[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 147 (Tuesday, August 2, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18704]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 2, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 071494B]
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Renewal of an experimental fishing permit.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the renewal of experimental fishing permit
(EFP) #93-1 to Terra Marine Research and Education, Inc. (TMRE), and
participating vessels and shoreside processors. Under the renewal
process, a new EFP #94-2 will be issued to authorize vessel operators,
shoreside processors, and TMRE to retain voluntarily Pacific salmon
caught as bycatch that would otherwise be required to be discarded at
sea as prohibited species. This EFP was designed and modified to
develop qualifying criteria for vessels and processors that may wish to
participate in a voluntary salmon bycatch donation program being
considered by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council).
Activities authorized under this EFP are intended to provide
information not otherwise available through research or commercial
fishing operations.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the EFP and the Environmental Assessment (EA) may
be obtained from Steven Pennoyer, Director, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O.
Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802 (Attn: Lori Gravel).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen R. Varosi, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issuance of EFPs to authorize fishing that
would otherwise be prohibited are authorized by the Fishery Management
Plan (FMP) for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands Area (BSAI) and its implementing regulations at 50 CFR part
675. The procedures for renewing EFPs are contained in the regulations
at Sec. 675.6.
An EFP was issued to TMRE to test the feasibility of mandatory
retention of Pacific salmon caught as bycatch in directed BSAI
groundfish fisheries that would be processed and distributed to
economically disadvantaged individuals (58 FR 42947, August 12, 1993).
This EFP covered the period during: (1) The 1993 directed pollock non-
roe season; (2) the 1994 directed pollock roe season; and (3) the 1994
directed Pacific cod season. However, NMFS lacks the authority to
require mandatory retention of salmon for this purpose.
NMFS announced the receipt of an application for an EFP from TMRE
in the Federal Register on May 4, 1994 (59 FR 23054). The application
requested authorization for voluntary retention and processing of
Pacific salmon caught as bycatch in the BSAI pollock and Pacific cod
trawl fisheries for donation to economically disadvantaged individuals
via foodbanks. The Council reviewed the EFP application at its April
18-24, 1994, meeting and recommended to the Director of the Alaska
Region, NMFS (Regional Director), that the EFP be approved.
The Regional Director has approved the EFP application and has
issued an EFP to TMRE and the participating vessels and shoreside
processors. The EFP authorizes these vessel operators, shoreside
processors, and TMRE to retain Pacific salmon caught as bycatch during:
(1) The 1994 BSAI directed pollock non-roe or ``B'' season fishery; (2)
the 1995 BSAI directed pollock roe or ``A'' season fishery; and (3) the
1995 BSAI directed Pacific cod fishery, for the purpose of producing
salmon products to be distributed to economically disadvantaged
individuals via foodbanks. The objective of this EFP is to provide a
framework for voluntary retention and processing of salmon bycatch,
which is currently required to be discarded at sea, and to develop
standards and criteria for vessel operators and processors who may wish
to participate in a voluntary salmon donation program being considered
by the Council.
Classification
Based on the EA prepared for this EFP, the Assistant Administrator
for Fisheries, NOAA, determined that no significant impact on the
quality of the human environment will result from this EFP. The
Regional Director determined that this experiment will not affect
species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species
Act in a way that was not already considered in previous formal and
informal section 7 consultations. Additional information, including
gear restrictions, scientific sampling procedures, project design, and
disposition of harvested fish, is contained in the EFP.
This notice is exempt from OMB review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 27, 1994.
Joe P. Clem,
Acting Director, Office of Conservation and Management, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-18704 Filed 8-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
