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Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Exempted Fishing and Scientific Research Permits

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 [Federal Register: January 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 14)]
[Notices]
[Page 3419]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ja00-30]

[[Page 3419]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011100E]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Atlantic Highly Migratory
Species; Exempted Fishing and Scientific Research Permits

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Applications for Exempted Fishing and Scientific Research
Permits; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS announces the receipt of applications for exempted
fishing permits (EFPs) and scientific research permits (SRPs) regarding
collection of Atlantic highly migratory species. If granted, these
EFPs/SRPs would authorize collections of a limited number of tunas,
swordfish, billfish, and sharks from Federal waters in the Atlantic
Ocean for the purposes of scientific data collection and public
display.

DATES:  Written comments on these collection and research activities
will be considered by NMFS in issuing such EFPs/SRPs if received on or
before January 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  Send comments to Rebecca Lent, Chief, Highly Migratory
Species Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. The EFP/SRP applications and copies of the
regulations under which EFPs/SRPs are issued may also be requested from
this address. Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) to (301)
713-1917. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or
Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Sari Kiraly or Steve Meyers, 301-713-
2347; fax: 301-713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  EFPs and SRPs are requested and issued
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and/or the Atlantic Tunas
Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). Regulations at 50 CFR 600.745
and 50 CFR 635.32 govern scientific research activity, exempted
fishing, and exempted educational activity with respect to Atlantic
highly migratory species.
    Issuance of EFPs and/or SRPs may be necessary because possession of
certain shark species is prohibited, possession of billfish on board
commercial fishing vessels is prohibited, and because the commercial
fisheries for bluefin tuna, swordfish and large coastal sharks may be
closed for extended periods during which collection of live animals
and/or biological samples would otherwise be prohibited. In addition,
NMFS regulations at 50 CFR 635.32 regarding implantation or attachment
of archival tags in Atlantic highly migratory species require prior
authorization and a report on implantation activities.
    NMFS seeks public comment on its intention to issue EFPs for the
purpose of collecting biological samples under at-sea fisheries
observer programs. NMFS intends to issue EFPs to any NMFS or NMFS-
approved observer to bring onboard and possess, for scientific research
purposes (e.g., biological sampling, measurement, etc), any Atlantic
swordfish, Atlantic shark, or Atlantic billfish provided the fish is a
recaptured tagged fish, a dead fish prior to being brought onboard, or
specifically authorized for sampling by the Director of the Office of
Sustainable Fisheries at the request of the Southeast Fisheries Science
Center or Northeast Fisheries Science Center. NMFS intends to authorize
collection of no more than 500 Atlantic swordfish, 225 Atlantic
billfish, and 575 Atlantic sharks under at-sea observer EFPs. These are
the approximate total number of billfish, swordfish, and sharks that
were collected by observers under EFPs in 1999.
    Collection of bluefin tuna would be authorized for scientific
research. During 1999, 12 requests for Letters of Authorization and
Scientific Research Permits were received for a total landing of
approximately 165 bluefin tunas. Such bluefin tunas provided samples
for age and growth, genetic, and spawning studies.
    Comments are also sought on the issuance of EFPs to provide
offloading windows in the Atlantic Swordfish fishery, in the event the
swordfish fishery is closed prior to June 1, 2000, the date when the
vessels must carry (64 FR 55633, October 14,1999) a vessel monitoring
system (64 FR 48988, September 9, 1999) that would enable them to
remain at sea after the announced closure date. It is estimated that
there may be 50 swordfish applicants out of the 243 directed and 208
incidental permits that have been issued. NMFS anticipates that
commercial EFP applicants would be captains of larger vessels out on
extended trips at the time of a closure announcement. These applicants
would benefit from delayed offloading by avoiding market gluts and cold
storage problems.
    NMFS is also seeking public comment on its intention to issue EFPs
for the collection of restricted species of sharks for the purposes of
public display. In the final Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic
Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks, NMFS establish a public display quota of
60 metric tons wet weight for this purpose. NMFS has preliminarily
determined that up to 3,000 sharks would be consistent with this
current quota and the most recent environmental impact statement
prepared for this fishery. NMFS believes that this amount will have a
minimal impact on the stock. To date, requests have been submitted to
NMFS for the collection of approximately 900 sharks.
    The proposed collections involve activities otherwise prohibited by
regulations implementing the FMPs for Atlantic Swordfish, Tunas, and
Sharks and for Atlantic Billfish. The EFPs, if issued, would authorize
recipients to fish for and possess tunas, billfish, swordfish and
sharks outside the applicable Federal commercial seasons, size limits
and retention limits, and to fish for and possess prohibited species.
    NMFS intends to issue EFPs to be valid for the entire 2000 calendar
year or 2000 fishing year, as appropriate for each species. A final
decision on issuance of EFPs will depend on the submission of all
required information, NMFS' review of public comments received on this
notice, conclusions of any environmental analyses conducted pursuant to
the National Environmental Policy Act, and on any consultations with
any appropriate Regional Fishery Management Councils, states, or
Federal agencies. NMFS does not anticipate any environmental impacts
from the issuance of these EFPs other than impacts assessed in the
Final Environmental Impact Statement (April, 1999).

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: January 14, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-1401 Filed 1-14-00; 4:59 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F

 
 

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