Notice2021-12825
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
Primary source
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Published
June 17, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 115 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 115 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32248-32249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12825]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XB161]
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.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has
[[Page 32249]]
made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit
application from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center contains all
the required information and warrants further consideration.
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative
Management Act require publication of this notice to provide interested
parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed
Exempted Fishing Permits.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 2, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#83cdcec5d0adc4c2d1adc6c5d3c3edece2e2ade4ecf5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cd83808b9ee38a8c9fe3888b9d8da3a2acace3aaa2bb">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the subject line
``Comments on NEFSC Ropeless Fishing EFP.'' If you are unable to submit
comments via the above email, please contact Laura Hansen at (978) 281-
9225, or email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f331e0a0d1e51371e110c1a113f11101e1e51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="82cee3f7f0e3accae3ecf1e7ecc2ecede3e3ace5edf4">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(NEFSC) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit
(EFP) on February 19, 2021, to continue a ropeless lobster gear testing
project. NEFSC is requesting an exemption from Federal lobster
regulations that would authorize eight federally-permitted commercial
lobster vessels to participate in a ropeless lobster gear study in
inshore and offshore areas. NEFSC is requesting an exemption from the
gear marking requirements at 50 CFR 697.21(b)(2) to allow for the use
of no surface markers and/or a single buoy marker on a trawl of more
than three traps.
The purpose of this study is to test a prototype ropeless fishing
system as a potential technique to prevent entanglements of protected
species, primarily North Atlantic right whales.
The EFP would authorize eight participating vessels to modify some
of their existing trawls, consisting of 10-20 traps for inshore vessels
and 35-45 traps for offshore vessels. Experimental trawls would either
have a rope spool, a buoy and stowed rope system, or a lift bag system
fitted with an acoustic release, deployed on one end of the trawl with
a buoy line attached to the other. Soak time would be between 4-8 days,
but may be modified depending on what each fisherman decides is
appropriate for fishing. Sampling would occur year-round from July 2021
through July 2022 inshore and offshore in Lobster Management Areas
(LMA) 1, 2, 3, and Outer Cape. This phase of the project is intended to
resolve mechanical and operational problems highlighted by previous
trials. Ideally, a NEFSC technician will be on board. If not,
participants will use a GoPro System or an equivalent (or better)
electronic monitoring program aimed at the relevant area to record the
success and/or failures of some or all of the retrievals for review at
a later time. NEFSC estimated there would be approximately 30 trips.
Sixteen experimental trawls will be tested in LMA 3, 12 trawls in LMA
2, and 16 trawls in LMA 1.
If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and
extensions to the EFP throughout the year. We may grant EFP
modifications and extensions 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. The EFP would prohibit any fishing activity
conducted outside the scope of the exempted fishing activities.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 14, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-12825 Filed 6-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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