Notice2025-04877
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
Primary source
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Published
March 21, 2025
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 federally-permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., in partnership with Rutgers University. 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 EFP.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 54 (Friday, March 21, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 54 (Friday, March 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13348-13350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04877]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE777]
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 of receipt of application; 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
[[Page 13349]]
an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the
required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would
allow federally-permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery
regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by
Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., in partnership with Rutgers University.
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 EFP.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 7, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by the following method:
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f59b989386db929487db909385b59b9a9494db929a83"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6c02010a1f420b0d1e42090a1c2c02030d0d420b031a">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the subject line
``SCOQ Mixing Amendment Accounting Protocols''.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Ford, Fishery Management
Specialist, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f5969d879c86819c9b90db939a8791b59b9a9494db929a83"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cfaca7bda6bcbba6a1aae1a9a0bdab8fa1a0aeaee1a8a0b9">[email protected]</span></a>, (978) 281-9185.
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
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CFR citation Regulation Need for exemption
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50 CFR 648.14(j)(1)(iii)................... Prohibition against fishing for, Retaining and landing both
retaining, or landing both species on the same trip is
surfclams and ocean quahogs needed to calculate the amount
(SCOQ) in or from the EEZ on the of mixing, in order to develop
same trip. protocols for future estimation
of discards and mixing at sea.
50 CFR 648.14(j)(1)(iv).................... Prohibition against fishing for, Retaining and landing ocean
retaining, or landing ocean quahogs on a designated
quahogs in or from the EEZ on a surfclam trip, or retaining and
trip designated as a surfclam landing surfclams on a
fishing trip under Sec. designated ocean quahog trip is
648.15(b); or fishing for, needed to calculate the amount
retaining, or landing surfclams of mixing, in order to develop
in or from the EEZ on a trip protocols for future estimation
designated as an ocean quahog of discards and mixing at sea.
fishing trip under Sec.
648.15(b).
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Table 2--Project Summary
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Project title................ SCOQ Mixing Amendment Accounting
Protocols Study.
Project start................ Upon issuance.
Project end.................. One year from issuance.
Project objectives........... To conduct industry-funded research to
determine best practices and protocols
for: (1) estimating discards of non-
target clam species for eVTR reporting;
(2) estimating pre-landing bushel
volumes of surfclam/ocean quahogs that
are mixed in cages; and (3) fully
accounting for the volume of bushels
separated from mixed cages to be
reported to NMFS.
Project location............. Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic.
Number of vessels............ Up to 15.
Number of trips.............. Up to 1,200.
Trip duration (days)......... Up to 2 days.
Total number of days......... Up to 2,400.
Gear type(s)................. Dredge.
Number of tows or sets....... 25 per trip.
Duration of tows or sets..... 1 hour.
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Project Narrative
There are increasing numbers of surfclams moving into the deeper
water habitat of ocean quahogs. Current regulations do not allow for
the landing of both species on the same trip. In response to this
issue, the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC) is working
on solutions and a preferred alternative for an amendment to the SCOQ
Fishery Management Plan. Atlantic Capes Fisheries, in partnership with
Rutgers University, is requesting an EFP to conduct industry-funded
research to develop protocols for fishing vessel crews (the crew) to
accurately estimate surfclam and ocean quahog discards and mixing at
sea, and scientifically evaluate the accuracy of those methods.
This EFP would authorize up to 15 vessels to fish for, retain, and
land both surfclams and ocean quahogs on the same trip, either in mixed
or separate cages, regardless of which species the trip was designated
for. On each trip, the crew would make independent estimates of mixing
using protocols co-developed by scientists, industry, and the Northeast
Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). Processors would independently sort
and document catch at the plant. A subset of trips (approximately two
per month) would carry a project scientist, to collect independent
estimates using scientifically derived protocols, taking into
consideration methods provided by the Northeast Fisheries Observer
Program. Project scientists would also collect estimates at the
processing plant, though not from the same trips on which they
collected at-sea estimates.
All independent estimates would be submitted to Rutgers University
for comparison. The results of the comparisons would be summarized in a
report made available to the MAFMC, NEFSC, and the Greater Atlantic
Regional Fisheries Office.
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.
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
[[Page 13350]]
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 18, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-04877 Filed 3-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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