---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 C.F.R. § 300.110"
title: "50"
number: "300.110"
heading: "Exploratory fisheries."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/50/300.110"
---

# §300.110. Exploratory fisheries.

- (a) An exploratory fishery, for purposes of this section, is a fishery that was previously defined as a new fishery under [§ 300.109](/cfr/50/300.109.md).
- (b) A fishery continues to be classified by CCAMLR as an exploratory fishery until sufficient information is available to:
  - (1) Evaluate the distribution, abundance, and demography of the target species, leading to an estimate of the fishery's potential yield;
  - (2) Review the fishery's potential impacts on dependent and related species; and
  - (3) Allow the CCAMLR Scientific Committee to formulate and provide advice to the Commission on appropriate harvest catch levels and fishing gear.
- (c) The operator of any vessel engaging in an exploratory fishery must submit, by the date specified in the vessel permit issued under [§ 300.107](/cfr/50/300.107.md), catch, effort, and related biological, ecological, and environmental data as required by a data collection plan for the fishery formulated by the CCAMLR Scientific Committee.
- (d) In addition to the requirements in [§ 300.107](/cfr/50/300.107.md), any person planning to enter an exploratory fishery must notify the Assistant Administrator no later than April 1 for the fishing season that will commence on or after December 1 and shall not enter the fishery pending NMFS and CCAMLR review or until a vessel permit has been used under this subpart. The Assistant Administrator will not issue a permit to enter an exploratory fishery until after the requirements of [§ 300.107](/cfr/50/300.107.md) have been met and CCAMLR has considered the notification.
- (e) The notification shall be accompanied by a complete vessel permit application required under [§ 300.107](/cfr/50/300.107.md) and information on:
  - (1) The nature of the exploratory fishery, including target species, methods of fishing, proposed region and maximum catch levels proposed for the forthcoming season;
  - (2) Specification and full description of the types of fishing gear to be used;
  - (3) Biological information on the target species from comprehensive research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock identity; details of dependent and related species and the likelihood of their being affected by the proposed fishery;
  - (4) Information from other fisheries in the region or similar fisheries elsewhere that may assist in the evaluation of potential yield;
  - (5) If the proposed fishery will be undertaken using bottom trawl gear, information on the known and anticipated impacts of this gear on vulnerable marine ecosystems, including benthos and benthic communities; and
  - (6) Any other information the Assistant Administrator requires to fully implement the relevant conservation measures.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2431 et seq., 31 U.S.C. 9701 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

### Source

Source: 82 FR 6223, Jan. 19, 2017, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 5501 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 2431 et seq., 31 U.S.C. 9701 et seq.

### Source

Source: 61 FR 35550, July 5, 1996, unless otherwise noted.