16614 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2011 / Notices 

costs of the research activity, while 

minimizing operating expenses. Based 

on the preliminary award of 96 DAS and 

projected monkfish catch rates, this 

would allow a total catch of 345,600 lb 

(156,762 kg) of whole monkfish 

(104,097 lb (47,218 kg) tail weight). 

Operating under this total landings cap, 

compensation fishing would continue 

until the goal of 345,600 lb (156,762 kg) 

of whole monkfish is caught, or until 

the awarded DAS have been fully 

utilized, whichever occurs first. Aside 

from these exemptions, fishing activity 

would be conducted under normal 

commercial practices. NMFS is 

considering imposing a cap on monkfish 

DAS possession limit exemptions for 

vessels operating under the monkfish 

RSA program due to potential effect that 

such exemptions may have on monkfish 

market price and catch rates for nonRSA vessels. 

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: March 21, 2011. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7020 Filed 3–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA269 

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. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional 

Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 

Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant 

Regional Administrator), has made a 

preliminary determination that an 

Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) 

application contains all of the required 

information and warrants further 

consideration and that the activities 

authorized under this EFP would be 

consistent with the goals and objectives 

of the Monkfish Fishery Management 

Plan (FMP). However, further review 

and consultation may be necessary 

before a final determination is made to 

issue an EFP. This EFP would grant 

exemptions from monkfish days-at-sea 

(DAS) possession limits. 

Regulations under the MagnusonStevens 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 8, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit written 

comments by any of the following 

methods: 

• E-mail: nero.efp@noaa.gov. Include 

in the subject line ‘‘Comments on GMRI 

Monkfish RSA EFP.’’ 

• Mail: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional 

Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional 

Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, 

Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside 

of the envelope ‘‘Comments on GMRI 

monkfish RSA EFP.’’ 

• Fax: (978) 281–9135. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jason Berthiaume, Fishery Management 

Specialist, 978–281–9177. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An 

application for an EFP was submitted by 

the Gulf of Maine Research Institute 

(GMRI) on February 23, 2011, in support 

of a project preliminarily selected under 

the New England and Mid-Atlantic 

Fishery Management Councils’ 

Monkfish RSA Program. The project 

proposes to use archival tagging and age 

validation efforts to assess monkfish 

movement, age structure, and growth. 

This EFP would grant an exemption 

from monkfish possession limits to 

facilitate compensation fishing to fund 

this research project. GMRI would tag 

monkfish using data storage tags that 

would record time, pressure (depth), 

and temperature. GMRI would charter 

fishing vessels to conduct the research. 

The vessels would use standard 

commercial gear and land monkfish for 

sale, but sampling locations and 

protocol would be controlled by the 

researcher. The research vessels would 

not land any fish below the legal size for 

commercial purposes. 

Compensation fishing for this 

research would occur from May 2011 

through April 2012, with a possible 

extension through April 2013, as 

authorized by the Monkfish FMP and 50 

CFR 648.92(c)(1)(v). Pending a final 

award by NOAA Grants, GMRI has been 

awarded 368 monkfish DAS under the 

Monkfish RSA Program. To facilitate 

compensation fishing, the applicant has 

requested exemptions from monkfish 

DAS possession limits at 50 CFR 

648.94(b)(1) and (2). The applicant 

stated that these exemptions would 

provide the vessels with flexibility to 

fulfill the financial needs of the project, 

while minimizing vessel operating 

expenses. Based on budget needs and an 

estimated monkfish price per pound, 

the project would need a total catch of 

1,324,800 lb (600,919 kg) of whole 

monkfish (399,036 lb (181,000 kg) tail 

weight). Operating under this total 

landings cap, compensation fishing 

would continue until the goal of 

1,324,800 lb (600,919 kg) of whole 

monkfish is caught, or until the awarded 

DAS have been fully utilized, whichever 

occurs first. Aside from these 

exemptions, fishing activity would be 

conducted under normal commercial 

practices. NMFS is considering 

imposing a cap on monkfish DAS 

possession limit exemptions for vessels 

operating under the monkfish RSA 

program due to potential effects that 

such exemptions may have on monkfish 

market price and catch rates for nonRSA vessels. 

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: March 21, 2011. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7023 Filed 3–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA270 

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; 

General Provisions for Domestic 

Fisheries; Application for Exempted 

Fishing Permit 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2011 / Notices 16615 

ACTION: Notice; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional 

Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 

Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant 

Regional Administrator), 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 exempt 

participating vessels from the following 

types of fishery regulations: Minimum 

fish size restrictions; fish possession 

limits; species quota closures; 

prohibited fish species, not including 

species protected under the Endangered 

Species Act; and gear-specific fish 

possession restrictions for the purpose 

of collecting fishery dependent catch 

data and biological samples that is being 

conducted by the Northeast Fisheries 

Science Center’s (NEFSC) Study Fleet 

Program. 

Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act require publication of 

this notification to provide interested 

parties the opportunity to comment on 

EFP applications. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before April 8, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit written 

comments by any of the following 

methods: 

• E-mail: nero.efp@noaa.gov. Include 

in the subject line ‘‘Comments on 

NEFSC Study Fleet EFP.’’ 

• Mail: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional 

Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional 

Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, 

Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside 

of the envelope ‘‘Comments on NEFSC 

Study Fleet EFP.’’ 

• Fax: (978) 281–9135. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Carly Knoell, Fisheries Management 

Specialist, 978–281–9224, 

Carly.Knoell@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NEFSC 

submitted a complete application for an 

EFP on February 7, 2011, to conduct 

commercial fishing activities that the 

regulations would otherwise restrict. 

The EFP would exempt 24 Federally 

permitted commercial fishing vessels 

from the regulations detailed below 

while participating in the Study Fleet 

Program and operating under projects 

managed by the NEFSC. The EFP would 

exempt participating vessels from 

minimum fish size restrictions; fish 

possession limits; species quota 

closures; prohibited fish species, not 

including species protected under the 

Endangered Species Act; and gearspecific fish possession restrictions for 

the purpose of at-sea sampling and, in 

limited situations for research purposes 

only, to retain and land fish. 

Crew trained by the NEFSC Study 

Fleet Program in methods that are 

consistent with the current NEFSC 

observer protocol, while under normal 

fishing operations, would sort, weigh, 

and measure fish that are to be 

discarded. An exemption from 

minimum fish size restrictions; fish 

possession limits; species quota 

closures; prohibited fish species, not 

including species protected under the 

Endangered Species Act; and gearspecific fish possession restrictions for 

at-sea sampling is required because 

some discarded species would be on 

deck slightly longer than under normal 

sorting procedures. 

Participating vessels would also be 

authorized to retain and land, in limited 

situations for research purposes only, 

fish that do not comply with fishing 

regulations. The vessels would be 

authorized to retain specific amounts of 

particular species in whole or round 

weight condition, in marked totes, 

which would be delivered to Study 

Fleet Program technicians. In addition, 

if the EFP is approved, NEFSC and 

participatory vessels would be notified 

that spiny dogfish and black sea bass 

could not be targeted during a quota 

closure, and that any live spiny dogfish 

or black sea bass that are caught must 

be discarded. No spiny dogfish or black 

sea bass could be landed for commercial 

purposes as part of this research project 

during a quota closure. The NEFSC 

would require participating vessels to 

obtain written approval from the NEFSC 

Study Fleet Program prior to landing 

any fish in excess of possession limits 

and/or below minimum size limits to 

ensure that the landed fish do not 

exceed any of the Study Fleet Program’s 

collection needs, as detailed below. 

None of the landed biological samples 

from these trips would be sold for 

commercial use or used for any other 

purpose other than scientific research. 

The table below details the 

regulations from which the participating 

vessels would be exempt. The 

participating vessels would be required 

to comply with all other applicable 

requirements and restrictions specified 

at 50 CFR part 648, unless specifically 

exempted in this EFP. All catch of 

stocks allocated to Sectors by vessels on 

a Sector trip would be deducted from 

the Sector’s Annual Catch Entitlement 

for each Northeast multispecies stock 

regardless of what fishery the vessel was 

participating in when the fish was 

caught. 

NEFSC STUDY FLEET PROGRAM EFP 

Number of vessels 24 

Possession Possession for at-sea sampling plus limited landing 

Exempted regulations in 50 CFR part 648 .............................................. Size limits: 

§ 648.83(a)(3) NE multispecies minimum size. 

§ 648.93 Monkfish minimum fish size. 

§ 648.103 Summer flounder minimum fish size. 

§ 648.143(a) Black sea bass minimum fish size. 

Possession restrictions: 

§ 648.86(b) Atlantic cod. 

§ 648.86(c) Atlantic halibut. 

§ 648.86(e) White hake. 

§ 648.86(g) Yellowtail flounder. 

§ 648.86(g)(1) Southern New England Yellowtail flounder possession limit. 

§ 648.86(j) Georges Bank Winter flounder. 

§ 648.86(n)(1) Zero retention of SNE Winter flounder. 

§ 648.94 Monkfish possession limit. 

§ 648.22(c) Incidental possession limit of Loligo. 

§ 648.322 Skate possession and landing restrictions. 

§ 648.141 Black sea bass closure. 

§ 648.145 Black sea bass possession limits. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
16616 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2011 / Notices 

NEFSC STUDY FLEET PROGRAM EFP—Continued 

Number of vessels 24 

Possession Possession for at-sea sampling plus limited landing 

§ 648.231 Spiny dogfish closure. 

§ 648.235 Spiny dogfish possession and landing restrictions. 

