50 CFR § 648.92 - Effort-control program for monkfish limited access vessels.
(a) General. A vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit may not fish for, possess, retain, or land monkfish, except during a DAS as allocated under and in accordance with the applicable DAS program described in this section, except as otherwise provided in this part.
(1) End of year carryover. With the exception of a vessel that held a Confirmation of Permit History, as described in § 648.4(a)(1)(i)(J), for the entire fishing year preceding the carryover year, a limited access monkfish vessel that has unused monkfish DAS on the last day of April of any year may carry over a maximum of 4 unused monkfish DAS into the next fishing year. A vessel whose DAS have been sanctioned through enforcement proceedings shall be credited with unused DAS based on its DAS allocation minus any DAS that have been sanctioned.
(2) [Reserved]
(b) Monkfish DAS program—permit categories and allocations—(1) Limited access monkfish permit holders—(i) DAS allocations. Each vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit will be allocated 35 monkfish DAS each fishing year that may be used only in the Northern Fishery Management Area as defined in § 648.91(a). Each vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit will also be allocated 37 monkfish DAS each fishing year that may be used only in the Southern Fishery Management Area as defined in § 648.91(b). The annual allocation of monkfish DAS to each vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit in the NFMA and SFMA shall be reduced by the amount calculated in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section for the research DAS set-aside. All DAS must be used in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph (b) unless the permit is enrolled in the Offshore Fishery Program in the SFMA, as specified in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section.
(ii) Offshore fishery program DAS allocation. A vessel issued a Category F permit, as described in § 648.95, shall be allocated a prorated number of monkfish DAS as specified in § 648.95(g)(2).
(iii) Research DAS set-aside. A total of 500 DAS will be set aside and made available for cooperative research programs as described in paragraph (c) of this section. These DAS shall be deducted proportionally from the DAS allocated to each vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit by the process prescribed in this paragraph (b)(1)(iii).
(A) Calculating the total per vessel DAS deduction. The total per vessel DAS deduction will be calculated as the quotient of 500 divided by the total number of limited access permits issued in the previous fishing year.
(B) Calculating the per vessel DAS deduction for the NFMA and SFMA. The total vessel DAS deduction will be distributed proportionally to the DAS for the NFMA and SFMA allocated to each vessel issued a monkfish limited access permit, as specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section. To determine the per-vessel deduction from the NFMA DAS allocation, the total per vessel deduction will be multiplied by the quotient of the NFMA DAS allocation divided by the total number of DAS allocated to each monkfish limited access vessel. To determine the per-vessel deduction from the SFMA DAS allocation, the NFMA deduction will be subtracted from the total per vessel deduction.
(C) Example. If, in the current year, each vessel is allocated 30 NFMA DAS and 20 SFMA DAS, then the total vessel DAS allocation is 50 DAS. In this example, 625 limited access monkfish permits were issued in the previous year. Dividing 500 by the 625 permits equals a total per-vessel DAS deduction of 0.8 DAS. Dividing the NFMA allocation of 30 DAS by the total DAS allocation of 50 DAS equals 0.6. Multiplying 0.6 by 0.8 equals an NFMA DAS deduction of 0.48, which is rounded to 0.5. Subtracting the 0.5 NFMA DAS deduction from the total per vessel deduction of 0.8 results in an SFMA DAS deduction of 0.3 DAS. The result of is that each limited access monkfish vessel would be allocated 29.5 NFMA DAS and 19.7 SFMA DAS.
(iv) General DAS usage restrictions. A vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit may not use more than 46 allocated monkfish DAS in a fishing year. Unless otherwise specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section or under this subpart, a vessel issued a limited access NE multispecies or limited access Atlantic sea scallop permit that is also issued a limited access monkfish permit must use a NE multispecies or sea scallop DAS concurrently with each monkfish DAS utilized.
