[Federal Register: February 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 37)]
[Notices]
[Page 8741-8743]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25fe03-31]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021003A]
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions;
Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to issue an EFP to use modified traps to
capture Royal
[[Page 8742]]
Red Shrimp (Pleoticus robustus); request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional
Administrator) has made a preliminary determination that the subject
EFP application contains all the required information and warrants
further consideration. The Regional Administrator has also made a
preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFP
would be consistent with the goals and objectives of Federal management
of the American lobster resource. However, further review and
consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to
issue the EFP. Therefore, NMFS announces that the Regional
Administrator intends to issue an EFP that would allow one federally
permitted lobster vessel to fish a maximum of six modified lobster
traps to obtain live specimens of royal red shrimp for the purposes of
study and cultivation. The request for the EFP was submitted by the
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut in
conjunction with a grant received by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to carry out aquaculture trials and maturation experiments on royal red
shrimp and determine the suitability of this species for aquaculture.
Approximately 300 to 600 live adult royal red shrimp are needed to
carry out the aquaculture trials. Collection of the specimens will be
conducted aboard the identified vessel during the course of routine
commercial trap fishing operations for American lobster and red crab in
lobster conservation management area 3, in the vicinity of Munson
Canyon east to the Hague line. The EFP would authorize the experimental
fishing to occur for a 1-year period beginning on the date of issuance
of the EFP.
DATES: Comments on this action and application for an EFP for use of
modified lobster traps for capture of royal red shrimp must be received
on or before March 12, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul,
Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Regional Office, 1
Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope
``Comments on Royal Red Shrimp EFP Proposal''. Comments may also be
sent via facsimile (fax) to (978) 281-9117. Comments will not be
accepted if submitted via email or the internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Burns, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9144.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations that govern exempted fishing, at 50 CFR 600.745(b)
and 697.22, allow the Regional Administrator to authorize for limited
testing, public display, data collection, exploration, health and
safety, environmental clean-up and/or hazardous removal purposes, and
the targeting or incidental harvest of managed species that would
otherwise be prohibited. An EFP to authorize such activity may be
issued, provided that adequate opportunity is given for the public to
comment on the EFP application; the conservation goals and objectives
of Federal management of the American lobster resource are not
compromised; and the issuance of the EFP is beneficial to the
management of the species.
Royal red shrimp can be found in the deep water habitats along the
continental shelf and have been commercially harvested in a relatively
limited capacity. Royal red shrimp are not a federally managed species.
Therefore, no regulatory exemptions pertaining to their capture or
retention are necessary.
The American lobster fishery is the most valuable fishery in the
northeastern United States. In 2001, approximately 74 million pounds
(33,439 metric tons) of American lobster were landed with an ex-vessel
value of approximately 255 million dollars. The American lobster
resource is managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster.
Regulations pertaining to the management of the resource in the Federal
waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) are codified at 50 CFR part
697.
Regulations Pertinent to this EFP
The EFP for this activity relates to the experimental trap gear (no
more than six experimental traps) and would waive the vessel from the
trap limits as codified in 50 CFR 697.19(b)(2) and trap tagging
requirements in 50 CFR 697.19(c) of the Federal lobster regulations. In
addition, exemptions to the trap identification and trap tagging
requirements in 50 CFR 697.21(a)(2), the escape vent requirement in 50
CFR 697.21(c), the ghost panel requirement in 50 CFR 697.21(d), and the
maximum trap size restriction in 50 CFR 697.21(e)(2)(i) and (ii) are
also necessary to allow the applicant to carry out the proposed
experimental fishing. These exemptions are required because the vessel
may exceed the current trap limit by fishing up to an additional six
traps; the size of the experimental traps is slightly larger than
currently allowed under the Federal regulations (33,800 cu. (553,883
cu. cm.) vs. 30,100 cu. in.(493,251 cu. cm.)); the experimental trap
design does not provide for either an escape vent or a ghost panel; and
no practical mechanism exists by which additional trap tags may be
obtained by the vessel owner to affix to the experimental traps. The
waiver of these requirements would apply to the experimental trap gear
only. The vessel's commercial trap gear would still be held to all the
requirements of the Federal regulations.
Proposed EFP
The EFP request was submitted by the University of Connecticut.
Researchers from this institution will collaborate with the owner/
operator of an identified vessel to obtain 300 to 600 live adult royal
red shrimp. The vessel, when conducting routine commercial trap fishing
for American lobster and red crab, would deploy up to six modified
traps in addition to the vessel's maximum trap allocation of 1,800
lobster traps. The modified traps will be added to the multi-trap
trawls fished by the vessel and will not result in additional vertical
lines in the water column. The operator of the vessel will be
responsible for transporting, deploying, and hauling back the modified
gear over the requested period until such time that a suitable number
(300-600 individual live adult royal red shrimp) are successfully
acquired or until the EFP expires (not to extend beyond one year in
duration). Any bycatch will be discarded, and any live adult royal red
shrimp will be retained, kept alive, and transported to researchers at
the University of Connecticut.
The proposed experimental traps will be of a modified lobster or
red crab design, with approximate dimensions as follows: 50'' X 26'' X
26'' (approximately 33,800 cu. in.; 553,883 cu. cm.). Mesh size
throughout the body of the trap will be 1/4 in. (0.635 cm.) and each
trap will be wrapped entirely in burlap cloth in such a manner to allow
entry of the shrimp but prevent escapement. Fishing depth of the traps
is expected to be between 190 and 300 fathoms, and the experimental
fishing is proposed for lobster conservation management area 3 in the
vicinity of Munson Canyon east to the Hague Line. The University of
Connecticut's proposal estimates approximately 100-150 lb (45.5 - 68.2
kg.) of bycatch in the experimental traps during the course of the
project, including small monkfish, other finfish and shrimp species,
small
[[Page 8743]]
crabs, and lobsters. These bycatch estimates were provided by the
applicant and are based on the results of otter trawl experiments
conducted by NOAA funded research projects that targeted royal red
shrimp at similar depths and provided detailed data on observed
bycatch.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 14, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-4331 Filed 2-24-03; 8:45 am]
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