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Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Scientific Research Permit
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 4, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 86)]
[Notices]
[Page 26351-26353]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04my06-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 033006B]
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Scientific Research Permit
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; request for a scientific research permit; request for
comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of a request for a scientific
research permit (SRP) to survey and determine abundance and
distribution of pelagic sharks, inject pelagic sharks with tetracycline
for age validation studies, track the survival and movement of Highly
Migratory Species (HMS) with conventional and satellite pop-up tags in
the Atlantic Ocean, and collect biological samples. While this research
will occur in waters from the Gulf of Maine to Delaware, NMFS invites
comments from interested parties on
[[Page 26352]]
this SRP request with regards to tagging and biological sampling of HMS
(sharks, blue and white marlin, and bluefin and yellowfin tuna) in the
Northeastern United States closed area.
DATES: Written comments on the application for a scientific research
permit must be received by 5 p.m. on May 18, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
? Email: SF1.033006B@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line
the following identifier: I.D. 033006B.
? Mail: Margo Schulze-Haugen, Chief, Highly Migratory
Species Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please mark the outside of the envelope
``Comments on SRP Application.''
? Fax: (301)427-2590
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Wilson, by phone: (404)806-
7622; fax: (404)806-9188.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Scientific Research Permits are requested
and issued under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16
U.S.C. 971 et seq.), which regulates fishing activities of tunas,
swordfish, and billfish. Regulations at 635.32 govern scientific
research activity, exempted fishing, and exempted educational activity
with respect to Atlantic HMS. Scientific research is exempted from
regulation under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) (Magnuson-Stevens Act), which
regulates fishing activities of sharks.
The Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) in Narragansett,
Rhode Island has requested a SRP to conduct a research in Federal
waters between Delaware and the Gulf of Maine (38[deg]00' N to
41[deg]00' N), including the Northeastern U.S. closed area. Previous
shark surveys have occurred in this area prior to the implementation of
the Northeastern U.S. closed area. This research would include a survey
and tagging study of pelagic sharks, including shortfin mako sharks,
Isurus oxyrinchus, common and bigeye thresher sharks, Alopia vulpinus
and A. superciliosus, blue sharks, Prionace glauca, and porbeagle
sharks, Lamna nasus, to obtain abundance and distribution information
on these species. In addition, this research would include injecting
tagged sharks with tetracycline for age validation studies. Biological
samples would be taken from some species of sharks, including samples
for age studies, stomach samples for food and feeding information, and
reproductive samples. The data collected should support current
research on thresher shark life history and blue shark and shortfin
mako food habits.
The NEFSC would be conducting its research at historical survey
locations. Prior research indicates that these species follow
temperature gradients offshore from New Jersey and then move northward
towards the Gulf of Maine. The survey would consist of a total of 20
sets over 11 days that proceed from south to north placing sets at the
shelf, slope, northwall, and Gulfstream stations at 50 mile intervals
coincident with oceanographic canyon stations that were sampled in
earlier cruises. Approximately 10 sets will be placed within the
Northeastern U.S. closed area. This research would also compare
previous catch data with catch rates of these species using 9/0
(#40) Japanese tuna hooks to catch rates using 16/0 non-offset
circle hooks, and catch rates and bait retention with 18/0 non-offset
barbless circle hooks.
While the NEFSC would be fishing primarily for sharks, the
researchers would use Southeast Fisheries Science Center tags to tag
any live, incidentally caught Atlantic blue marlin, Makaira nigricans,
and white marlin, Tetrapturus albidus. In addition, in collaboration
with Dr. Molly Lutcavage from the University of New Hampshire, the
NEFSC would deploy pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) on any live,
incidentally caught bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, and yellowfin tuna,
Thunnus albacares. The timing of the survey is seasonally early in
terms of billfish availability, and bycatch rates are expected to be
very low since surface water temperatures will likely be too cold for
billfish and sea turtles on the vast majority of the stations. While
bluefin tuna may be incidentally captured if a survey station is
located within a warm core ring, the number caught will probably be
very low because sets are shorter in duration, the amount of gear set
is about half the size of a commercial set, and it is unlikely that
there would be more than two stations within rings on this cruise. If
the researchers catch five bluefin tuna and/or three loggerhead or
leatherback sea turtles on a given set, they will retrieve the gear and
move out of the area. These oceanographic conditions have been surveyed
in the past, and this sampling opportunity might allow for critical
PSAT deployments prior to the inshore migrations of bluefin tuna. These
deployments would provide critical data on bluefin tuna behavior during
the migratory transition from offshore to inshore feeding grounds.
