Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Exempted Fishing Permit

NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the Florida Keys Commercial Fisherman's Association (Association). If granted, the EFP would authorize the deployment of four fish trap designs at several sites in the Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and the South Atlantic to determine the effectiveness of these gear types for attracting and collecting invasive lionfish and to obtain lionfish life-history information over a 1 year period. The EFP would also utilize an outreach and education program to inform the public about the status of lionfish as an invasive species, efforts to control the spread of the population, and utilization of lionfish as a consumer food source.