New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 49576-49577 [E5-4630]
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49576
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices
ESA
provided in Figure 7 in the MMS
application (MMS, 2005a).
Reporting Requirements
All explosive-severance activities in
the GOM would be mandated to abide
by the reporting requirements listed in
this section. The information collected
will be used by MMS and NMFS to
continually assess mitigation
effectiveness and the level of marine
mammal/sea turtle impacts.
The reporting responsibilities will be
undertaken by the NMFS’ marine
mammal/sea turtle observer for
scenarios B1–E4 (Table 2) and the
collected data will be prepared and
routed in accordance with previously
established guidelines for filing times
and distribution.
For very-small blasting scenarios A1–
A4, the company observer will be
responsible for recording the data and
preparing a trip report for submittal
within 30–days of completion of the
severance activities. Trip reports for
scenarios A1–A4 will be sent to MMS
and NMFS Gulf/Southeast regional
offices.
In addition to basic operational data
(i.e., area and block, water depth,
company/platform information, etc.),
the trip reports must contain all of the
applicable information listed in Table
10 in MMS’ application. In the event
that a marine mammal or sea turtle is
shocked, injured, or killed during the
severance activities, the operations will
cease and the observer will contact
MMS and NMFS’ Southeast Regional
Office. If the animal does not revive,
efforts should be made to recover it for
necropsy in consultation with the
appropriate NMFS’ Stranding
Coordinator.
Conclusions
MMS has concluded that impacts to
marine mammals from explosiveseverance activities conducted under
the proposed action are potentially
adverse but not significant. The
projected Level A harassment takes are
very unlikely and, would be limited to
3 species. No deaths or serious injuries
to marine mammals or sea turtles are
projected. If any marine mammals are
displaced from preferred grounds, it
will be for the short term, and no critical
habitat is involved. Level B harassment
takes may disrupt behavioral patterns in
a few individuals of a few species, but
no effect is projected on annual
recruitment or survival. With proposed
mitigation measures in place, the
potential impacts on marine mammals
are expected to be negligible.
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15:23 Aug 23, 2005
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Under section 7 of the ESA, MMS has
begun consultation on the proposed
explosive severance activtiy. NMFS will
also consult on the issuance of
regulations and LOAs under section
101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA for this
activity. Consultation will be concluded
prior to a determination on the issuance
of regulations.
NEPA
MMS completed and released its PEA
to the public on February 28, 2005. That
document is available for review (see
ADDRESSES).
NMFS is reviewing the PEA and will
either adopt it or prepare its own NEPA
document before making a
determination on the issuance of
regulations and LOAs for this activity.
Information Solicited
NMFS requests interested persons to
submit comments and information
concerning this request (see ADDRESSES).
NMFS requests commenters also read
the MMS application and PEA on this
action prior to submitting comments.
Dated: August 18, 2005.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05–16843 Filed 8–23–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 081905A]
New England Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
hold a 3-day Council meeting in
September, to consider actions affecting
New England fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Tuesday, September 13 through
Thursday, September 15, 2005,
beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30
a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Holiday Inn Express, 110 Middle
Street High Street, Fairhaven, MA;
telephone: (508) 997–1281.
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Council address: New England
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950;
telephone: (978) 465–0492.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul
J. Howard, Executive Director, New
England Fishery Management Council;
telephone: (978) 465–0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Following introductions, the Council
will review and approve a revised
policy concerning the election of new
officers and conduct elections for 2005–
06 officers. Reports will follow from the
Council Chairman and Executive
Director, the NMFS Regional
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries
Science Center and Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council liaisons,
NOAA General Counsel and
representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard,
NMFS Enforcement and the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission.
There also will be an update on the New
England Fleet Visioning Project. During
the morning session, the Council also
will receive a briefing on a proposed
rule that will address issues related to
the management of Atlantic tunas,
swordfish, shark and billfish fisheries.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act Committee
will provide recommendations for
Council approval concerning positions
on changes to the Act. The remainder
the day will be spent on habitat and
ecosystem-related issues. There will be
a summary of the most recent activities
currently underway and associated with
development of essential fish habitat
(EFH) Omnibus Amendment 2, as well
as consideration and approval of a
Council policy on Marine Protected
Areas. There also will be an update on
the Habitat/Marine Protected Area
(MPA)/Ecosystem Committee’s progress
to develop and recommend alternatives
for Habitat Areas of Particular Concern
in the EFH Omnibus Amendment. The
day will conclude with a report on
jurisdictional issues related to wind
farm, liquified natural gas and
aquaculture projects in the Northeast
and an update on the Council’s
ecosystem project.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
During the Wednesday morning
session, the Council receive a
presentation on the Data Quality Act.
This will be followed by an open public
comment period to address items not
listed on the agenda. The Scallop
Committee will then present its
recommendations for measures to be
included in Framework Adjustment 18
to the Sea Scallop Fishery Management
E:\FR\FM\24AUN1.SGM
24AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices
Plan (FMP). The Council will consider
alternatives and provide final approval
on issues related to area rotation,
specifications for trip and days-at-sea
allocations in 2006 and 2007, a
streamlined procedure to adjust the
Elephant Trunk Area and open area
allocations in 2007, the general category
scallop fishery, crew size limits on
controlled area access trips and a new
bycatch data collection and monitoring
program. Also included will be changes
in controlled access area trip exchanges,
the broken trip limit exemption program
and the research set-aside program.
