83 FR 34832 - 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 83, Issue 141 (July 23, 2018)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 141 (July 23, 2018)
| Page Range | 34832-34833 | |
| FR Document | 2018-15724 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 141 (Monday, July 23, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 34832-34833] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-15724] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XG350 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 Acting 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. This Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt eight commercial fishing vessels from limited access sea scallop regulations in support of a study on seasonal bycatch distribution and optimal scallop meat yield on Georges Bank. 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 August 7, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods:Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line ``DA18-051 CFF Georges Bank Optimization Study 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 ``DA18-051 CFF Georges Bank Optimization Study EFP.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 282-8456. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Coonamesset Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted an exempted fishing permit (EFP) application in support of a project titled ``Optimizing the Georges Bank Scallop Fishery by Maximizing Meat Yield and Minimizing Bycatch,'' that has been funded under the 2018 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. The project will evaluate seasonal distribution of bycatch on the eastern part of Georges Bank in relation to sea scallop meat weight yield. Additional objectives include testing of a modified scallop dredge bag design to reduce flatfish bycatch and collecting biological samples to examine scallop meat quality and yellowtail flounder liver disease. Project investigators working on this project would also work with New Hampshire Fish and Game (NHFG) and the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen's Association (AOLA) to tag female lobsters. To enable this research, CFF is requesting exemptions for eight commercial fishing vessels from the Atlantic sea scallop days-at-sea (DAS) allocations at 50 CFR 648.53(b); crew size restrictions at Sec. 648.51(c); observer program requirements at Sec. 648.11(g); Closed Area II (CAII) scallop gear restrictions specified at Sec. 648.81(b); and access area program requirements at Sec. 648.59(a)(1)-(3), (b)(2), (b)(4), and Closed Area II Scallop Access Area Seasonal Closure at Sec. 648.60(d)(2). CFF has also requested that vessels be exempt from possession limits and minimum size requirements specified in part 648, subsections B and D through O for biological sampling, and Sec. 697.20 for lobster sampling and tagging purposes only. Participating vessels would conduct scallop dredging from August 2018 through June 2019. Vessels would conduct a total of eight 7-day trips, for a total of 56 DAS. Closed Area II Access Area tows would take place in the central portion situated below the Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area, including the Atlantic Sea Closed Area II Scallop Access Area Seasonal Closure. Open area tows would be conducted on the western and southern boundaries of Closed Area II. The applicant also requested to conduct tows inside the Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area. This area remains closed to bottom-tending mobile gear to protect sensitive benthic habitat under Omnibus Habitat Amendment II. Consequently, NMFS does not intend to support the applicant's request to access the Habitat Closure Area. There is a potential for gear conflict with lobster gear in the central portion of Closed Area II. In an effort to help mitigate gear interactions, CFF would [[Page 34833]] distribute the time and location of stations to the lobster industry, work only during daylight hours, post an extra lookout to avoid gear, and actively avoid tangling in stationary gear. The project would work in cooperation in with NHFG and AOLA to tag lobsters with the primary goal of documenting their movement on and off Georges Bank. The applicant states that data from the tagging project could also help answer questions of lobster discard mortality in the scallop fishery. All tows would be conducted with two 15-foot (4.6-m) turtle deflector dredges for a duration of 30 minutes using an average tow speed of 4.8 knots. One dredge would be rigged with a 7-row apron and twine top hanging ratio of 2:1, while the other dredge would be rigged with a 5-row, extended link apron and 1.5:1 twine top hanging ratio. Both dredge frames would be rigged with identical rock and tickler chain configurations, 10-inch (25.4-cm) twine top, and 4-inch (10.2-cm) ring bag. Gear comparison data will help improve efforts to reduce scallop dredge bycatch. Dredge gear would conform to scallop gear regulations. For all tows, the entire sea scallop catch would be counted into baskets and weighed. One basket from each dredge would be randomly selected, and the scallops would be measured in 5-milimeter increments to determine size selectivity. All finfish catch would be sorted by species and then counted and measured. Weight, sex, and reproductive state would be determined for a random subsample (n=10) of yellowtail, winter, and windowpane flounders. Lobsters would be measured, sexed, and evaluated for damage and shell disease. No catch would be retained for longer than needed to conduct sampling, and no finfish or lobsters would be landed for sale. All catch estimates for the project are listed in Table 1, below. Table 1--Coonamessett Farm Foundation Georges Bank Scallop Research Project ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Estimated Estimated Common name Scientific name weight (lb) * weight (kg) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sea Scallop................................ Placopecten magellanicus........... 33,103 15, 015 Yellowtail Flounder........................ Limanda ferruginea................. 1,097 498 Winter Flounder............................ Pseudopleuronectes americanus...... 1,605 728 Windowpane Flounder........................ Scophthalmus aquosus............... 5,656 2,566 Summer Flounder............................ Paralichthys dentatus.............. 1,886 855 Fourspot Flounder.......................... Paralichthys oblongus.............. 148 67 American Plaice............................ Hippoglossoides platessoides....... 180 82 Grey Sole.................................. Glyptocephalus cynoglossus......... 24 11 Haddock.................................... Melanogrammus aeglefinus........... 116 53 Atlantic Cod............................... Gadus morhua....................... 199 90 Monkfish................................... Lophius americanus................. 16,839 7,638 Spiny Dogfish.............................. Squalus acanthias.................. 173 78 Barndoor Skates............................ Dipturus laevis.................... 2,217 1,006 NE Skate Complex (excluding barndoor skate) Leucoraja erinacea, Leucoraja 127,055 57,631 ocellata. ------------------------------- American lobster........................... Homarus americanus................. 1,000 ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Weights estimated using catch from a similar 2016 project. ** Number of individual animals estimated to be caught. The applicant states that the exemptions are necessary to allow them to conduct experimental dredge towing without being charged DAS, as well as deploy gear in areas that are currently closed to scallop fishing. Participating vessels need crew size waivers to accommodate science personnel. Exemptions from possession limits would allow researchers to sample finfish and lobster catch that exceeds possession limits or prohibitions. The project would be exempt from the sea scallop observer program requirements because activities conducted on the trip are not consistent with normal fishing operations. Researchers from CFF will accompany each trip taken under the EFP. The goal of the proposed work is to provide information on spatial and temporal patterns in bycatch rates in the scallop fishery, with the objective of identifying mechanisms to mitigate bycatch. The data collected would enhance understanding of bycatch and scallop yield as they relate to access and open area management. 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. Any fishing activity conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 18, 2018. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018-15724 Filed 7-20-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![34832 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2018 / Notices
Program Standard Operating Policies NOTE: The times and sequence specified in submitted an exempted fishing permit
and Procedures. this agenda are subject to change. (EFP) application in support of a project
DATES: The Citizen Science Operations titled ‘‘Optimizing the Georges Bank
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Committee meeting will be held on Scallop Fishery by Maximizing Meat
Dated: July 18, 2018. Yield and Minimizing Bycatch,’’ that
Wednesday, August 8, 2018, from 1 p.m.
Rey Israel Marquez, has been funded under the 2018
until 5 p.m. and on Thursday, August 9,
2018, from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. (RSA) Program. The project will
ADDRESSES:
[FR Doc. 2018–15663 Filed 7–20–18; 8:45 am] evaluate seasonal distribution of
Meeting address: The meeting will be bycatch on the eastern part of Georges
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
held at the Council office, 4055 Faber Bank in relation to sea scallop meat
Place Drive, Suite 201, N. Charleston, weight yield. Additional objectives
SC 29405. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE include testing of a modified scallop
Council address: South Atlantic dredge bag design to reduce flatfish
Fishery Management Council, 4055 National Oceanic and Atmospheric bycatch and collecting biological
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. Administration samples to examine scallop meat quality
Charleston, SC 29405. and yellowtail flounder liver disease.
RIN 0648–XG350
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project investigators working on this
Amber Von Harten, Citizen Science Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; project would also work with New
Program Manager, SAFMC; phone: (843) General Provisions for Domestic Hampshire Fish and Game (NHFG) and
302–8433 or toll free: (866) SAFMC–10; Fisheries; Application for Exempted the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen’s
fax: (843) 769–4520; email: Fishing Permits Association (AOLA) to tag female
amber.vonharten@safmc.net. lobsters.
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries To enable this research, CFF is
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Council created a Citizen Science requesting exemptions for eight
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), commercial fishing vessels from the
Advisory Panel Pool in June 2017. The Commerce.