For each fish caught and tagged, the researchers would record
species, estimated length and weight, and GPS location in addition to
sea surface temperature, and any other data archived by the PSATs.
These data would be used for migration studies on billfish, bluefin
tuna, and yellowfin tuna. For all incidental mortalities, data would be
collected, such as length, weight, samples for isotope work, otolith
and aging samples, blood samples, and gonad samples. However, because
the researchers would be targeting shark species, few incidental
mortalities of other HMS are expected from these surveys based on
previous survey results. Based on past data for the month of June and
the estimated fishing effort for the 11 day cruise (20 total sets of
400 hooks per set for a total of 8,000 hooks), the researchers
anticipate that they will catch 812 blue sharks, Prionace glauca, 32
sandbar sharks, Carcharhinus plumbeus, 12 shortfin mako sharks, Isurus
oxyrhincus, nine swordfish, Xiphias gladius, five thresher sharks,
Alopias vulpinus, two dusky sharks, Carcharhinus obscurus, one
yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, one porbeagle shark, Lamna nasus,
one tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, one bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus,
and one hammerhead shark, Sphyrna spp.
The research would be conducted from May 30, 2006, through June 9,
2006, throughout the area mentioned above. Research would be conducted
onboard the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration's
(NOAA's) Fisheries Research Vessel, the Delaware II (R-445). Collection
of HMS would occur with traditional Yankee pelagic longline gear
consisting of a gangion of approximately 6 feet (1.83 m) of 0.125-inch
(0.320 cm) diameter stainless wire leader attached to 18 feet (5.49 m)
of 0.25-inch (0.640 cm) diameter braided nylon line with a stainless
steel line clip at the nylon end. Approximately 133, 16/0 non-offset
circle hooks would be alternated with 133, 9/0 (#40) Japanese
tuna hooks, and 134, 18/0 non-offset barbless circle hooks for a total
of 400 hooks per set. Hooks would be baited with mackerel. The mainline
would consist of 0.31 inch diameter braided nylon or monofilament with
polyform floats with five fathom droppers attached to the floats would
be used at 10 hook intervals to support the longline, and each end of
the longline would be marked with a both a polyform float and a 20-foot
(6.10 m) staff buoy with radar reflectors, flashers (at night), and
weights for stability. The soak time would vary, but would be no more than
[[Page 26353]]
a couple of hours to minimize incidental mortalities of non-target species.
Sea turtle handling and release equipment and instructions will be
onboard the vessel at all times while engaged in this research
activity. Additionally, the research team is trained and experienced in
sea turtle handling and release techniques. Past research has also
associated sea turtle interactions and other bycatch species with
certain oceanographic features, such as warm core rings. Because the
goal of this research would be to tag and collect information on the
abundance and distribution of sharks, the researchers would limit their
activity in these areas to reduce potential interactions with sea
turtles and other non-targeted species.
Based on NMFS' initial review, NMFS believes that this research
would be excluded from the requirement to prepare either an
Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to
the National Environmental Policy Act because it is of limited size and
magnitude and is not expected to have significant effects individually
or cumulatively on the environment. As noted above, limited numbers of
incidental interactions and/or mortalities are anticipated to occur
while conducting this research. While scientific research is not
regulated under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS would track and monitor
all sources of mortalities for sharks. Any mortalities of ATCA
regulated species (i.e., billfish and tuna) would be counted against
the appropriate quotas, and active measures will be taken to minimize
interactions and mortalities of these non-target species. Further, all
fish tagged would be released alive, with minimal or no post-release
mortality anticipated. However, if any HMS die during the collection
and/or tagging process, age structures (otoliths), stomachs, blood samples,
samples for isotope work, and reproductive tissues would be sampled.
This research may benefit fishery managers and scientists by
providing additional data on the importance of the Northeastern U.S.
closed area ecosystem in the management and conservation of HMS in the
Atlantic Ocean.
The regulations that would prohibit the proposed activities include
requirements for permits and fees (50 CFR 635.4), vessel reporting (50
CFR 635.4), size limits (50 CFR 635.20), fishing in a closed area (50
CFR 635.21(c)(i)), hook requirements (50 CFR 635.21(c)(5)(iii)(C)),
retention limits for bluefin tuna (50 CFR 635.23), commercial retention
limits for sharks and swordfish (50 CFR 635.24), catch and release (50
CFR 635.26), commercial quotas (50 CFR 635.27), closures (50 CFR 635.28),
possession at sea and landing (50 CFR 635.30), and VMS (50 CFR 635.69).
Authority: Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 25, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-6767 Filed 5-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S