[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 28668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14263]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 080626787-8788-01]
RIN 0648-XP54


2009 Monkfish Research Set-Aside Program

AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice; reallocation of set-aside days-at-sea.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS notifies the public of the reallocation of monkfish 
research days-at-sea (DAS) as exempted DAS. These are DAS that were set 
aside under the 2009 Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, but 
were not distributed through the NOAA grant process. These exempted DAS 
may be used for the conduct of monkfish related research activities 
during fishing year (FY) 2009 (May 1, 2009, through April 30, 2010). 
Requests for a monkfish DAS exemption must be submitted with a complete 
application for an exempted fishing permit (EFP).

DATES:  Effective June 17, 2009 through April 30, 2010. Projects 
involving the use of exempted DAS, under this program, must be 
completed on or before April 30, 2010.

ADDRESSES:  Applications for an EFP must be sent to the Regional 
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Allison McHale, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, by phone 978-281-9103 or by fax 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (70 FR 
21927, April 28, 2005) established the Monkfish RSA Program, which 
annually sets aside 500 monkfish DAS from the total number of monkfish 
DAS allocated to limited access monkfish vessels to be used for 
cooperative monkfish research programs. Amendment 2 also established a 
Monkfish Exemption Program, which requires the Regional Administrator 
(RA) to reallocate as exempted DAS any monkfish research DAS not 
allocated through the Monkfish RSA Program. These exempted DAS may be 
then used by vessels for the conduct of monkfish research activities 
during the current fishing year (e.g., FY 2009).
    On July 11, 2008, NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register 
announcing the 2009 Monkfish RSA Program (73 FR 40052), and solicited 
proposals for monkfish research activities to be conducted under this 
RSA program. Five proposals were received as part of this solicitation, 
and three were granted awards totaling 449 monkfish research DAS. As a 
result, there are 51 DAS available to be reallocated as exempted DAS 
during FY 2009. Therefore, the RA, pursuant to the regulations 
governing the monkfish fishery at 50 CFR 648.92(c)(1)(v), reallocates 
these unused research DAS from the FY 2009 Monkfish RSA Program, as 
exempted DAS, that may be used for the conduct of monkfish research 
projects during FY 2009.
    All requests for monkfish DAS exemptions under the Monkfish DAS 
Exemption Program must be submitted to the RA along with a complete 
application for an EFP. The requirements for submitting a complete EFP 
application are provided in the regulations implementing the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act at Sec.  600.745(b).

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C.553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice and 
comment would be unnecessary and contrary to the public interest 
because the action is administrative in nature, and because it provides 
the public (i.e., researchers) the opportunity to reduce costs 
associated with conducting monkfish related research activities. 
Additionally, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 
30-day delay in effective date because the action is administrative in 
nature.

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

    Dated: June 11, 2009.
Kristen C. Koch,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-14263 Filed 6-16-09; 8:45 am]
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