Florida Atlantic University Exempted Fishing Permit Application

The National Marine Fisheries Service received an application for an EFP from Florida Atlantic University.

Southeast

The EFP would authorize the applicant to collect recreationally harvested snapper-grouper, coastal migratory pelagic, and dolphin and wahoo species with indication of shark depredation. The information collected would be used to quantify the scope of shark depredation in for-hire fisheries in South Florida.

If granted, this EFP would exempt the project's scientists and the captains and crews of the authorized charter vessels from the snapper-grouper seasonal closures and seasonal harvest limitations regulations codified at 50 CFR 622.183, and 50 CFR 622.184; from the landing fish intact regulations at 50 CFR 622.186 (snapper-grouper), 50 CFR 622.276 (dolphin and wahoo), and 50 CFR 622.381 (coastal migratory pelagic); from the recreational bag limit regulations codified at 50 CFR 622.187 (snapper-grouper), 50 CFR 622.277 (dolphin and wahoo), and 50 CFR 622.382 (coastal migratory pelagic); and from the size limit regulations codified at 50 CFR 622.185 (snapper-grouper), 50 CFR 622.275 (dolphin and wahoo), and 50 CFR 622.380 (coastal migratory pelagic).

Charter customers aboard the authorized charter vessels would be subject to all current Federal for-hire regulations during the course of routine fishing operations. Only the captain and crew aboard the authorized charter vessels would be permitted to retain species with evidence of shark depredation that may be recreationally harvested out of season, or out of the authorized recreational bag limits or size limits. These shark depredated fish carcasses would be provided to the scientific team at FAU at the end of the fishing trip for genetic analysis.

The duration of any issued EFP would be from the date of issuance of the EFP through August 1, 2023.