The following descriptions detail the 

NEFSC Study Fleet Program’s Sampling 

Needs: 

Haddock—whole fish would be 

retained for maturity and fecundity 

research. The haddock retained would 

not exceed 30 fish per trip, or 360 fish 

for all trips. The maximum weight of 

haddock on any trip would not exceed 

120 lb (54.43 kg) total weight per trip, 

and would not exceed 1,440 lb (653.17 

kg) for all trips combined. 

Yellowtail Flounder—whole fish 

would be retained for maturity, 

fecundity, bioelectrical impedance 

analysis (BIA), food habits, and genetic 

research. The yellowtail flounder 

retained would not exceed 60 fish per 

month from each of the three stock areas 

(Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank 

(GB), Southern New England/MidAtlantic (SNE/MA)), or 1,800 fish total 

from each stock area for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 50 lb (22.70 kg) total weight, and 

would not exceed 1,500 lb (680.39 kg) 

for all trips combined. 

Summer Flounder—whole fish would 

be retained for maturity, fecundity, BIA, 

food habits, and genetic research. The 

summer flounder retained would not 

exceed 60 fish per month from each of 

the three stock areas (GOM, GB, SNE/ 

MA), or 1,800 fish total from each stock 

area for all trips. The maximum weight 

on any trip would not exceed 100 lb 

(45.36 kg) total weight, and would not 

exceed 3,000 lb (1,360.78 kg) for all trips 

combined. 

Winter Flounder—whole fish would 

be retained for maturity, fecundity, BIA, 

food habits, and genetic research. The 

winter flounder retained would not 

exceed 60 fish per month from each of 

the three stock areas (GOM, GB, SNE/ 

MA), or 1,800 fish total from each stock 

area for all trips. The maximum weight 

on any trip would not exceed 75 lb 

(34.02 kg) total weight, and would not 

exceed 2,250 lb (1,020.58 kg) for all trips 

combined. 

Spiny Dogfish—Whole fish would be 

retained for reproductive biology 

research. The spiny dogfish retained 

would not exceed 50 fish per month 

from each of the two stock areas (GOM, 

SNE/MA), or 1,200 fish total for all 

trips. The maximum weight on any trip 

would not exceed 390 lb (176.9 kg), and 

would not exceed 9,360 lb (4,245.62 kg) 

total for all trips. Monkfish—whole fish would be 

retained for maturity and fecundity 

research. Monkfish retained would not 

exceed 10 fish per trip, or 120 fish total 

for all trips. The maximum weight on 

any trip would not exceed 100 lb (45.36 

kg) total weight, and would not exceed 

1,200 lb (544.31 kg) for all trips 

combined. 

Cod—whole fish would be retained 

for tagging demonstrations and 

educational purposes. Cod to be 

retained would not exceed 15 fish per 

trip, or 60 cod for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 150 lb (68.04 kg) total weight, 

and would not exceed 600 lb (272.16 kg) 

for all trips combined. Barndoor Skate—whole and, in some 

cases, live skates would be retained for 

age and growth research and species 

confirmation. The barndoor skates 

retained would not exceed 20 fish per 

trip, or 80 skates total for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 75 lb (34.02 kg) total weight, and 

would not exceed 300 lb (136.08 kg) 

total for all trips combined. Thorny Skate—whole and, in some 

cases, live skates would be retained for 

age and growth research and species 

confirmation. Thorny skates retained 

would not exceed 20 fish per trip, or 80 

skates total for all trips. The maximum 

weight on any trip would not exceed 75 

lb (34.02 kg) whole weight, and would 

not exceed 300 lb (136.08 kg) total for 

all trips combined. Black Sea Bass—whole fish would be 

retained for examination of seasonal and 

latitudinal patterns in energy allocation. 

This effort is in support of an ongoing 

study at the NEFSC to evaluate BIA to 

measure fish energy density and 

reproductive potential for stock 

assessment. Black sea bass retained 

would not exceed 75 fish per trip or 300 

black sea bass total for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 250 lb (113.40 kg) total weight, 

and would not exceed 1,000 lb (453.59 

kg) total for all trips combined. 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 impact 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: March 18, 2011. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7018 Filed 3–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–BA89 

Identification of Nations Whose 

Fishing Vessels Are Engaged in 

Fishing in Waters Beyond Any National 

Jurisdiction That Target or Incidentally 

Catch Sharks 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

information. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is seeking information 

regarding nations whose vessels are 

engaged in fishing in waters beyond any 

national jurisdiction that target or 

incidentally catch sharks. Such 

information will be reviewed for the 

purposes of the identification of nations 

pursuant to the High Seas Driftnet 

Fishing Moratorium Protection Act 

(Moratorium Protection Act). 

DATES: Information should be received 

on or before August 1, 2011, but will be 

accepted up to December 1, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Information should be 

submitted to NMFS Office of 

International Affairs, Attn.: MSRA 

Shark Information, 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 

E-mail address: SHARK.INFO@noaa.gov 

or fax (301) 713–9106. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

NMFS Office of International Affairs, 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES