Notice2024-06651
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permit
Primary source
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Published
March 28, 2024
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 renewal application from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF) contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The exempted fishing permit (EFP) would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by the applicant. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notification 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 89 Issue 61 (Thursday, March 28, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 61 (Thursday, March 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21491-21492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06651]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD828]
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management 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.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary
determination that an exempted fishing permit renewal application from
the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF) contains all of
the required information and warrants further consideration. The
exempted fishing permit (EFP) would allow federally permitted fishing
vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted
fishing activities proposed by the applicant. Regulations under the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative 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 April 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#56383b30257831372478333026163839373778313920"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a3cdcec5d08dc4c2d18dc6c5d3e3cdccc2c28dc4ccd5">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the subject line
``MA DMF Ventless Trap EFP.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Ford, Fishery Management
Specialist, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eaa9829883999e83848fc4ac85988eaa84858b8bc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6e5ced4cfd5d2cfc8c388e0c9d4c2e6c8c9c7c788c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>, (978) 281-9185.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MA DMF 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
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CFR citation Regulation Need for exemption
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50 Part 697.21(c)(1) and (2).... Gear specification To allow for the
requirements for use of traps
Lobster without escape
Management Areas vents.
1 and 2.
Sec. 697.19(a) and (b)........ Trap limit To allow for trap
requirements for limits to be
Areas 1 and 2. exceeded.
Sec. 697.19(i)................ Trap tag To allow for
requirements. alternatively
tagged traps.
Sec. Sec. 697.20(a)(2), Minimum and To allow sub-legal
697.20(b)(2), 697.20(a)(3), and maximum carapace and over-sized
697.20(b)(3). length lobsters to be
requirements for landed for
Areas 1 and 2. research
purposes.
[[Page 21492]]
Sec. 697.20(g)(1) and (3)..... V-notch possession To allow landing
requirement for of female
Areas 1 and 2. lobsters for
research
purposes.
Sec. 697.20(d)(1) and (3)..... Berried female To allow landing
possession of egg-bearing
requirements. female lobsters
for research
purposes.
Sec. 697.20(h)(1)............. Minimum carapace To allow sub-legal
width Jonah crabs to be
requirements. landed for
research
purposes.
Sec. Sec. 697.20(h)(2)(i) and Berried female To allow landing
(ii). possession of egg-bearing
requirement. female Jonah
crabs for
research
purposes.
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Table 2--Project Summary
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Project title.......................... 2024 MA DMF Ventless Trap
Survey.
Project Start.......................... 05/01/2024.
Project End............................ 10/31/2024.
Project objectives..................... To provide fishery-independent
data on lobster and Jonah crab
growth and abundance within
Massachusetts State waters.
Project location....................... Statistical Areas 514 and 538.
Number of vessels...................... Up to 6.
Number of trips........................ Approximately 70.
Trip duration (days)................... 1.
Total number of days................... Approximately 70.
Gear type(s)........................... Lobster traps.
Number of tows or sets................. 16 per trip.
Duration of tows or sets............... 3 day soak time.
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Project Narrative
The purpose of this survey is to provide fishery-independent data
on lobster and Jonah crab growth and abundance within Massachusetts
State waters of statistical areas 514 and 538. MA DMF funds this
lobster abundance survey through their commercial and recreational
lobster license fees. This survey has occurred annually since 2006. At
least one MA DMF scientist would be on board for the sampling trips. MA
DMF personnel would not be on board when traps are baited and deployed.
Exemptions would not substantively change vessel operations. All catch
during sampling trips would be retained temporarily to collect
biological data. MA DMF staff may collect lobster and/or Jonah crab,
including undersized, oversized, v-notched, and egg-bearing lobsters.
Collected samples would be used for research projects on growth and
maturity. No catch from the experimental traps would be landed for
sale. All gear would be Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
compliant. Survey traps will be separate from each vessel's commercial
lobster traps and would be tagged as, ``MA DMF Research Traps.''
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 the 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.
All comments received are a part of the public record and may be
posted for public viewing without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information,
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter
``anonymous'' as the signature if you wish to remain anonymous).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 25, 2024.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-06651 Filed 3-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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