[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 14 (Friday, January 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 3419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1401]



[[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]
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