(v) DAS declaration requirements. Each vessel issued a limited access monkfish permit that intends to fish under a monkfish DAS must declare that it will fish in either the NFMA or SFMA through the vessel call-in system or VMS prior to the start of each trip. A vessel fishing or intending to fish for, possessing, or landing monkfish under a NE multispecies, scallop, or monkfish DAS under the management measures of the NFMA, must fish exclusively in the NFMA for the entire trip. In addition, a vessel that is not required to and does not possess a VMS unit must declare its intent to fish in the NFMA by obtaining a letter of authorization from the Regional Administrator, which is effective for a period of not less than 7 days, and fish exclusively in the NFMA during the effective period of that letter of authorization. A vessel that has not declared into the NFMA under this paragraph (b)(1)(v) shall be presumed to have fished in the SFMA and shall be subject to the requirements of that area. A vessel that has declared into the NFMA may transit the SFMA, providing that it complies with the transiting and gear storage provision described in § 648.94(e).
(vi) Monkfish Option provision and declaration requirements. Any limited access NE multispecies vessel fishing on a sector trip or under a NE multispecies Category A DAS in the NFMA, and issued an LOA as specified in paragraph (b)(1)(v) of this section, may change its DAS declaration to a monkfish DAS through the vessel's VMS unit during the course of the trip after leaving port, but prior to crossing the VMS demarcation line upon its return to port or leaving the NFMA, if the vessel exceeds the incidental catch limit specified under § 648.94(c).
(A) Vessels that change their DAS declaration from a NE multispecies Category A DAS to a monkfish DAS during a trip remain subject to the NE multispecies DAS usage requirements (i.e., use a NE multispecies Category A DAS in conjunction with the monkfish DAS) described in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section.
(B) Gillnet vessels that change their DAS declaration in accordance with this paragraph (b)(1)(vi) are not subject to the gillnet minimum mesh size restrictions found at § 648.91(c)(1)(iii) and (iv) but are subject to the smaller NE multispecies minimum mesh requirements for gillnet vessels found under § 648.80 based upon the NE Multispecies Regulated Mesh Area in which the vessel is fishing.
(2) Category C, D, F, G, or H limited access monkfish permit holders.
(i) General provision. Unless otherwise specified in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, each monkfish DAS used by a vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C, D, F, G, or H permit and a limited access NE multispecies or scallop DAS permit shall also be counted as a NE multispecies or scallop DAS, as applicable. A vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C, D, F, or H permit may not use a NE multispecies Category B Regular DAS under the NE Multispecies Regular B DAS Program, as specified under § 648.85(b)(6), in order to satisfy the requirement of this paragraph (b)(2)(i) to use a NE multispecies DAS concurrently with a monkfish DAS.
(ii) Monkfish-only DAS. When a vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C, D, F, G, or H permit and a limited access NE multispecies DAS permit has an allocation of NE multispecies Category A DAS, specified under § 648.82(d)(1), that is less than the number of monkfish DAS allocated for the fishing year May 1 through April 30, that vessel shall be allocated “monkfish-only” DAS equal to the difference between the number of its allocated monkfish DAS and the number of its allocated NE multispecies Category A DAS at the start of a fishing year. For example, if a vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category D permit is allocated 30 monkfish DAS for use in the Northern Fishery Management Area, 20 monkfish DAS for use in the Southern Fishery Management Area, and 26 NE multispecies Category A DAS, it would have 24 monkfish-only DAS at the start of each fishing year. The available balance of monkfish-only DAS may vary throughout the fishing year based upon monkfish-only DAS usage and the acquisition or relinquishment of NE multispecies DAS under the NE Multispecies DAS Leasing Program, as specified in paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section. A vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C, D, F, G, or H permit may use monkfish-only DAS without the concurrent use of a NE multispecies DAS at any time throughout the fishing year, regardless of the number of NE multispecies Category A DAS available. When fishing under a monkfish-only DAS, the vessel must fish under the regulations in this part pertaining to a limited access monkfish Category A or B permit, as applicable, and may not retain any regulated NE multispecies. For example, a vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C permit must comply with the monkfish landing limits applicable to a Category A monkfish permit when fishing under a monkfish-only DAS.
(iii) Category C, D, F, G, or H vessels that lease NE multispecies DAS.
(A) A vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C, D, F, G, or H permit that has monkfish-only DAS, as specified in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, and that leases NE multispecies DAS from another vessel pursuant to § 648.82(k), must fish its available monkfish-only DAS in conjunction with its leased NE multispecies DAS, to the extent that the vessel has NE multispecies DAS available.