Council appointed members of the Atlantic sea scallop days-at-sea (DAS)
ACTION: Notice; request for comments. allocations at 50 CFR 648.53(b); crew
Citizen Science Advisory Panel Pool to
five Action Teams in the areas of SUMMARY: The Acting Assistant Regional size restrictions at § 648.51(c); observer
Volunteers, Data Management, Projects/ Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, program requirements at § 648.11(g);
Topics Management, Finance, and Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has Closed Area II (CAII) scallop gear
Communication/Outreach/Education to made a preliminary determination that restrictions specified at § 648.81(b); and
develop recommendations on program an Exempted Fishing Permit application access area program requirements at
policies and operations for the Council’s contains all of the required information § 648.59(a)(1)-(3), (b)(2), (b)(4), and
Citizen Science Program. and warrants further consideration. This Closed Area II Scallop Access Area
The Citizen Science Program Exempted Fishing Permit would exempt Seasonal Closure at § 648.60(d)(2). CFF
Blueprint, a framework document eight commercial fishing vessels from has also requested that vessels be
outlining the organizational structure of limited access sea scallop regulations in exempt from possession limits and
the Program, identified a Citizen support of a study on seasonal bycatch minimum size requirements specified in
Science Operations was needed to distribution and optimal scallop meat part 648, subsections B and D through
develop Standard Operations Policies yield on Georges Bank. Regulations O for biological sampling, and § 697.20
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery for lobster sampling and tagging
and Procedures (SOPPs) for the Citizen
Conservation and Management Act purposes only.
Science Program. Recommendations
Participating vessels would conduct
from the Citizen Science Action Teams require publication of this notification
scallop dredging from August 2018
would be used to develop the SOPPs. to provide interested parties the
through June 2019. Vessels would
The Council appointed members to the opportunity to comment on applications
conduct a total of eight 7-day trips, for
Citizen Science Operations Committee for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.
a total of 56 DAS. Closed Area II Access
in June 2018 and the Operations DATES: Comments must be received on
Area tows would take place in the
Committee will meet to develop or before August 7, 2018. central portion situated below the
Program SOPPs that will be reviewed by ADDRESSES: You may submit written Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area,
the Council’s Citizen Science comments by any of the following including the Atlantic Sea Closed Area
Committee for adoption. methods: II Scallop Access Area Seasonal Closure.
Items to be addressed during this • Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. Open area tows would be conducted on
meeting: Include in the subject line ‘‘DA18–051 the western and southern boundaries of
1. Citizen Science Program Overview CFF Georges Bank Optimization Study Closed Area II. The applicant also
2. Development of Citizen Science EFP.’’ requested to conduct tows inside the
Program SOPPs • Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Closed Area II Habitat Closure Area.
3. Transition Plan for Citizen Science Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic This area remains closed to bottom-
Advisory Panel Pool and Action Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great tending mobile gear to protect sensitive
Teams Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. benthic habitat under Omnibus Habitat
4. Other Business Mark the outside of the envelope Amendment II. Consequently, NMFS
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
‘‘DA18–051 CFF Georges Bank does not intend to support the
Special Accommodations Optimization Study EFP.’’ applicant’s request to access the Habitat
These meetings are physically FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Closure Area.
accessible to people with disabilities. Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management There is a potential for gear conflict
Requests for auxiliary aids should be Specialist, (978) 282–8456. with lobster gear in the central portion
directed to the council office (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: of Closed Area II. In an effort to help
ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting. Coonamesset Farm Foundation (CFF) mitigate gear interactions, CFF would
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![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2018 / Notices 34833
distribute the time and location of One dredge would be rigged with a 7- the scallops would be measured in 5-
stations to the lobster industry, work row apron and twine top hanging ratio milimeter increments to determine size
only during daylight hours, post an of 2:1, while the other dredge would be selectivity. All finfish catch would be
extra lookout to avoid gear, and actively rigged with a 5-row, extended link sorted by species and then counted and
avoid tangling in stationary gear. The apron and 1.5:1 twine top hanging ratio. measured. Weight, sex, and
project would work in cooperation in Both dredge frames would be rigged reproductive state would be determined
with NHFG and AOLA to tag lobsters with identical rock and tickler chain for a random subsample (n=10) of
with the primary goal of documenting configurations, 10-inch (25.4-cm) twine yellowtail, winter, and windowpane
their movement on and off Georges top, and 4-inch (10.2-cm) ring bag. Gear flounders. Lobsters would be measured,
Bank. The applicant states that data comparison data will help improve
sexed, and evaluated for damage and
from the tagging project could also help efforts to reduce scallop dredge bycatch.
shell disease. No catch would be
answer questions of lobster discard Dredge gear would conform to scallop
retained for longer than needed to
mortality in the scallop fishery. gear regulations.
