Jonah crabs will be counted, sexed, and Washington, DC 20230 (or via the collection. This form is approved under
measured. Other biological information Internet at pracomments@doc.gov). OMB Control Number 0648–0515
will be recorded on both lobster and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (Alaska Interagency Electronic
Jonah crab catch, including shell Requests for additional information or Reporting System (IERS)) and will
hardness and presence of eggs. The copies of the information collection remain in that collection.
possession exemptions are required to instrument and instructions should be II. Method of Collection
temporarily hold catch onboard for directed to Stephanie Warpinski, (907)
586–7228. ‘‘Fillable’’ forms and applications are
biological sampling before animals are
available from the NMFS Alaska Region
promptly returned to the sea. No catch SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Web site at https://
of any species from experimental traps
I. Abstract alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries-
will be landed for sale. All data
applications, except for those forms
collected will be made available to state This request is for revision and
completed by NOAA Office of Law
and Federal management agencies to extension of a currently approved
Enforcement officers via the telephone.
improve and enhance the available data information collection.
These forms and applications may be
for these two crustacean species. The National Marine Fisheries Service
completed on the computer by the
If approved, the applicant may (NMFS) established the Individual
participant, downloaded, printed, and
request minor modifications and Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program to improve
faxed to NMFS.
extensions to the EFP throughout the the long-term productivity of the
study period. EFP modifications and sablefish and Pacific halibut fisheries by III. Data
extensions may be granted without further promoting the conservation and OMB Control Number: 0648–0272.
further notice if they are deemed management objectives of the Form Number(s): None.
essential to facilitate completion of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Type of Review: Regular submission
proposed research and have minimal Conservation and Management Act, 16 (revision and extension of a current
impacts that do not change the scope or U.S.C. 1801 et seq., (with respect to information collection).
impact of the initially approved EFP sablefish) and the Northern Pacific Affected Public: Business or other for-
request. Any fishing activity conducted Halibut Act of 1982 (with respect to profit organizations; Individuals or
outside the scope of the exempted Pacific halibut) while retaining the households; Not-for-profit institutions.
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
fishing activity would be prohibited. character and distribution of the fishing Estimated Number of Respondents:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
fleets as much as possible. The IFQ 1,639.
Program includes several provisions, Estimated Time per Response:
Dated: September 14, 2017. such as ownership caps and vessel use Application for Eligibility to receive QS/
Emily H. Menashes, caps that protect small harvesters and IFQ (TEC), QS holder form
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable processors, part-time participants, and (Identification of Ownership Interest),
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. entry-level participants that otherwise Application for Transfer of QS/IFQ
[FR Doc. 2017–19925 Filed 9–18–17; 8:45 am] could be adversely affected by excessive (includes sweep-up); Application for
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P consolidation. Military Transfer, and Application for
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:12 Sep 18, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\19SEN1.SGM 19SEN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/82_FR_43925/page/2.svg)
Document Created: 2018-10-24 14:17:47
Document Modified: 2018-10-24 14:17:47
| 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 October 4, 2017. | |
| Contact | Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9180, [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 43745 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XF65 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR