83 FR 11728 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 52 (March 16, 2018)

Page Range		11728-11729
FR Document		2018-05334

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application submitted by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt participating vessels from the following types of fishery regulations: Minimum fish size restrictions; fish possession limits; and, in limited situations for research purposes only, retaining and landing prohibited fish species. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing Permit applications.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 52 (Friday, March 16, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 52 (Friday, March 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11728-11729]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05334]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG091

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit

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 submitted by
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center contains all of the required
information and warrants further consideration. This Exempted Fishing
Permit would exempt participating vessels from the following types of
fishery regulations: Minimum fish size restrictions; fish possession
limits; and, in limited situations for research purposes only,
retaining and landing prohibited fish species. Regulations under the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require
publication of this notice to provide interested parties the
opportunity to comment on Exempted Fishing Permit applications.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 2, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by either of the following
methods:
Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line
``Comments on NEFSC Study Fleet EFP.''
Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS,
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on
NEFSC Study Fleet EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9232, Spencer.Talmage@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center
submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)
on February 9, 2018, for the 2018 Study Fleet Program. The EFP would
exempt 31 commercial fishing vessels from the minimum size and
possession limits for species of interest, as well as allow temporary
retention of species that will be discarded.
The Center established the Study Fleet Program in 2002 to more
fully characterize commercial fishing operations and provide sampling
opportunities to augment NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service's
data collection programs. Partnership with the commercial fishing
industry allows the Center to provide samples for stock assessment and
fish biology research when traditional sampling sources might otherwise
be unavailable. Table 1 includes all of the regulations specified at 50
CFR part 648 that participating vessels would be exempt from for at-sea
sampling, or when retaining and landing fish for research purposes. The
exemptions listed in Table 1 are necessary for contracted vessels to
acquire the biological samples needed to meet Center research
objectives.

Table 1--Specific Regulations Covered by the Proposed Exempted Fishing
Permit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEFSC Study Fleet Program EFP
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Vessels.................... 31.
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part Size limits:
648.
Sec. 648.83 NE multispecies
minimum sizes.
Sec. 648.93 Monkfish minimum
fish size.
Sec. 648.147 Black sea bass
minimum fish size.
Possession restrictions:
Sec. 648.86(a) Haddock.
Sec. 648.86(b) Atlantic cod.
Sec. 648.86(c) Atlantic
halibut.
Sec. 648.86(d) Small-mesh
multispecies.
Sec. 648.86(l) Zero retention
of Atlantic wolffish and
windowpane flounder.
Sec. 648.86(o) Possession
limits implemented by Regional
Administrator.
Sec. 648.94 Monkfish possession
limit.
Sec. 648.322 Skate possession
and landing restrictions.
Sec. 648.145 Black sea bass
possession limits.
Sec. 648.92(b)(2)(i)
Prohibition from landing NE
multispecies on monkfish-only
day-at-sea.
Sec. 648.293 Golden tilefish.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any fish retained under the EFP would be delivered to Center staff
upon landing. Additionally, prior to landing, the Center would issue a
formal Biological Sampling Request to the vessel to retain fish for the
Study Fleet

[[Page 11729]]

Program. This would ensure that the landed fish do not exceed any
collection needs of the Study Fleet Program, as detailed below in Table
2.
All catch would be attributed to the appropriate commercial fishing
quota. For a vessel fishing on a groundfish sector trip, all catch of
groundfish stocks allocated to sectors would be deducted from its
sector's Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a stock has
been reached in a sector, vessels would no longer be allowed to fish in
that stock area unless the sector acquires additional ACE for the stock
in question. For common pool vessels, all groundfish catch would be
counted toward the appropriate trimester total allowable catch (TAC).
Common pool vessels would be exempt from possession and trip limits,
but would still be subject to trimester TAC closures.
Vessels fishing under this EFP would be required to report via
their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) or the Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) system to identify trips that would be landing species below
minimum size limits and/or in excess of possession limits. Vessels not
landing fish for the Center but temporarily possessing fish for at-sea
sampling would not be required to call into the IVR system or report
via VMS.

Table 2--Study Fleet Program's Biological Sample Collection Needs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individual fish Maximum weight
Species Stock area * Gear types # Collection per collection allowed per trip Maximum allowance
frequency period (lb) (lb)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windowpane flounder............. GOM, GB........... OTF, DRS.......... Monthly........... 40 ea./mo......... 30................ 360
Monkfish........................ GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, GNS, DRS..... Monthly........... 15 ea./mo. SNE.... 750............... 9,000
15 ea./mo. GOM....
Haddock......................... GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, LLB, GNS, DRS Monthly/Seasonal.. 40 ea./mo......... 320............... 1600
Atlantic cod.................... GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, LLB, GNS, DRS Monthly........... 120 ea./mo........ 270............... 7,200
Barndoor skate.................. GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, GNS, DRS..... Quarterly......... 20 ea./qtr........ 150............... 600
Thorny skate.................... GOM, GB, SNE...... OTF, GNS, DRS..... Quarterly......... 20 ea./qtr........ 150............... 600
Black sea bass.................. GB, SNE........... PTF, OTF.......... Monthly........... 30 ea./mo......... 180............... 2,160
Atlantic wolffish............... GOM, GB........... OTF,GNS, LLB...... Monthly........... 40 ea./mo......... 160............... 3,500
Cusk............................ GOM, GB........... OTF,GNS, LLB...... Monthly........... 40 ea./mo......... 140............... 3,600
Atlantic halibut................ GOM, GB........... OTF, GNS, LLB..... Monthly........... 20 ea./mo......... 500............... 6,000
Butterfish...................... SNE, MA........... OTM............... Monthly........... 150 ea./mo........ 75................ 900
Blueline tilefish............... SNE, MA........... LLB............... Monthly........... 20 ea./mo......... 100............... 1,200
Golden tilefish................. SNE, MA........... LLB............... Monthly........... 20 ea./mo......... 150............... 1,800
Atlantic herring................ Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 100............... 1,200
River herring/shad.............. Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea./mo of ea. 100 of ea. species 1,200 of ea.
species. species
Round herring................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 100............... 1,200
Silver hake..................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 260............... 3,120
Atlantic mackerel............... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 260............... 3,120
HND, PUR.
Shortfin squid.................. Any Area.......... OTM, OTF.......... Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 75................ 900
Sand lance...................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF, PTM, PUR Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 25................ 300
Longfin squid................... Any Area.......... OTM, OTF.......... Monthly........... 100 ea./mo........ 75................ 900
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GB), Southern New England (SNE).
# Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF), bottom longline (LLB), sink gillnet (GNS), sea scallop dredge (DRS), fish pot (PTF), hand lines, auto jig
(HND), purse seine (PUR), otter trawl midwater (OTM), pair trawl midwater (PTM).

If approved, the NEFSC 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 impact that does 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: March 12, 2018.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-05334 Filed 3-15-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

11728 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 52 / Friday, March 16, 2018 / Notices

