Federal Register #2026-10322

NOAA Solicitation for Exempted Fishing Permit to Support Habitat Mapping in Great South Channel

NOAA is seeking public comments on an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application to support a scientific habitat mapping project in the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area. - Government Buyer: - Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Sustainable Fisheries - OEMs and Vendors: - Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) is the applicant and research partner - No specific equipment OEMs are named; commercial surfclam vessels will use hydraulic clam dredges - Products/Services Requested: - Up to four federally permitted commercial surfclam vessels to conduct compensation fishing using 48-inch-wide hydraulic clam dredges - Up to 64 fishing trips authorized, each with a trip limit of 14 cages and approximately 30 tows per trip - Habitat mapping using multibeam sonar and drop cameras - CFF scientist onboard 20% of trips for data collection - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Exemption from standard federal regulations prohibiting bottom-tending mobile gear in the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area (Davis Bank East and Rose and Crown) - Vessel owners to contribute a portion of trip proceeds to fund research - Scientific data collection is integral to the project - Place of Performance: - Great South Channel Habitat Management Area (Davis Bank East and Rose and Crown) - Contracting and oversight by NOAA and the Caribbean Fishery Management Council

Description

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has preliminarily determined that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application by Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) contains all required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside standard fishery regulations to support exempted fishing activities. This permit aims to authorize compensation fishing to fund a habitat mapping project using acoustic and visual surveys in the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area. Interested parties are invited to comment on the application by June 8, 2026.

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