97-33301. Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Applications for Experimental Fishing Permits (EFPs)

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 66844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33301]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 600 and 648

[I.D. 120997A]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Applications for Experimental Fishing Permits (EFPs)

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

ACTION: Notification of experimental fishery proposals; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to announce that the Administrator, 
Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), is considering 
approval of an experimental fishing proposal that would permit vessels 
to conduct operations otherwise restricted by regulations governing the 
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States. The experimental fishery 
would involve fishing for, retention, and limited landing of dogfish 
using gillnets in the Nantucket Shoal Dogfish Exemption Area. 
Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions require 
publication of this notice to provide interested parties the 
opportunity to comment on the proposed experimental fisheries.

DATES: Comments must be received by January 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Andrew A. Rosenberg, Ph.D., 
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark on the outside of the envelope 
``Comments on Proposed Experimental Fisheries.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary M. Tokarcik, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9326.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New England Fisheries Management Council 
requested an experiment to fish for dogfish using gillnets in the 
Nantucket Shoal Dogfish Exemption Area. An application for an 
experimental fishing permit (EFP) was received by the Regional 
Administrator on November 6, 1997.
    Fishing would be conducted in the Nantucket Shoal Dogfish Exemption 
Area, as described in Sec. 648.80(a)(9). This exemption area currently 
allows for the harvest of dogfish using 6-inch (15.24-cm) minimum mesh 
trawl gear from June 1 through October 15. The experimental fishing 
activity would be conducted by vessels using 6-inch (15.24-cm) minimum 
mesh gillnet gear. A maximum of 15 vessels would participate in the 
fishery for the season May 1 through November 30. Participants would be 
limited to 60 nets, no overnight sets of gear, and no simultaneous 
fishing for regulated New England groundfish. EFPs would be issued to 
participating vessels to exempt them from the gear and days-at-sea 
restrictions of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan.

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

    Dated: December 15, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-33301 Filed 12-19-97; 8:45 am]
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