All tows would be conducted with For all tows, the entire sea scallop conduct sampling, and no finfish or
two 15-foot (4.6-m) turtle deflector catch would be counted into baskets lobsters would be landed for sale. All
dredges for a duration of 30 minutes and weighed. One basket from each catch estimates for the project are listed
using an average tow speed of 4.8 knots. dredge would be randomly selected, and in Table 1, below.
TABLE 1—COONAMESSETT FARM FOUNDATION GEORGES BANK SCALLOP RESEARCH PROJECT
Estimated Estimated
Common name Scientific name weight weight
(lb) * (kg)
Sea Scallop ...................................... Placopecten magellanicus ......................................................................... 33,103 15, 015
Yellowtail Flounder .......................... Limanda ferruginea ................................................................................... 1,097 498
Winter Flounder ............................... Pseudopleuronectes americanus .............................................................. 1,605 728
Windowpane Flounder ..................... Scophthalmus aquosus ............................................................................. 5,656 2,566
Summer Flounder ............................ Paralichthys dentatus ................................................................................ 1,886 855
Fourspot Flounder ........................... Paralichthys oblongus ............................................................................... 148 67
American Plaice ............................... Hippoglossoides platessoides ................................................................... 180 82
Grey Sole ......................................... Glyptocephalus cynoglossus ..................................................................... 24 11
Haddock ........................................... Melanogrammus aeglefinus ...................................................................... 116 53
Atlantic Cod ..................................... Gadus morhua ........................................................................................... 199 90
Monkfish ........................................... Lophius americanus .................................................................................. 16,839 7,638
Spiny Dogfish ................................... Squalus acanthias ..................................................................................... 173 78
Barndoor Skates .............................. Dipturus laevis ........................................................................................... 2,217 1,006
NE Skate Complex (excluding Leucoraja erinacea, Leucoraja ocellata .................................................... 127,055 57,631
barndoor skate).
American lobster .............................. Homarus americanus ................................................................................ 1,000 **
* Weights estimated using catch from a similar 2016 project.
** Number of individual animals estimated to be caught.
The applicant states that the scallop yield as they relate to access and DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
exemptions are necessary to allow them open area management.
to conduct experimental dredge towing United States Patent and Trademark
If approved, the applicant may
without being charged DAS, as well as Office
request minor modifications and
deploy gear in areas that are currently extensions to the EFP throughout the Submission for OMB Review;
closed to scallop fishing. Participating year. EFP modifications and extensions Comment Request; Third-Party
vessels need crew size waivers to may be granted without further notice if Submissions and Protests
accommodate science personnel. they are deemed essential to facilitate
Exemptions from possession limits completion of the proposed research The United States Patent and
would allow researchers to sample and have minimal impacts that do not Trademark Office (USPTO) will submit
finfish and lobster catch that exceeds change the scope or impact of the to the Office of Management and Budget
possession limits or prohibitions. The initially approved EFP request. Any (OMB) for clearance the following
project would be exempt from the sea fishing activity conducted outside the proposal for collection of information
scallop observer program requirements under the provisions of the Paperwork
scope of the exempted fishing activity
because activities conducted on the trip Reduction Act.
would be prohibited.
are not consistent with normal fishing Agency: United States Patent and
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Trademark Office, Commerce.
operations. Researchers from CFF will
accompany each trip taken under the Dated: July 18, 2018. Title: Third-Party Submissions and
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
EFP. The goal of the proposed work is Jennifer M. Wallace, Protests.
to provide information on spatial and OMB Control Number: 0651–0062.
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
temporal patterns in bycatch rates in the Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. Form Number(s):
scallop fishery, with the objective of [FR Doc. 2018–15724 Filed 7–20–18; 8:45 am] • PTO/SB/429
identifying mechanisms to mitigate BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Type of Request: Regular.
bycatch. The data collected would Number of Respondents: 1,450
enhance understanding of bycatch and responses.
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Document Created: 2018-07-21 00:48:09
Document Modified: 2018-07-21 00:48:09
| 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 August 7, 2018. | |
| Contact | Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 282-8456. | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 34832 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XG35 |
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