Notice2025-12053
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
Primary source
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Published
June 30, 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 the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF). 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 90 Issue 123 (Monday, June 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 123 (Monday, June 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27855-27856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12053]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF007]
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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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 federally permitted fishing vessels
to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing
activities proposed by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF).
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 July 15, 2025.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8de3e0ebfea3eaecffa3e8ebfdcde3e2ececa3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fe9093988dd0999f8cd09b988ebe90919f9fd0999188">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the subject line ``CFF Oceanic Squid
Fishery EFP.'' 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).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Ford, Fishery Management
Specialist, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e7848f958e94938e8982c981889583a789888686c9808891"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="31525943584245585f541f575e4355715f5e50501f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>, 978-281-9185.
[[Page 27856]]
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 648.351(a)............... Restriction To allow for the
against fishing landing of Mid-
for, possessing, Atlantic forage
or landing more species in excess
than 1,700 lb of the possession
(771.11 kg) of limit.
all Mid-Atlantic
forage species
combined per trip.
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Table 2--Project Summary
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Project title..................... Developing an Oceanic Squid Fishery
in the Northwest Atlantic.
Project start..................... 08/01/2025.
Project end....................... 12/31/2025.
Project objectives................ To assess the viability of
developing an offshore squid
fishery.
Project location.................. Waters off the continental shelf.
Statistical Areas: 525, 526, 533,
534, 537, and 541 (also possibly
542, 543, 552, 562, 616, 623, and
624).
Number of vessels................. 3 (2 primary, and 1 back-up).
Number of trips................... 2.
Trip duration (days).............. 7.
Total number of days.............. 14.
Gear type(s)...................... Auto-jigging machines.
Number of tows or sets............ 60.
Duration of tows or sets.......... 6-12 hours.
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Project Narrative
The purpose of this project is to conduct exploratory fishing in
waters off the continental shelf to assess resource availability, and
promote sustainable fishing opportunities for oceanic squid species.
The applicant states that the neon flying squid, valuable in Asian and
European markets, was successfully targeted during an exploratory
fishing trip off the Eastern Coast of the United States in the late
1990s, and has promise to support a directed fishery.
Under this EFP, participating fishermen would trial automatic
jigging machines, paired with high-intensity lighting and a deep-sea
anchoring system, to catch unmanaged squid species, and to gauge
commercial potential of further equipping fishing vessels to target
these species and develop new markets. Two 7-day exploratory fishing
trips would occur. Fishing would occur day and night for 5 days during
each trip. Vessels would be outfitted with four-six double drummed
automatic jigging machines. Each jigging line would be rigged with 10
barbless hooks designed to catch neon flying squid, fished at depths up
to 200 meters (m), in waters of total depths between 250-1,500 m. In
addition to the jigging machines, fishing operations would include an
array of 12 metal halide and 20 high-intensity light-emitting diode
deck lights on the surface, and one underwater metal halide light
lowered by a dedicated winch. The vessel would use a deep-sea parachute
sea anchor to reduce drift and stabilize the vessel.
CFF research staff would be aboard vessels to oversee fishing and
conduct sampling activities. Squid would be identified to the lowest
taxonomic level possible, and representative samples would be retained
to verify identification. Squid lengths and weights would be recorded
for each taxa caught, and the time and location would be recorded to
monitor effort. Catch information on all species incidentally caught
would be recorded. Unmanaged squid species caught would be retained for
sale. Illex and longfin squid would be landed within vessel possession
limits, although the jig size would be too large for most Illex squid,
and the depths and distance from shore fished would make catching
longfin squid unlikely. The applicant anticipates catching up to 10,000
lb (4,536 kg) of squid per trip.
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: June 26, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-12053 Filed 6-27-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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