(B) A vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category C, D, F, G, or H permit may forfeit some of its monkfish DAS, if it leases NE multispecies DAS to another vessel(s), pursuant to § 648.82(k). The number of monkfish DAS forfeited by a vessel depends on its balance of Monkfish and NE multispecies DAS at the time of the lease. Any forfeited monkfish DAS will be deducted proportionally between the DAS allocated to the vessel for use in the Northern Fishery Management Area and Southern Fishery Management Area in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section.
(1) If the vessel's unused monkfish DAS balance is greater than or equal to its unused NE multispecies DAS balance, at the time of the lease, then the vessel will forfeit an amount of monkfish DAS equal to the number of NE multispecies DAS being leased to another vessel. For example, if a vessel has 40 monkfish DAS and 30 NE multispecies DAS and it leases 10 NE multispecies DAS in accordance with § 648.82(k), then, as part of the lease, the vessel would forfeit 10 monkfish DAS and be left with 30 monkfish DAS and 20 multispecies DAS.
(2) If the vessel's unused monkfish DAS balance is less than its unused NE multispecies DAS balance, at the time of lease, then the vessel will forfeit an amount of monkfish DAS equal to the number of NE multispecies DAS being leased minus the difference between the vessel's unused NE multispecies DAS balance and the vessel's unused monkfish DAS balance. If the number of NE multispecies DAS being leased is less than the difference between the vessel's unused NE multispecies DAS balance and the vessel's unused monkfish DAS balance, then no monkfish DAS are forfeited. For example, if a vessel has 25 monkfish DAS and 30 NE multispecies DAS at the time of the lease, and it leases 10 NE multispecies DAS, the vessel would forfeit 5 monkfish DAS (10 leased −[30 NE multispecies DAS − 25 monkfish DAS] = 5 forfeited monkfish DAS). If, however, the vessel has 25 monkfish DAS and 40 NE multispecies and the vessel leases 10 NE multispecies DAS, it would not forfeit any monkfish DAS (10 leased NE multispecies DAS −[40 NE multispecies DAS −25 monkfish DAS] = −5. The number of DAS forfeited cannot be negative, so 0 DAS are forfeited).
(3) Accrual of DAS. Unless otherwise provided in § 648.92(b)(8)(v), all monkfish DAS fished shall be charged to the nearest minute.
(4) DAS credits—(i) Good Samaritan credit. A limited access vessels fishing under the DAS program and that spends time at sea assisting in a USCG search and rescue operation or assisting the USCG in towing a disabled vessel, and that can document the occurrence through the USCG, will not accrue DAS for the time documented.
(ii) Canceled trip DAS credit. A limited access vessel operating under the DAS program and that end a fishing trip prior to setting and/or hauling fishing gear for any reason may request a cancelled trip DAS credit for the trip based on the following conditions and requirements.
(A) There is no fish onboard the vessel and no fishing operations on the vessel were initiated, including setting and/or hauling fishing gear; and
(B) The owner or operator of the vessel fishing under a DAS program and required to use a VMS as specified under § 648.10(b) makes an initial trip cancelation notification from sea, at the time the trip was canceled, or at the earliest opportunity prior to crossing the demarcation line as defined at § 648.10(a). These reports are in the form of an email to NMFS Office of Law Enforcement and include at least the following information: Operator name; vessel name; vessel permit number; port where vessel will return; date trip started; estimated date/time of return to port; and a statement from the operator that no fish were onboard and no fishing activity occurred; and
(C) The owner or operator of the vessel operating under the DAS program required to use the IVR call in as specified under § 648.10(h) makes an initial trip cancelation notification to NMFS by calling the IVR back at the time the trip was canceled, or at the earliest opportunity prior to returning to port. This request must include at least the following information: Operator name; vessel name; vessel permit number; port where vessel will return; date trip started; estimated date/time of return to port; and a statement from the operator that no fish were onboard and no fishing activity occurred; and
(D) The owner or operator of the vessel requesting a canceled trip DAS credit, in addition to the requirements in paragraphs (b)(4)(ii)(B) and (C) of this section, submits a written DAS credit request form to NMFS within 30 days of the vessel's return to port from the canceled trip. This application must include at least the following information: Date and time when the vessel canceled the fishing trip; date and time of trip departure and landing; operator name; owner/corporation name; permit number; hull identification number; vessel name; date and time notification requirements specified under paragraphs (b)(4)(ii)(B) and (C) of this section were made; reason for canceling the trip; and owner/operator signature and date; and
(E) The vessel trip report for the canceled trip as required under § 648.7(b) is submitted along with the DAS credit request form; and
(F) For DAS credits that are requested near the end of the fishing year as defined at § 648.2, and approved by the Regional Administrator, the credited DAS apply to the fishing year in which the canceled trip occurred. Credited DAS that remain unused at the end of the fishing year or are not credited until the following fishing year and may be carried over into the next fishing year, not to exceed the maximum number of carryover DAS as specified under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(5) [Reserved]
(6) Declaring monkfish DAS. A vessel's owner or authorized representative shall notify the Regional Administrator of a vessel's participation in the monkfish DAS program using the notification requirements specified in § 648.10.
