Federal Register #2026-06793

NOAA Solicits Comments on Exempted Fishing Permit for American Lobster Genomics Research

This opportunity involves a request from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under the Department of Commerce, for public comments on an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application to support genomics research on American lobster populations. - Government Buyer: - Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Sustainable Fisheries - Research Focus: - Genomic population structure analysis of American lobster in U.S. waters - Project aims to improve management unit delineations for lobster stocks in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England - Activities and Scope: - Up to 8 federally permitted fishing vessels will participate - Approximately 6 research trips, each lasting 3 days - Use of up to 30 standard lobster pots per trip - Collection of up to 240 lobster tissue samples across 6 locations (targeting 25 samples per location) - Focus on sampling ovigerous (egg-bearing) female lobsters - Regulatory Exemptions: - Vessels will be exempt from certain federal lobster regulations (e.g., lobster mutilation rules) to facilitate tissue sample collection - No specific OEMs or commercial products are mentioned; the procurement centers on research activities and regulatory exemptions - Additional research permits (not the main focus) include sea turtle research in North Carolina and Virginia waters (Arizona State University) and a cost recovery fee announcement for the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program - Place of Performance: - Greater Atlantic Region, including Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England - NOAA contracting office involvement

Description

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a preliminary determination that an application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) submitted by the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute is complete and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside of existing fishery regulations to support exempted fishing activities aimed at assessing the genomic population structure of American lobster in U.S. waters. Interested parties are invited to comment on the application by April 24, 2026.

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