Fishery conservation and management: Northeastern United States fisheries— Atlantic sea scallops; experimental fishing permits,

[Federal Register: April 19, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 74)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 19111]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr19ap99-23]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 600 and 648

[I.D. 040999B]

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

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

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

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, 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, 50 CFR part 648. The experimental fishery would involve fishing for, retention, and landing of Atlantic sea scallops with modified dredge gear in the Georges Bank and Nantucket Lightship Closed Areas. Regulations implementing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act provisions require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed experimental fishery.

DATES: Comments on this document must be received by May 4, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Jon Rittgers, Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark on the outside of the envelope: ``Comments on Proposed Scallop Experimental Fishery.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Gouveia, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-281-9280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) submitted an application on April 12, 1999, to map the distribution and estimate the abundance of Atlantic sea scallops, and to determine the rate and distribution of finfish and invertebrate bycatches to sea scallop dredges in portions of the Georges Bank and Nantucket Lightship Closed Areas. The proposed experimental fishery would also provide information on the potential habitat effects of the use of scallop fishing gear in these areas and test new gear designs to reduce finfish bycatch rates.

The NEFSC would conduct experimental fishing activities with three commercial vessels federally permitted with a limited access Atlantic sea scallop permit. Vessels interested in participating in this experiment would be chosen by a lottery system administered by the NMFS Northeast Regional Office. Exempted fishing permits would be issued to the participating vessels to exempt them from closed areas and gear restrictions contained in the regulations implementing the Northeast Multispecies and Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plans.

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

Dated: April 13, 1999. Gary C. Matlock, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-9726Filed4-16-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F