(7) Adjustments in annual monkfish DAS allocations. Adjustments in annual monkfish DAS allocations, if required to meet fishing mortality goals, may be implemented pursuant to the framework adjustment procedures of § 648.96.
(8) Gillnet restrictions—(i) Number and size of nets—(A) Category A and B vessels. A vessel issued a monkfish limited access Category A or B permit and fishing under a monkfish DAS may not fish with, haul, possess, or deploy more than 160 gill nets. Nets may not be longer than 300 ft (91.44 m), or 50 fathoms, in length.
(B) Category C, D, F, G, and H vessels that possess a limited access NE multispecies permit. A vessel issued a valid monkfish limited access Category C, D, F, G, or H permit that possesses a valid limited access NE multispecies permit and fishing under a monkfish DAS may not fish with, haul, possess, or deploy more than 150 gillnets. A vessel issued a NE multispecies limited access permit and a limited access monkfish permit, and fishing under a monkfish DAS, may fish any combination of monkfish, roundfish, and flatfish gillnets, up to 150 nets total, provided that the number of monkfish, roundfish, and flatfish gillnets is consistent with the limitations of § 648.82. Nets may not be longer than 300 ft (91.4 m), or 50 fathoms, in length.
(ii) Tagging requirements. Beginning May 1, 2000, all gillnets fished, hauled, possessed, or deployed by a vessel fishing for monkfish under a monkfish DAS must have one monkfish tag per net, with one tag secured to every other bridle of every net within a string of nets. Tags must be obtained as described in § 648.4. A vessel operator must account for all net tags upon request by an authorized officer.
(iii) Lost tags. A vessel owner or operator must report lost, destroyed, or missing tag numbers by letter or fax to the Regional Administrator within 24 hours after tags have been discovered lost, destroyed, or missing.
(iv) Replacement tags. A vessel owner or operator seeking replacement of lost, destroyed, or missing tags must request replacement tags by letter or fax to the Regional Administrator. A check for the cost of the replacement tags must be received before the tags will be re-issued.
(v) Method of counting DAS. A vessel fishing with gillnet gear under a monkfish DAS shall accrue 15 hours monkfish DAS for all trips less than or equal to 15 hours in duration. Such vessels shall accrue monkfish DAS based on actual time at sea for trips greater than 15 hours in duration. A vessel fishing with gillnet gear under only a monkfish DAS is not required to remove gillnet gear from the water upon returning to the dock and calling out of the DAS program, provided the vessel complies with the requirements and conditions of paragraphs (b)(8)(i)–(v) of this section. A vessel fishing with gillnet gear under a joint monkfish and NE multispecies DAS, as required under § 648.92(b)(2)(i), that is declared as a trip gillnet vessel under the NE Multispecies FMP, must remove its gillnet gear from the water prior to calling out of the DAS program, as specified at § 648.82(j)(2).
(9) Category G and H limited access permit holders.
(i) A vessel issued a limited access monkfish Category G or H permit may fish under a monkfish DAS only in the SFMA, as defined at § 648.91(b).
(ii) Vessels issued valid limited access monkfish Category G or H permit that also possess a limited access NE multispecies or limited access scallop permit are subject to the same provisions as Category C or D vessels, respectively, unless otherwise stated under this subpart F.
