Notice2021-23884
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
Primary source
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Published
November 2, 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 (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish outside of fishery regulations in support of research conducted by the applicant. 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 EFPs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 209 (Tuesday, November 2, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 209 (Tuesday, November 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60446-60448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23884]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XB480]
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.
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[[Page 60447]]
SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application
contains all of the required information and warrants further
consideration. The EFP would allow commercial fishing vessels to fish
outside of fishery regulations in support of research conducted by the
applicant. 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 EFPs.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 17, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following
methods:
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4c22212a3f622b2d3e62292a3c0c22232d2d622b233a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fd93909b8ed39a9c8fd3989b8dbd93929c9cd39a928b">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the subject line
``CFF Seasonal Scallop Survey EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louis Forristall, Marine Resource
Management Specialist, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b6dad9c3dfc598d0d9c4c4dfc5c2d7dadaf6d8d9d7d798d1d9c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ec808399859fc28a839e9e859f988d8080ac82838d8dc28b839a">[email protected]</span></a>, (978) 281-9321.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant submitted a complete
application for an EFP to conduct commercial fishing activities that
the regulations would otherwise restrict. This EFP would exempt the
participating vessels from the following Federal regulations:
Table 1--Requested Exemptions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citation Regulation Need for exemption
------------------------------------------------------------------------
50 CFR 648.53(b)................ Days-at-Sea (DAS). Exempt
participating
vessels from DAS
while testing
experimental
gears.
Sec. 648.51(c)................ Crew Size Allow for
Restrictions. researchers to be
present on
vessel.
Sec. 648.11(g)................ Observer Program Research
Requirements. activities are
not consistent
with normal
fishing
operations.
Sec. 648.51(b)(4)(iii)........ Dredge Allow for testing
Obstructions. of gear
modifications--on
ly additional
depressor plate
or large disc
cookie sweep.
Sec. 648.60(e)................ Nantucket Allow for
Lightship South- experimental
Deep Scallop fishing
Rotational Area. activities in
closed rotational
management area.
Sec. 648.60(g)................ Nantucket See above.
Lightship North
Scallop
Rotational Area.
Sec. 648.60(h)................ Nantucket See above.
Lightship
Triangle Scallop
Rotational Area.
Sec. 648.60(b)................ Closed Area II See above.
Scallop
Rotational Area.
Sec. 648.60(b)(2)............. Closed Area II See above.
Closure Area
restrictions.
Sec. 648.60(d)................ Closed Area II See above.
East Scallop
Rotational Area
restrictions.
Sec. 648.81(b)................ Closed Area II See above.
scallop gear
restrictions.
Sec. 648.81(a)(5)(i).......... Closed Area II See above.
Closure area
restrictions.
Sec. 648.59(a)(1)-(3), (b)(2), Access area See above.
(b)(4). program
requirements.
Sec. 648.14(i)(1)(vi)(B)...... Scallop closed See above.
area requirement
for scallop
rotational areas.
Part 648 Subparts B and D Fish size and Onboard sampling
through O. Possession limits. activities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2--Project Summary
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Developing an effective foot
sweep to reduce flounder bycatch
in scallop dredges using
Project title computational fluid dynamics and
field testing with paired
dredges.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicant............................ Coonamessett Farm Foundation
(CFF).
Project objectives................... Test the capability of a dredge
modification to reduce flounder
bycatch.
Application date..................... August 5, 2021.
Project period....................... December 1, 2021--April 20, 2022.
Project location..................... Closed Area II & Nantucket
Lightship Access Areas, Open
Area of Great South Channel,
Stellwagen Bank, and Long
Island.
Number of vessels.................... 2.
Number of trips...................... 2.
Trip duration (days)................. 5 (3 fishing, 2 transit).
Total number of days................. 10.
Gear type(s)......................... Paired Turtle Deflector Dredges.
Number of tows or sets............... 60.
Duration of tows or sets............. 30 minutes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Narrative
Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) applied for an EFP on August 5,
2021, to conduct a field trial of scallop dredge cutting bar
modifications. This EFP would allow CFF to conduct 60 tows over 10 days
at sea on commercial scallop vessels. The gear modifications used in
the field trials would either be: (1) A rigid steel plate ahead of the
depressor plate, parallel to the cutting bar or (2) a large disc cookie
sweep. Computational fluid dynamics testing and expert opinion would be
used to assess variations of these modifications and the selected
modifications would be tested in field trials.
Tow locations would be based on flatfish bycatch hotspots reported
by CFF's industry partners. Participating vessels would use two, 15-
foot turtle deflector dredges towed side-by-side. The dredges would
have 10-inch twine tops and 4-inch rings. One dredge would feature the
selected gear modification. A tow speed of 4.5 to 5.5 knots and tow
time of 30 minutes would be targeted throughout the field trials.
CFF researchers would accompany vessels at all times and would
direct sampling activities. Scallop catch would be sorted into baskets
and weighed. A one-basket sub-sample from each dredge would be measured
to the nearest millimeter and shucked to evaluate meat yield. Fish
catch would be
[[Page 60448]]
weighed and measured. Other bycatch species would be counted and
weighed. With the exception of catch sacrificed for biological
sampling, catch would be returned to the water as quickly as possible
after sampling.
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: October 28, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23884 Filed 11-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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