Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 225 / Tuesday, November 21, 2000 / Proposed Rules 69897

Section 4(b)(2) of the Act requires that

the Secretary shall designate or revise

critical habitat based upon the best

scientific and commercial data available

and after taking into consideration the

economic impact of specifying any

particular area as critical habitat. Based

upon the previously published proposal

to designate critical habitat for the

Morro shoulderband snail and

comments received during the previous

comment period, we have prepared a

draft economic analysis of the proposed

critical habitat designation. The draft

economic analysis is available at the

above Internet and mailing address. We

will accept written comments during

this reopened comment period. The

current comment period on this

proposal closes on December 6, 2000.

Written comments may be submitted to

the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office in

the ADDRESSES section.

Author

The primary author of this notice is

Ron Popowski, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B,

Ventura, California 93003 (see

ADDRESSES section).

Authority: The authority for this action is

the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: November 15, 2000.

Cynthia U. Barry,

Acting Manager, California/Nevada

Operations Office.

[FR Doc. 00–29721 Filed 11–20–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[I.D. 110900B]

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;

General Provisions for Domestic

Fisheries; Applications for Exempted

Fishing Permits (EFPs)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notification of a proposal for

EFPs to conduct experimental fishing;

request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the

Administrator Northeast Region, NMFS

(Regional Administrator), has made a

preliminary determination to consider

an application for an EFP that would

allow up to four vessels to conduct

fishing operations otherwise restricted

by regulations governing the fisheries of

the Northeastern United States. The

Rutgers University Haskin Shellfish

Research Laboratory has submitted an

application for an EFP that warrants

further consideration. The experimental

fishery to be conducted under the EFP

would investigate selectivity of various

trawl mesh sizes in the Mid-Atlantic

region. The research would target smallmesh species (Atlantic mackerel, Loligo

squid, silver hake (whiting), black sea

bass, and scup), with the goal of

developing fishing gear and/or methods

that would significantly reduce the

discard mortality of scup. This notice is

intended to provide interested parties

the opportunity to comment on the

proposed experimental fishery.

DATES: Comments must be received by

December 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to

Patricia Kurkul, Regional Administrator,

NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1

Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.

Mark on the outside of the envelope

‘‘Comments on Proposed Experimental

Fishery.’’

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom

Warren, Fishery Management Specialist,

978-281-9347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

regulations that govern exempted

experimental fishing, at 50 CFR 600.745,

allow the Regional Administrator to

authorize for certain purposes the

targeting or incidental harvest of

managed species that would otherwise

be prohibited. An EFP to authorize such

activity may be issued, provided there is

adequate opportunity for the public to

comment on the EFP application, and

the conservation goals and objectives of

the Fishery Management Plan are not

compromised. The Rutgers University Haskin

Shellfish Research Laboratory of Port

Norris, NJ, submitted to NMFS on

October 9, 2000, an application for an

EFP to conduct gear research in the

small-mesh fisheries of the Mid-Atlantic

region; in particular, gear selectivity

experiments that investigate the

retention of scup. The research would

target several small-mesh species

(Atlantic mackerel, Loligo squid,

whiting, black sea bass, and scup), with

the goal of developing fishing gear and/

or methods that would significantly

reduce the discard mortality of sub-legal

and legal-sized scup. Scup are

overfished and discard mortality has

been identified as a problem that needs

to be addressed to allow the stock to

rebuild. The experimental design seeks

to increase the number of observed tows

in the directed scup fishery and to

compare the catch selectivity of codends

with mesh sizes ranging from 1 and 7/

8 to 5.0 inches (47 to 125-mm). A

composite codend constructed of 4.5

and 4.0-inch (113 and 100-mm) codend

mesh may also be tested.

Up to four vessels with the

appropriate Federal permits would be

authorized to target Atlantic mackerel,

Loligo squid, whiting, black sea bass,

scup and to retain other incidental catch

species using trawls with various

codend mesh sizes beginning on or after

January 1, 2001. The experiment would

be authorized through December 31,

2001, but may be completed as soon as

February 28, 2001. Tows would be up

to 1 hour in duration and, when

possible, consistent with procedures

used during the course of normal fishing

activities. Researchers would identify,

count, and measure the target and

incidental species retained by the

trawls; commercial species would be

retained and sold. The applicants

anticipate a total number of 32 trips

would be taken within the duration of

this proposal.

Participating vessels would have

trained observers or researchers on

board, and make tows in Mid-Atlantic

waters east and southeast of New Jersey

in NMFS statistical areas 613, 615, 616,

622, and 623 (approximately between

38° 00’ N. and 42° 00’ N. lat.). Landings

of species other than scup would be

subject to all applicable fishery

regulations, including all applicable

state or Federal limits in effect at the

time of the research. It is anticipated

that incidental species will include, but

not be limited to, summer flounder.

Vessels may be allowed to retain and

land up to 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) of scup

per trip in excess of the trip limit in

effect at the time of the experiment. The

increased trip limit would be used to

obtain more sample tows per trip and to

defray costs of the research. All landings

of scup would be counted towards the

period and the annual scup quota and

the fishery will be closed when the

quotas are reached, consistent with the

provisions of § 648.120. Issuance of the

EFPs would not authorize landing of

scup in excess of established quotas.

