Federal Register #2026-14502

NOAA Solicits Comments on Tilefish Research Fleet Permit Application

NOAA, part of the Department of Commerce, is seeking public comments on an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application for a tilefish research project: - Government Buyer: - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce - Applicant/Vendor: - Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) - Project Scope: - Up to 3 federally permitted fishing vessels will participate - Each vessel may conduct up to 12 research trips (maximum 36 trips total) - Research targets golden and blueline tilefish - Goal to sample 450-500 total fish - Products/Services Requested: - Operation of research vessels for tilefish sampling - Installation and use of electronic monitoring camera systems on each vessel - Notable Requirements: - Vessels may process fish at sea (exemption from standard regulations) - Must adhere to existing weight limits for tilefish - Electronic monitoring required for data collection and conversion factor development - No specific OEMs or equipment brands are named in the notice - Data collected will support development of a whole fish to fillet conversion factor for tilefish

Description

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has preliminarily determined that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application from the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) 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. The project aims to pilot a targeted tilefish research fleet to collect data and develop a conversion factor for whole fish to fillet, involving up to 3 vessels conducting up to 12 trips each over a year.

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