Notice2026-07053
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 13, 2026
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 Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI). 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 91 Issue 70 (Monday, April 13, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 70 (Monday, April 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18828-18830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07053]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF682]
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
[[Page 18829]]
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 Gulf of Maine
Research Institute (GMRI). 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 April 28, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7e1013180d50191f0c501b180e3e10111f1f50191108"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a7c9cac1d489c0c6d589c2c1d7e7c9c8c6c689c0c8d1">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the subject line ``Using electronic
jigging machines as a novel, ultra-low impact, gear type to collect
catch data and biological samples in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) Groundfish
Closure Areas.'' 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, etc.), 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: Elise Scholl, Fishery Management
Specialist, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#10757c7963753e6373787f7c7c507e7f71713e777f66"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3a5f5653495f144959525556567a54555b5b145d554c">[email protected]</span></a>, (978) 281-9189.
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 648.83(a)................ Minimum fish size To retain sublegal
requirements for size pollock and
Northeast Atlantic cod for
multispecies. sampling.
50 CFR 648.81(a)(1)............. Cashes Ledge To allow
Closure area commercial
except the Ammen fishing activity
Rock Habitat in the specified
Management Area. closed areas.
50 CFR 648.81(e)(1)............. Western GOM ..................
Closure Area.
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Table 2--Project Summary
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Project title.......................... Using electronic jigging
machines as a novel, ultra-low
impact, gear type to collect
catch data and biological
samples in the GOM Groundfish
Closure Areas.
Project start.......................... 05/01/2026.
Project end............................ 04/30/2027.
Project objectives..................... Continue a cooperative research
project which will provide
data on the distribution, size
and sex composition, feeding
habits, and physical
characteristics of pollock in
data-limited areas in the GOM.
Opportunistically collect
Atlantic cod biological data.
Project location....................... Statistical areas 513, 514, and
515.
Number of vessels...................... 1.
Number of trips........................ 20.
Trip duration (days)................... 2.
Total number of days................... 40.
Gear type(s)........................... Hook, Rod and Reel.
Number of tows or sets................. 4.
Duration of tows or sets............... 3 hours.
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Project Narrative
GMRI is requesting an EFP to continue a pilot cooperative research
study aimed at collecting data on the distribution, size and sex
composition, feeding habits, and physical characteristics of pollock in
data limited areas within the GOM. The vessel would also
opportunistically collect non-lethal cod biological samples in support
of research being conducted by New Hampshire Sea Grant. This will be a
continuance of the study conducted under DA24-074.
The 2025 study aimed to complete 30 total trips and sample at least
250 pollock. However, due to funding, scheduling, and weather
difficulties, only 11 trips were completed with 21 pollock sampled.
Additional funding has been secured through The Nature Conservancy,
which will allow four more trips for the 2025 groundfish fishing season
with an anticipated 40 more pollock samples. These funds also allow
GMRI to compensate the F/V Lady Rebecca for the sample pollock,
eliminating the need for dockside sampling for the remainder of the
2025 season and the 2026 season.
The project aims to collect data through haul-level catch and
effort data collection, biological sampling, and discard monitoring via
electronic monitoring (EM). The participating vessel is authorized to
use EM through its Sector Operations Plan. The project aims to fulfill
specific research needs of GMRI's pollock study and address research
priorities identified in the 2022 pollock stock assessment, including
research on geographic distribution by size. The exemptions would allow
sampling inside the Western GOM Closure Area and Cashes Ledge Closure
Area in order to evaluate pollock size distributions and reproductive
dynamics inside and outside the closed areas. The exemption to the
minimum pollock size would allow the vessel to retain sublegal size
pollock to collect catch data and biological samples.
Sampling would be conducted with hook jigging gear, including auto-
jigs and rod and reel. The applicant claims that the auto-jigging
machines are low-impact due to this method being associated with
minimal bycatch and discards exhibiting relatively high survivability.
There would be up to four auto-jigs, and two rod and reels deployed at
a time. The applicant estimates there would be 20 total trips with two
to four fishing efforts per trip. GMRI researchers are seeking at least
150 tagged pollock. Fishing effort may occur in both closed and open
areas on the same trip.
To help expand the temporal and spatial scope of the samples, every
10th pollock would be separated from the commercial catch, and tagged
with a color-coded zip tie differentiating its harvest location. Sub-
legal sized pollock selected for biological sampling would be measured
according to the Vessel Electronic Monitoring Plan (VMP) prior to
storing in slush ice while sub-legal sized pollock not selected for
biological sampling would be live discarded according to the VMP. All
other species of sublegal size fish would be live discarded according
to the VMP. Once returned to port, sampled fish will be frozen for bulk
collection by GMRI scientific staff. Data collected from each sampled
fish will include length, weight, sex, stomach contents, and a photo to
document physical characteristics. Haul level catch,
[[Page 18830]]
discard, and fishing effort data collection would be completed using
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center Fisheries Logbook Data Recording
Software. No sub-legal fish will be sold.
The project would also provide 50 cod fin clips from inside the GOM
Closed Area to expand the geographic range of an ongoing cod DNA study
being conducted by Dr. Linas Kenter, New Hampshire Sea Grant. Samples
would consist of a fingernail size fin clip from the top of the tail,
presumably posing no threat to the survivability of the released cod.
The project seeks to sample cod catch, including undersized cod.
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: April 8, 2026.
David R. Blankinship,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-07053 Filed 4-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 13, 2026.
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