Exempted Fishing Permit Application for Monkfish Research Set-Aside Days-at-Sea

FR: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Published April 2nd, 2026

Detected April 2nd, 2026

Summary

NMFS Greater Atlantic Region published notice of a complete application from Cornell University Cooperative Extension Marine Program for an Exempted Fishing Permit to conduct FY 2026-2027 monkfish research set-aside fishing. The EFP would exempt participating vessels from monkfish DAS trip limits in Northern and Southern Fishery Management Areas. Public comments are requested by April 17, 2026.

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What changed

The National Marine Fisheries Service has received and published for public comment a complete application from Cornell University Cooperative Extension Marine Program requesting an Exempted Fishing Permit to facilitate the use of fishing year 2026 and 2027 monkfish research set-aside days-at-sea. The EFP would exempt participating federally permitted fishing vessels from 50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) and (b)(2), which govern trip limits in the Northern and Southern Fishery Management Areas, to allow RSA DAS to have no trip limit. The project titled 'Addressing Monkfish Management Needs by Developing a Standardized Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) Index' would run from May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2028.

Interested parties should submit written comments to nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov by April 17, 2026. All comments become part of the public record. This is a standard consultation notice; no compliance deadline applies as the document merely seeks public input on a proposed EFP application rather than imposing new obligations. The EFP would benefit research into monkfish stock assessment methodology.

What to do next

Submit written comments to nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov by April 17, 2026 if you wish to provide input on the CCE monkfish RSA EFP application
Include 'CCE Monkfish RSA EFP' in the subject line of any email comments
Review 50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) and (b)(2) to understand the trip limit regulations from which the EFP would exempt participants

Source document (simplified)

Notice

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 04/02/2026

This document has a comment period that ends in 15 days.
(04/17/2026) View Comment Instructions
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Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-06439 (91 FR 16670) Document Headings ###### Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XF646]

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to facilitate the use of fishing year (FY) 2026 and 2027 monkfish research set-aside (RSA) days-at-sea (DAS) warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities ( printed page 16671) proposed by the Cornell University Cooperative Extension Marine Program (CCE). Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before April 17, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit written comments by email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line “CCE Monkfish RSA EFP.” All comments received are a part of the public record and may be posted for public viewing without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter “anonymous” as the signature if you wish to remain anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christine Ford, Fishery Management Specialist, christine.ford@noaa.gov, 978-281-9185.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CCE submitted a complete application for an EFP to conduct commercial fishing activities that the regulations would otherwise restrict. This EFP would exempt the participating vessels from the following Federal regulations:

| CFR citation | Regulation | Need for exemption |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) | Trip limits for vessels fishing under the monkfish DAS program in the Northern Fishery Management Area | Needed to allow RSA DAS to have no trip limit, consistent with the design of the Monkfish RSA program. |
| 50 CFR 648.94(b)(2) | Trip limits for vessels fishing under the monkfish DAS program in the Southern Fishery Management Area | Needed to allow RSA DAS to have no trip limit, consistent with the design of the Monkfish RSA program. |

Project Narrative

Monkfish RSA compensation fishing EFPs that waive monkfish landing limits have been routinely approved since 2007 to increase operational efficiency and to optimize research funds generated from the Monkfish RSA Program. This EFP would facilitate the continuation of compensation fishing in support of the project originally funded and awarded 351 RSA DAS under the 2023-2024 monkfish RSA competition.

The Monkfish RSA Program is allocated 500 monkfish RSA DAS annually as established in Amendment 2 of the Monkfish FMP (70 FR 21929; April 28, 2005). These monkfish RSA DAS may be awarded to applicants, and sold to limited access monkfish vessel owners to fund approved monkfish RSA projects. Award recipients receive an allocation of RSA DAS and a maximum amount of weight that may be landed under available RSA DAS.

Projects are constrained to the total DAS, maximum available landing weight, or grant award timetable, whichever is reached first. To calculate a maximum weight allocation that is similar to the Councils' original intent to be harvested under the allocated 500 RSA DAS, we have associated twice the landing limit for Permit Category A and C monkfish vessel fishing in the Southern Fishery Management Area 4,074 pounds (lb) (1847.9 kilograms (kg)) whole weight for each RSA DAS. Annually, a maximum of 2,037,000 lb (923,967.66 kg) of whole weight may be harvested under Monkfish RSA. Allowing vessels an exemption from monkfish landing limits provides an incentive for vessels to purchase and fish under RSA DAS to catch more monkfish per trip.

Both 2023- and 2024-awarded monkfish RSA DAS were available for this project to use. Only 64 2023-awarded monkfish RSA DAS were used through April 30, 2025. The 2024-awarded monkfish RSA DAS were authorized to be used by this project in FY2025. In order to continue the use of awarded RSA DAS, this EFP would extend the original DAS awards. This EFP would authorize the use of the 186 unused 2023-awarded RSA DAS in FY2026, to expire on April 30, 2027. Unused 2024-awarded RSA DAS (number to be determined after the expiration of the current EFP), would be available in FY2027, to expire on April 30, 2028.

If approved, the applicant may request minor modifications and extensions to the EFP throughout the year. EFP modifications and extensions may be granted without further notice if they are deemed essential to facilitate completion of the proposed research and have minimal impacts that do not change the scope or impact of the initially approved EFP request. Any fishing activity conducted outside the ( printed page 16672) scope of the exempted fishing activity would be prohibited.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: March 31, 2026.

David R. Blankinship,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 2026-06439 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Published Document: 2026-06439 (91 FR 16670)

CFR references

50 CFR 648.94(b)(1) 50 CFR 648.94(b)(2)

Named provisions

Trip limits for vessels fishing under the monkfish DAS program - Northern Fishery Management Area Trip limits for vessels fishing under the monkfish DAS program - Southern Fishery Management Area