EFPs would be required to exempt

vessels from certain management

measures of the Summer Flounder,

Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery

Management Plan, including gear

restrictions, mesh-size requirements,

possession restrictions on undersized

species for data collection purposes

only, and trip limits. Due to the

distribution of target species, it may be

necessary for the experimental vessels

to fish in gear restricted areas (GRAs). If

GRAs are in effect at the time of, and in

the location of, the experimental fishing,

69898 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 225 / Tuesday, November 21, 2000 / Proposed Rules

exemptions from pertinent GRA

regulations would be required. There

will be an opportunity for public

discussion of this proposal at the

December 12-14, 2000, meeting of the

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Council in Atlantic City, NJ. An agenda

and other details of that meeting will be

published in the Federal Register in

advance of the meeting.

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

Dated: November 15, 2000.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–29779 Filed 11–20–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE: 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[I.D. 110800C]

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species

Fisheries; Technical Gear Workshop

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notification of public meeting.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces a public

workshop to discuss potential gear

modifications for the Atlantic pelagic

longline fishery aimed at reducing the

incidental take and mortality of

threatened and endangered sea turtles.

The workshop is intended to synthesize

available information and discuss

research objectives. A report of the

workshop will be made available to

interested parties.

DATES: The workshop will take place

December 12, 2000, from 1 p.m. to 6

p.m. and December 13, 2000, from 8:30

a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Notice of attending the

meeting should be provided by

December 5, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The location for the

workshop is: National Marine Fisheries

Service, Building 4 - Science Center,

1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring,

MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Margo Schulze-Haugen or Tyson Kade

at (301) 713-2347. Also, if you are

planning to attend the workshop, please

contact the above named individuals by

December 5, 2000. Attendees will be

provided briefing materials prior to the

meeting.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

Biological Opinion (BO) issued on June

30, 2000, by NMFS’ Office of Protected

Resources found that the continued

operation of the Atlantic pelagic

longline fishery is likely to jeopardize

the continued existence of loggerhead

and leatherback sea turtles. Since the

BO was issued, NMFS has concluded

that further analyses of observer data

and additional population modeling of

loggerhead sea turtles are needed to

determine more precisely the impact of

the pelagic longline fishery on turtles.

NMFS reinitiated consultation to

consider these factors, and anticipates

issuance of a new BO in March 2001.

This workshop will allow fishermen,

gear experts, sea turtle experts, and

fishery managers to discuss possible

measures, including gear and fishing

method modifications, to reduce the

incidental take and mortality of sea

turtles in the Atlantic pelagic longline

fishery in the future. Information

developed at the workshop will be

incorporated into a workshop report

that will be considered in the ongoing

fishery consultation. The report will

also be made available to the public.

Special Accommodations

The public workshop is physically

accessible to people with disabilities.

Requests for sign language

interpretation or other auxiliary aids

should be directed to Margo SchulzeHaugen or Tyson Kade (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days

prior to the meeting.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq., and 16

U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: November 14, 2000.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–29780 Filed 11–20–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE: 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 001030303–0303–01; I.D.

091900E]

RIN 0648—AO41

Fisheries off West Coast States and in

the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast

Groundfish Fishery; Amendment 13

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this proposed

rule to implement portions of

Amendment 13 to the Pacific Coast

Groundfish Fishery Management Plan

(FMP). Amendment 13 is intended to

make the FMP consistent with the

bycatch provisions of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens

Act). Amendment 13 would also

increase flexibility in the groundfish

annual specifications and management

measures process to allow the Council

to more easily craft measures that

protect overfished and depleted species,

and would amend the limited entry

permit provisions to remove unused and

outdated limited entry permit

endorsements. This proposed rule

would introduce an increased

utilization program for the at-sea

whiting fisheries, revise the regulatory

provisions for the routine management

measures process, and remove

regulatory references to limited entry

permit endorsements other than the ‘‘A’’

endorsement.

DATES: Comments must be submitted in

writing by January 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Donna

Darm, Acting Administrator, Northwest

Region, (Regional Administrator) NMFS,

7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA

98115; or Rebecca Lent, Administrator,

Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West

Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach,

CA 90802-4213. Copies of Amendment

13 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP

and the environmental assessment/

regulatory impact review (EA/RIR) are

available from Donald McIsaac,

Executive Director, Pacific Fishery

Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth

Avenue, Suite 224, Portland, OR 97201.

Send comments regarding the reporting

burden estimate or any other aspect of

the collection-of-information

requirements in this proposed rule to

the NMFS address and to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Washington, DC 00503 (Attn:

NOAA Desk Officer). Send comments

regarding any ambiguity or unnecessary

complexity arising from the language

used in this rule to Donna Darm or

Rebecca Lent.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

William Robinson at: phone, 206-526-

6140; fax, 206-526-6736; and email,

bill.robinson@noaa.gov. Svein Fougner

at: phone, 562–980–4000; fax, 562–980–

4047; and email,

svein.fougner@noaa.gov.