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Specialist, 978–281–9232,
Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, Commerce. Spencer.Talmage@noaa.gov.
New England Fishery Management ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Northeast Fisheries Science Center
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
meeting was previously scheduled for Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, submitted a complete application for an
1:30 to 4 p.m. It will now begin at 1 p.m. Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on
and end at 4 p.m. The original notice made a preliminary determination that February 9, 2018, for the 2018 Study
published in the Federal Register on an Exempted Fishing Permit application Fleet Program. The EFP would exempt
March 12, 2018 (83 FR 10678). All other submitted by the Northeast Fisheries 31 commercial fishing vessels from the
previously published information Science Center contains all of the minimum size and possession limits for
remains unchanged. required information and warrants species of interest, as well as allow
further consideration. This Exempted temporary retention of species that will
Special Accommodations Fishing Permit would exempt be discarded.
This meeting is physically accessible participating vessels from the following
types of fishery regulations: Minimum The Center established the Study
to people with disabilities. Requests for
fish size restrictions; fish possession Fleet Program in 2002 to more fully
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to limits; and, in limited situations for characterize commercial fishing
Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at research purposes only, retaining and operations and provide sampling
(978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to landing prohibited fish species. opportunities to augment NOAA’s
the meeting date. Regulations under the Magnuson- National Marine Fisheries Service’s data
Stevens Fishery Conservation and collection programs. Partnership with
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Management Act require publication of the commercial fishing industry allows
Dated: March 13, 2018. this notice to provide interested parties the Center to provide samples for stock
Jeffrey N. Lonergan, the opportunity to comment on assessment and fish biology research
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Exempted Fishing Permit applications. when traditional sampling sources
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. DATES: Comments must be received on might otherwise be unavailable. Table 1
[FR Doc. 2018–05397 Filed 3–15–18; 8:45 am] or before April 2, 2018. includes all of the regulations specified
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P ADDRESSES: You may submit written at 50 CFR part 648 that participating
comments by either of the following vessels would be exempt from for at-sea
methods: sampling, or when retaining and
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. landing fish for research purposes. The
Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments exemptions listed in Table 1 are
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
on NEFSC Study Fleet EFP.’’ necessary for contracted vessels to
Administration • Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional
acquire the biological samples needed to
RIN 0648–XG091 Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic
Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great meet Center research objectives.
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
General Provisions for Domestic Mark the outside of the envelope
Fisheries; Application for Exempted ‘‘Comments on NEFSC Study Fleet
Fishing Permit EFP.’’
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management

TABLE 1—SPECIFIC REGULATIONS COVERED BY THE PROPOSED EXEMPTED FISHING PERMIT
NEFSC Study Fleet Program EFP

Number of Vessels ....................................................................... 31.
Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part 648 ................................... Size limits:
§ 648.83 NE multispecies minimum sizes.
§ 648.93 Monkfish minimum fish size.
§ 648.147 Black sea bass minimum fish size.
Possession restrictions:
§ 648.86(a) Haddock.
§ 648.86(b) Atlantic cod.
§ 648.86(c) Atlantic halibut.
§ 648.86(d) Small-mesh multispecies.
§ 648.86(l) Zero retention of Atlantic wolffish and windowpane flounder.
§ 648.86(o) Possession limits implemented by Regional Administrator.
§ 648.94 Monkfish possession limit.
§ 648.322 Skate possession and landing restrictions.
§ 648.145 Black sea bass possession limits.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

§ 648.92(b)(2)(i) Prohibition from landing NE multispecies on monkfish-only
day-at-sea.
§ 648.293 Golden tilefish.

Any fish retained under the EFP landing. Additionally, prior to landing, Biological Sampling Request to the
would be delivered to Center staff upon the Center would issue a formal vessel to retain fish for the Study Fleet

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 52 / Friday, March 16, 2018 / Notices 11729

Program. This would ensure that the vessels would no longer be allowed to Vessels fishing under this EFP would
landed fish do not exceed any collection fish in that stock area unless the sector be required to report via their Vessel
needs of the Study Fleet Program, as acquires additional ACE for the stock in Monitoring System (VMS) or the
detailed below in Table 2. question. For common pool vessels, all Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system
All catch would be attributed to the groundfish catch would be counted to identify trips that would be landing
appropriate commercial fishing quota. toward the appropriate trimester total species below minimum size limits and/
For a vessel fishing on a groundfish allowable catch (TAC). Common pool or in excess of possession limits. Vessels
sector trip, all catch of groundfish stocks vessels would be exempt from not landing fish for the Center but
allocated to sectors would be deducted possession and trip limits, but would temporarily possessing fish for at-sea
from its sector’s Annual Catch
still be subject to trimester TAC sampling would not be required to call
Entitlement (ACE). Once the ACE for a
closures. into the IVR system or report via VMS.
stock has been reached in a sector,

TABLE 2—STUDY FLEET PROGRAM’S BIOLOGICAL SAMPLE COLLECTION NEEDS
Maximum weight
Collection Individual fish per Maximum
Species Stock area * Gear types # allowed per trip
frequency collection period allowance (lb)
(lb)

