[Federal Register: February 24, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 9049]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24fe05-38]
[[Page 9049]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021605B]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States and Reef Fish
Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of an application for an exempted fishing
permit; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt of an application for an exempted
fishing permit (EFP) from Neil Allen on behalf of The Georgia Aquarium.
If granted, the EFP would authorize the applicant, with certain
conditions, to collect limited numbers of groupers, snappers,
squirrelfish, sea basses, jacks, spadefish, bluefish, grunts, porgies,
surgeonfish, and triggerfish. Specimens would be collected primarily
from Federal waters off the coast of Georgia but may also be collected
from Federal waters off the coasts of South Carolina, Florida, Alabama,
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas during 2005 and 2006, and displayed
at The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern standard
time, on March 11, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the application may be sent via fax to 727-570-
5583 or mailed to: Julie Weeder, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 9721
Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702. Comments may be
submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for providing e-mail comments
is grouper.aquarium@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of the e-mail
document the following text: Comment on Georgia Aquarium EFP
Application. The application and related documents are available for
review upon written request to the address above or the e-mail address
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Weeder, 727-570-5305; fax 727-
570-5583; e-mail: julie.weeder@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is requested under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.), and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745(b) concerning exempted
fishing.
According to the applicant, The Georgia Aquarium is a public, non-
profit institution currently under construction in Atlanta, Georgia.
Its mission is to provide entertainment and education and support
conservation through aquatic exhibits displaying animals from around
the world. The aquarium is scheduled to open in late 2005.
The proposed collection for public display involves activities
otherwise prohibited by regulations implementing the Fishery Management
Plans (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fisheries of the South Atlantic
Region, Reef Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, or Coastal Migratory
Pelagics Fisheries of the South Atlantic Region and the Gulf of Mexico
Region.
The applicant requires authorization to harvest and possess the
following numbers of fishes: Six goliath grouper, five rock sea bass,
five black sea bass, 10 gag (grouper), 10 scamp (grouper), 50 red
snapper, 50 vermilion snapper, 50 squirrelfish, 100 yellow jack, 100
crevalle jack, 50 bar jack, 50 greater amberjack, 500 Atlantic
spadefish, 50 bluefish, 100 sheepshead seabream, 100 tomtate grunt, 250
french grunt, 50 doctorfish, and 20 grey triggerfish. Specimens would
be collected primarily from Federal waters off the coast of Georgia but
may also be collected from Federal waters off the coasts of South
Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas during
2005 and 2006.
Fishes would be captured using barrier and hand nets in conjunction
with SCUBA, hook and line, and traps. The barrier net would be set up
underwater to provide a barrier to a school of fish. The fish would be
herded into the barrier net and then hand netted. The net would be set
for approximately one hour at a time and monitored by divers using
SCUBA at all times. The net is 50 feet long and five feet deep with one
inch monofilament mesh. Hook and line would be employed at depths less
than 100 feet to capture bottom-dwelling fish, and in the water column
for other species. Methods would be identical to that used by charter
fishing boats. The fish traps are made from 1.5 inch wire mesh and are
approximately three feet long, three feet wide and two feet high. The
entrance to the traps is a vertical slit two inches wide and 24 inches
long. Ten traps would be deployed for up to 10 fishing periods of 12
hours each.
NMFS finds that this application warrants further consideration.
Based on a preliminary review, NMFS intends to issue an EFP. Possible
conditions the agency may impose on this permit, if it is indeed
granted, include but are not limited to: Reduction in the number of
fish to be collected; restrictions on the placement of traps;
restrictions on the size of fish to be collected; prohibition of the
harvest of any fish with visible external tags; and specification of
locations, dates and/or seasons allowed for collection of particular
fish species. A final decision on issuance of the EFP will depend on a
NMFS review of public comments received on the application,
consultations with the affected states, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and
the U.S. Coast Guard, and a determination that it is consistent with
all applicable laws. The applicant requests a 12-month effective period
for the EFP.
Dated: February 17, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-743 Filed 2-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S