Jump to main content.

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: July 19, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 138)]
[Notices]
[Page 40994-40995]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19jy06-49]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 071306G]

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; receipt of exempted fishing permit application.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable
Fisheries, Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant Regional Administrator)
has made a preliminary determination that the subject exempted fishing
permit (EFP) application contains all the required information and
warrants further consideration. The Assistant Regional Administrator
has also made a preliminary determination that the activities
authorized under the EFP would be consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). However, further review and consultation may be necessary before
a final determination is made to issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS
announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to
recommend that an EFP be issued that would allow one commercial fishing
vessel to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise restricted by
the regulations governing the fisheries of the Northeastern United
States. The EFP, which would enable researchers to investigate the
efficacy of a 4-seam bottom trawl to improve escapement of small cod
and haddock, would allow for exemptions from the FMP as follows: Gulf
of Maine (GOM) Regulated Mesh Area minimum mesh size and gear
restrictions, and two NE multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) out of a total
of 12 days of gear testing.
    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 August 3, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul,
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope
``Comments on the GOM 4-Seam Trawl Study.'' Comments may also be sent
via facsimile (fax) to (978) 281-9135, or submitted via e-mail to the
following address: DA6191@noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tobey Curtis, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9273, fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A complete application for an EFP was
submitted on June 12, 2006, by Dana Morse and Lynn Wardwell of the
Maine Sea Grant College Program, University of Maine Cooperative
Extension. This project is funded by the Northeast Consortium. The
primary goal of the research is to test the efficacy of a 4-seam bottom
trawl to improve escapement of small haddock and cod. The intent of the
researchers is that the experimental net, if successful, could
potentially be an acceptable alternative trawl design to be used in the
groundfish fishery.
    The project expands on previous work conducted by Maine Sea Grant,
and is anticipated to sharpen the net selectivity observed in earlier
studies. Specifically, the researchers propose to compare the
effectiveness of regulated 6-inch (15.2-cm) diamond mesh side panels to
6-inch (15.2-cm) hexagonal mesh side panels on a 4-seam net
configuration. Two trawl designs will be used: (1) A control trawl (4-
seam net, 2:1 belly taper, 6-inch (15.2-cm) diamond mesh side panels,
6.5-inch (16.5-cm) diamond mesh codend); and (2) an experimental trawl
(4-seam net, 2:1 belly taper, 6-inch (15.2-cm) hexagonal mesh side
panels, 6.5-inch (16.5-cm) diamond mesh codend). A gear exemption is
necessary for the experimental net because hexagonal mesh is not an
allowed regulated mesh type. Additionally, a set of trials to quantify
side panel escapement of each net design will be conducted by attaching
small mesh (1-\3/8\-inch (3.5-cm)) ``pockets'' to the side panels, each
with their own codend. A minimum mesh size exemption is necessary
because the 1-\3/8\-inch (3.5-cm) mesh pockets are smaller than the
legal minimum mesh size for trawls in the GOM. A submersible video
recorder will be attached to the trawl to observe the

[[Page 40995]]

effectiveness of the side panel pockets at retaining escapees.
    Species of principal interest in the study include haddock, cod,
pollock, American plaice, witch flounder, winter flounder, and hake
species. Once caught, these species would be sorted, and then divided
into legal and sub-legal size groups. They would then be sub-sampled,
measured, and weighed. All legal catch would be retained, while all
other remaining catch would be returned to the sea as quickly as
practicable. Based on data from previous experimental tows, the
researchers anticipate that a total of 20,385 lb (9,246 kg) of fish
would be harvested throughout the course of the study, along with 6,390
lb (2,898 kg) of regulatory discards from both the experimental and
control nets. All legal-sized fish within the possession limit would be
retained and sold, with the proceeds returned to the project for the
purpose of enhancing future research.
    All at-sea research is proposed to be conducted from the F/V Bad
Penny (Permit # 250485, O.N. 617341) from the period between
August 1, 2006, and July 31, 2007. The vessel intends to fish in two
main areas of the GOM, known as ``The Kettles'' and ``The Three
Dories.'' The vessel would fish exclusively outside of all closed
areas. A total of 10 days would be used for testing the experimental
trawl, with an anticipated 4, 2-hour tows per day (2 control, 2
experimental). An additional 2 days would be used to evaluate side
panel escapement, using the small mesh side pockets. During these
escapement trials, the main net codend would remain open, and only fish
captured through the side panels would be sampled. The researchers are
therefore requesting exemption from a total of 2 NE multispecies DAS to
conduct the net escapement trials, in which no fish will be landed.
    Based on preliminary review of this project, and in accordance with
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6, a Categorical Exclusion (CE) from
requirements to prepare either an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
or an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) appears to be justified. 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.

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

    Dated: July 13, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-11406 Filed 7-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

 
 

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.