Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 24 / Thursday, February 5, 2004 / Proposed Rules 5483

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[I.D. 121603A] 

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; 

General Provisions for Domestic 

Fisheries; Application for Exempted 

Fishing Permits (EFPs); Correction

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Correction to a notification of a 

proposal for EFPs to conduct 

experimental fishing.

SUMMARY: On December 24, 2003, NMFS 

announced that the Assistant Regional 

Administrator, Northeast Region, NOAA 

Fisheries (Assistant Regional 

Administrator) was proposing to issue 

EFPs in response to an application 

submitted by the Cape Cod Commercial 

Hook Fisherman’s Association 

(CCCHFA), in collaboration with 

Massachusetts Division of Marine 

Fisheries (DMF), and Research, 

Environmental and Management 

Support (REMSA). These EFPs would 

allow up to 17 vessels to fish for 

haddock using longline gear or jig gear 

in Northeast (NE) multispecies yearround Georges Bank (GB) Closed Area I 

(CAI) during the months of January, 

February, and May through September 

2004. In this notification, NMFS 

announces that the Federal Register

notification contained a typographical 

error in the description of the area 

where the experiment would be 

conducted. This notification informs the 

public of the typographical error 

contained in December 24, 2003, 

document and informs the public that 

revised EFPs containing the correct 

coordinates will be issued to the 

applicant.

DATES: Comments on this action must be 

received at the appropriate address or 

fax number (see ADDRESSES) on or before 

February 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should 

be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional 

Administrator, NMFS, NE Regional 

Office One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, 

MA 01930. Mark the outside of the 

envelope ‘‘Comments on Haddock EFP 

Proposal.’’ Comments may also be sent 

via fax to (978) 281–9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Heather Sagar, Fishery Management 

Specialist, phone: 978–281–9341, fax: 

978–281–9135, email: 

heather.sagar@noaa.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On December 24, 2003 (68 FR 74542), 

NMFS published notification in the 

Federal Register announcing the receipt 

of an application for an EFP to conduct 

a study to evaluate the best spatial and 

temporal location for a directed 

haddock hook-gear fishery in GB CA I, 

while having minimal impact to GB cod. 

The results of the proposed study could 

be used by the New England Fishery 

Management Council and NMFS to 

determine the feasibility of establishing 

a Special Access Program for traditional 

haddock hook-and-line fishery in CA I. 

The Federal Register notification 

indicated the study would occur in a 

specified area within the northern 

portion of CA I (north of loran-C line 

13660). The 15–day comment period on 

the proposed EFP closed on January 8, 

2004. NMFS recently issued EFPs to the 

applicant that indicated that the study 

would be conducted within the 

northern portion of CA I (north of loranC line 13660). Upon receipt of the EFPs, 

the applicant informed NMFS that an 

incorrect coordinate was cited in the 

EFP and the Federal Register notice. On 

page 74543, column 3, first full 

paragraph, the coordinate provided in 

the fourth line should have read ‘‘(north 

of loran-C line 43660)’’ rather than 

‘‘(north of loran-C line 13660).’’

An Environmental Assessment (EA) 

was originally prepared for the 

proposed study that analyzed the 

impacts of the proposed experimental 

fishery on the human environment. 

Although the coordinates identified 

numerically in the EA referred to the 

incorrect coordinate, the maps 

contained in the EA clearly identified 

the correct coordinates (northern 

portion of CA I (north of loran-C line 

43660) for this study. The EA analyzed 

the impacts of the proposed 

experimental fishery on the human 

environment based on the area correctly 

identified in the maps provided in the 

EA. The EA concluded that the 

activities proposed to be conducted 

under the requested EFPs are consistent 

with the goals and objectives of the NE 

Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, 

would not be detrimental to the wellbeing of any stocks of fish harvested, 

and would have no significant 

environmental impacts. The EA also 

concluded that the experimental fishery 

would not be detrimental to essential 

fish habitat, marine mammals, or 

protected species. The ‘‘Finding of No 

Significant Impact’’ contained in the EA 

was signed by the Assistant 

Administrator for Fisheries on January 

27, 2004.

Through this document, NMFS 

informs the public that the coordinates 

contained in the December 24, 2003, 

Federal Register notification contained 

a typographical error. The document 

should have identified the northern 

portion of CA I in which the study 

would be conducted as north of loranC line 43660. NMFS also informs the 

public that NMFS intends to re-issue 

EFPs containing the correct coordinates. 

However, because the original Federal 

Register document contained the 

incorrect coordinates that may have 

caused confusion, NMFS is inviting 

comments on the revision to the EFPs. 

Should NMFS receive substantive 

comments on EFPs, NMFS may 

reconsider whether issuance of, 

modificatiopon to or rescission of the 

EFPs would be appropriate.

Therefore, on page 74543, third 

column, first sentence under section 

entitled, ‘‘Proposed EFP’’, remove 

‘‘(north of loran-C line 13660).’’ and in 

its place insert ‘‘(north of loran-C line 

43660).’’

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

Dated: February 2, 2004.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–2412 Filed 2–2–04; 1:07 pm]

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