Windowpane floun- GOM, GB ............ OTF, DRS ........... Monthly ................ 40 ea./mo ............ 30 ........................ 360
der.
Monkfish ................. GOM, GB, SNE ... OTF, GNS, DRS Monthly ................ 15 ea./mo. SNE .. 750 ...................... 9,000
15 ea./mo. GOM
Haddock ................. GOM, GB, SNE ... OTF, LLB, GNS, Monthly/Seasonal 40 ea./mo ............ 320 ...................... 1600
DRS.
Atlantic cod ............ GOM, GB, SNE ... OTF, LLB, GNS, Monthly ................ 120 ea./mo .......... 270 ...................... 7,200
DRS.
Barndoor skate ...... GOM, GB, SNE ... OTF, GNS, DRS Quarterly ............. 20 ea./qtr ............. 150 ...................... 600
Thorny skate .......... GOM, GB, SNE ... OTF, GNS, DRS Quarterly ............. 20 ea./qtr ............. 150 ...................... 600
Black sea bass ...... GB, SNE ............. PTF, OTF ............ Monthly ................ 30 ea./mo ............ 180 ...................... 2,160
Atlantic wolffish ...... GOM, GB ............ OTF,GNS, LLB .... Monthly ................ 40 ea./mo ............ 160 ...................... 3,500
Cusk ....................... GOM, GB ............ OTF,GNS, LLB .... Monthly ................ 40 ea./mo ............ 140 ...................... 3,600
Atlantic halibut ....... GOM, GB ............ OTF, GNS, LLB .. Monthly ................ 20 ea./mo ............ 500 ...................... 6,000
Butterfish ................ SNE, MA ............. OTM .................... Monthly ................ 150 ea./mo .......... 75 ........................ 900
Blueline tilefish ....... SNE, MA ............. LLB ...................... Monthly ................ 20 ea./mo ............ 100 ...................... 1,200
Golden tilefish ........ SNE, MA ............. LLB ...................... Monthly ................ 20 ea./mo ............ 150 ...................... 1,800
Atlantic herring ....... Any Area ............. OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 100 ...................... 1,200
PUR.
River herring/shad Any Area ............. OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo of ea. 100 of ea. species 1,200 of ea.
PUR. species. species
Round herring ........ Any Area ............. OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 100 ...................... 1,200
PUR.
Silver hake ............. Any Area ............. OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 260 ...................... 3,120
PUR.
Atlantic mackerel ... Any Area ............. OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 260 ...................... 3,120
HND, PUR.
Shortfin squid ......... Any Area ............. OTM, OTF ........... Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 75 ........................ 900
Sand lance ............. Any Area ............. OTM, OTF, PTM, Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 25 ........................ 300
PUR.
Longfin squid ......... Any Area ............. OTM, OTF ........... Monthly ................ 100 ea./mo .......... 75 ........................ 900
* Stock area abbreviations: Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GB), Southern New England (SNE).
# Gear abbreviations: Otter trawl (OTF), bottom longline (LLB), sink gillnet (GNS), sea scallop dredge (DRS), fish pot (PTF), hand lines, auto
jig (HND), purse seine (PUR), otter trawl midwater (OTM), pair trawl midwater (PTM).

If approved, the NEFSC may request Dated: March 12, 2018. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
minor modifications and extensions to Emily H. Menashes,
the EFP throughout the year. EFP Acting Director, Office of Sustainable National Oceanic and Atmospheric
modifications and extensions may be Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. Administration
granted without further notice if they [FR Doc. 2018–05334 Filed 3–15–18; 8:45 am] RIN 0648–XG002
are deemed essential to facilitate BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
completion of the proposed research Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
and have minimal impact that does not Mexico, and South Atlantic; Exempted
change the scope of the initially Fishing Permits
approved EFP request. Any fishing AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

activity conducted outside the scope of Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
the exempted fishing activity would be Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
prohibited. Commerce.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. ACTION: Notice of receipt of an
application for exempted fishing permit;
request for comments.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:54 Mar 15, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\16MRN1.SGM 16MRN1

Document Created: 2018-03-16 01:12:03
Document Modified: 2018-03-16 01:12:03

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 April 2, 2018.
Contact		Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9232, [email protected]
FR Citation		83 FR 11728
RIN Number		0648-XG09

83 FR 11728 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 52 (March 16, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration