The exempted fishing permit (EFP) would exempt, with certain conditions, the applicant from federal bycatch reduction device (BRD) requirements. The primary goal of the project is to gauge industry acceptance of the Nested Cylinder BRD (NCBRD). Successful NMFS at-sea BRD certification trials were completed in December 2016, as prescribed in the BRD Testing Protocol Manual. Under this EFP, cooperating Gulf shrimp fishermen would be provided a new NCBRD to gauge their acceptance ahead of final administrative certification. Issuance of the EFP would allow fishermen to replace an existing certified BRD with the NCBRD in one outboard net during normal fishing operations, to provide a side-by-side comparison. All trawls under tow during the evaluations must be equipped with approved turtle excluder devices.
Exempted Fishing Permit Application
Application of a New Bycatch Reduction Device For Use in the U.S. Shrimp Industry
Exempted Fishing Permit
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An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
Oceanic whitetip shark. Hawaiʻi longline fishermen use leaders to connect weighed branch lines and baited hooks. A new rule prohibits steel wire leaders in the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishery, starting May 31, 2022. The rule aims to increase the survival of hooked oceanic whitetip sharks caught as bycatch in the Pacific Islands region. Credit: Andy Mann