(10) DAS Adjustment for Trip Limit Overage. Any limited access monkfish vessel, required to or voluntarily using a VMS, fishing on a monkfish DAS may land up to the equivalent of one additional day's worth of its trip limit (i.e., amount of monkfish authorized per DAS) than would otherwise be authorized, provided the vessel, vessel owner, or vessel operator notifies the Regional Administrator of the overage via VMS prior to crossing the VMS demarcation line. If the vessel is not required to be, or is not equipped with an operable VMS, the vessel, vessel operator, or owner must notify the Regional Administrator via the call-in system at least 1-hr prior to landing. The monkfish DAS charged to the vessel will then be increased to equal a full 24-hr period plus 1 minute to account for the trip limit overage. For example, if a vessel has the equivalent of two monkfish DAS trip limits (based on its permit category) on board, but has only been declared into the monkfish DAS program for 15 hr, the vessel, vessel owner, or vessel operator may land fish equal to the two DAS trip limits only if the Regional Administrator of the overage is notified via VMS or the call-in system as described above. In this case, the monkfish DAS charged to the vessel would be adjusted from 15 hr to 24 hr and 1 minute.
(c) Monkfish Research—(1) DAS Set-Aside Program.
(i) NMFS shall publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) in the Federal Register consistent with procedures and requirements established by the NOAA Grants Office to solicit proposals for the upcoming fishing year that are based on research priorities identified by the Councils.
(ii) NMFS shall convene a review panel that may include members of the Councils' Monkfish Oversight Committee, the Council's Research Steering Committee, and other subject matter experts, to review proposals submitted in response to the RFP.
(A) Each panel member shall recommend which research proposals should be authorized to utilize the research DAS set aside in accordance with paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section, based on the selection criteria described in the RFP.
(B) NMFS and the NOAA Grants Office shall consider each panel member's recommendation, and NOAA shall provide final approval of the projects, and notify applicants of the grant award through written notification to the project proponent. The Regional Administrator may exempt selected vessel(s) from regulations specified in each of the respective FMPs through the exempted fishing permit (EFP) process specified under § 600.745(b)(2).
(iii) The grant awards approved under the RFPs shall be for the upcoming fishing year. Proposals to fund research that would start prior to the fishing year are not eligible for consideration. Multi-year grant awards may be approved under an RFP for an upcoming fishing year, so long as the research DAS available under subsequent RFPs are adjusted to account for the approval of multi-year awards.
(iv) Research projects shall be conducted in accordance with provisions approved and provided in an EFP issued by the Regional Administrator, as authorized under § 600.745(b)(2).
(v) If the Regional Administrator determines that the annual allocation of research DAS will not be used in its entirety once all of the grant awards have been approved, the Regional Administrator shall reallocate the unallocated research DAS as exempted DAS to be authorized as described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, and provide notice of the reallocation of DAS in the Federal Register. Any allocated research DAS that are not used during the fishing year for which they are granted may be carried over into the next fishing year. Any unallocated research DAS may not be carried over into the next fishing year.
(vi) For proposals that require other regulatory exemptions that extend beyond the scope of the analysis contained in the Monkfish FMP, subsequent amendments, or framework adjustments, applicants may be required to provide additional analysis of the impacts of the requested exemptions before issuance of an EFP will be considered.
(2) DAS Exemption Program.
(i) Vessels that seek to conduct monkfish research within the current fishing year, and that were not selected in the RFP process during the previous fishing year, may seek exemptions from monkfish DAS for the purpose of conducting exempted fishing activities, as authorized at § 600.745(b), under the following conditions and restrictions:
(A) The request for a monkfish DAS exemption must be submitted along with a complete application for an EFP to the Regional Administrator. The requirements for submitting a complete EFP application are provided in § 600.745(b)(2);
(B) Exempted DAS must be available for usage. Exempted DAS shall only be made available by the Regional Administrator if it is determined that the annual set-aside of research DAS will not be used in its entirety, as described in paragraph (c)(1)(v) of this section. If exempted DAS are not available for usage, the applicant may continue to seek an exemption from monkfish DAS, but may be required to conduct an analysis of the impacts associated with the monkfish DAS exemption request before issuance of the EFP application will be considered; and
(C) For EFP applications that require other regulatory exemptions that extend beyond the scope of the analysis contained in the Monkfish FMP, subsequent amendments, or framework adjustments, applicants may be required to provide additional analysis of the impacts of the requested exemptions before issuance of an EFP will be considered.
(ii) Monkfish DAS exemption requests shall be reviewed and approved by the Regional Administrator in the order in which they are received.