[Federal Register: March 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 9597-9598]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01mr04-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 022504A]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic
Fisheries; Application 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.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Assistant Regional Administrator for
Sustainable Fisheries, Northeast Region, NOAA Fisheries (Assistant
Regional Administrator), has determined that an application for EFPs
contains all of the required information and warrants further
consideration. The Assistant Regional Administrator is considering the
impacts of the activities to be authorized under the EFPs with respect
to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a
final determination is made to issue EFPs. Therefore, NMFS announces
that the Assistant Regional Administrator proposes to issue EFPs in
response to an application submitted by the Maine Department of Marine
Resources (Maine DMR). These EFPs would allow six commercial longline
or tub trawl vessels to conduct fishing operations that are otherwise
restricted by the regulations governing the fisheries of the
Northeastern United States. The EFPs would allow for exemptions from
the FMP as follows: Six federally permitted vessels would be allowed to
fish for, land, and possess Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus
hippoglossus) in excess of the allowable landing and possession limit
specified at 50 CFR 648.86(c) within a portion of the Gulf of Maine
Regulated Mesh Area (GOM RMA); these vessels would be allowed to
possess temporarily Atlantic halibut less than the minimum size
requirement of 36 inches (91.4 cm) specified at Sec. 648.83(a)(1) for
purposes of collecting scientific information; and these vessels would
be granted access to GOM Rolling Closure Area IV (June 1-June 30).
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act require publication of
this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to
comment on applications for proposed EFPs.
DATES: Comments on this notification must be received at the
appropriate address or fax number (see ADDRESSES) on or before March
16, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this notice may be submitted by e-mail. The
mailbox address for providing e-mail comments is DA367@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following
document identifier: ``Comments on Maine Halibut EFP Proposal.''
Written comments should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on
Maine Halibut EFP Proposal.'' Comments may also be sent via facsimile
to (978) 281-9135.
Copies of the Draft 2004 Amended Environmental Assessment (EA)
Prepared for the Experimental Halibut Fishery in Groundfish Closed
Areas in the Eastern Gulf of Maine are available from the Northeast
Regional Office at the same address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Chinn, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9218.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Maine DMR submitted an application on
December 19, 2003, to conduct an experimental Atlantic halibut fishery
using up to six commercial longline and tub trawl vessels in a portion
of the GOM RMA. The proposed experiment is a continuation of
experimental fisheries conducted by Maine DMR in 2000, 2001, 2002, and
2003 the fifth in a series of at least five anticipated studies aimed
at collecting biological information to be used in the long-term
management of this species. As with the prior studies, this year's
application proposes to collect data on the distribution, relative
abundance, migration, stock definition, mortality rates, stock size,
yield, and other significant biological reference points for Atlantic
halibut.
The proposed 2004 experimental fishery would take place from May 1
to June 30, 2004, or 60 days concurrent from the start date, in a
portion of the GOM RMA defined as follows:
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Area point N. Latitude W. Latitude
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HAL 1................................................. Mainland Maine Coastline 6900''
HAL 2................................................. 4312.3'' 6900''
HAL 3................................................. 4358.3'' 6721.5''
HAL 4\1\.............................................. Mainland Maine Coastline Mainland Maine Coastline
and U.S./Canada Maritime and U.S./Canada Maritime
Boundary Boundary
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\1\Between points HAL 3 and HAL 4, the area follows the U.S./Canada maritime boundary.
Participating vessels would be authorized to use only traditional
longline or tub trawl gear during the experiment. These vessels would
be limited to a maximum of 700 hooks per boat, and would be restricted
to using only circle hooks no smaller than 14[bdsol]0 in size.
Each of the six vessels would be limited to a total allowable catch
(TAC) of 50 halibut, with no possession or landing limit prior to
reaching this
[[Page 9598]]
amount. Once the TAC is reached by an individual vessel, that vessel
would be restricted to possessing and landing no more than four legal-
sized halibut per day. The maximum number of Atlantic halibut that
could be harvested as part of this study would be 500, the same number
authorized to be harvested in the 2003 experimental fishery.
The EA prepared for the 2002 halibut experimental fishery and the
2003 Supplement to the 2002 EA, prepared for the 2003 halibut
experimental fishery, concluded that the activities conducted under the
2002 and 2003 EFPs were consistent with the goals and objectives of the
FMP and would have no negative environmental impacts including impacts
to Essential Fish Habitat, marine mammals, and protected species. A
Draft 2004 Amended Environmental Assessment (EA) Prepared for the
Experimental Halibut Fishery in Groundfish Closed Areas in the Eastern
Gulf of Maine has been prepared that analyzes the impacts of the
proposed 2004 experimental fishery on the human environment. The draft
Amended EA determines that the proposed experimental fishery to collect
biological and ecological information on Atlantic halibut will not
significantly affect the quality of the human environment.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Peter H. Fricke,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-4517 Filed 2-27-04; 8:45 am]
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