Consideration of Framework
Adjustment 18 is likely to take most of
the day on Wednesday.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
There will be a presentation of the
assessment summary from the 41st
Northeast Regional Stock Assessment
Workshop. Species to be addressed
include summer flounder, bluefish and
tilefish. This will be followed by a
report on a video monitoring pilot study
that explores alternative means to
supplement and complement observer
activities on fishing vessels. The
Council also will discuss and consider
establishing a control date for party and
charter boats in the multispecies fishery,
as recommended by the its Recreational
Fishing Advisory Panel. During the
remainder of the day the Council will
take further action on Framework
Adjustment 42 to the Northeast
Multispecies FMP by identifying
additional measures to be analyzed and
further considered in the action. These
will include the Category B (regular)
days-at-sea pilot program, a formal
rebuilding program for Georges Bank
yellowtail flounder with associated
measures, a standardized bycatch
reporting methodology, and possible
modifications to the rolling closures
now in effect to reduce groundfish
fishing mortality. The Transboundary
Management Guidance Committee is
scheduled to ask for approval of its
recommendations for the 2006 total
allowable catches for cod, haddock and
yellowtail flounder in a specific area of
Georges Bank that is governed by the
U.S./Canada Resource Sharing
Understanding. Prior to addressing any
other outstanding business, the Council
will consider and possibly approve
retaining the 2005 herring specifications
through the 2006 fishing year.
Although other non-emergency issues
not contained in this agenda may come
before this Council for discussion, those
issues may not be the subjects of formal
action during this meeting. Council
action will be restricted to those issues
specifically listed in this notice and any
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15:23 Aug 23, 2005
Jkt 205001
issues arising after publication of this
notice that require emergency action
under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided that the public
has been notified of the Council’s intent
to take final action to address the
emergency.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul
J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5
days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: August 19, 2005.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5–4630 Filed 8–23–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 080205C]
Endangered Species; File No. 1527
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the John A. Musick, Ph.D., Virginia
Institute of Marine Science (VIMS),
Gloucester Point, VA 23062, has applied
in due form for a permit to take
loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp’s
ridley (Lepidochelys kempii),
leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea),
green (Chelonia mydas), and hawksbill
(Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for
purposes of scientific research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail
comments must be received on or before
September 23, 2005.
ADDRESSES: The application and related
documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment
in the following office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713–
2289; fax (301)427–2521; and
Northeast Regional Office, NMFS,
One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA
01930-2298; phone (978)281–9328; fax
(978)281–9394.
Written comments or requests for a
public hearing on this application
should be mailed to the Chief, Permits,
Conservation and Education Division,
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
49577
F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals
requesting a hearing should set forth the
specific reasons why a hearing on this
particular request would be appropriate.
Comments may also be submitted by
facsimile at (301)427–2521, provided
the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy
submitted by mail and postmarked no
later than the closing date of the
comment period.
Comments may also be submitted by
e-mail. The mailbox address for
providing email comments is
NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include
in the subject line of the e-mail
comment the following document
identifier: File No. 1527.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patrick Opay or Shane Guan, (301)713–
2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) and the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and
exporting of endangered and threatened
species (50 CFR 222-226).
The purpose of the proposed research
is to study loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley,
leatherback, green, and hawksbill sea
turtles in the waters of the Chesapeake
Bay (Bay), and the Virginia (VA) and
Maryland (MD) tributaries to the Bay to
identify relative abundance over time;
detect changes in sea turtle size and age
composition; monitor and document
movement and migration patterns; and
to study sea turtle interactions with
whelk pot gear. The applicant proposes
to take up to 100 loggerhead, 30 Kemp’s
ridley, 10 leatherback, 10 green, and 5
hawksbill sea turtles each year over the
course of a 5-year permit. Of the 100
loggerhead turtles taken annually, 74
would be taken in VA waters, and the
remaining 26 would be taken in MD
waters. Likewise, the numbers by state
of the other species are: 22 Kemp’s
ridleys from VA and 8 from MD; 7
leatherbacks from VA and 3 from MD;
7 greens from VA and 3 from MD; and
3 hawksbills from VA and 2 from MD.
Seventy-one of the loggerhead, 21 of the
Kemp’s ridley, 7 of the leatherback, 7 of
the green, and 3 of the hawksbill sea
turtles are expected to be caught in
pound nets. The remaining turtles
would be captured utilizing relocation
trawls as part of dredging activities
authorized under separate permits and
then turned over to the applicant. All
turtles would be blood sampled,
measured, weighed when practicable,
flipper tagged, and PIT tagged. A subset
of these animals would have satellite or
E:\FR\FM\24AUN1.SGM
24AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49576-49577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-4630]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 081905A]
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 3-day Council meeting in September, to consider actions affecting New
England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 13 through
Thursday, September 15, 2005, beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30
a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Express, 110
Middle Street High Street, Fairhaven, MA; telephone: (508) 997-1281.
Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Following introductions, the Council will review and approve a
revised policy concerning the election of new officers and conduct
elections for 2005-06 officers. Reports will follow from the Council
Chairman and Executive Director, the NMFS Regional Administrator,
Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and representatives of the U.S.
Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission. There also will be an update on the New England Fleet
Visioning Project. During the morning session, the Council also will
receive a briefing on a proposed rule that will address issues related
to the management of Atlantic tunas, swordfish, shark and billfish
fisheries. The Magnuson-Stevens Act Committee will provide
recommendations for Council approval concerning positions on changes to
the Act. The remainder the day will be spent on habitat and ecosystem-
related issues. There will be a summary of the most recent activities
currently underway and associated with development of essential fish
habitat (EFH) Omnibus Amendment 2, as well as consideration and
approval of a Council policy on Marine Protected Areas. There also will
be an update on the Habitat/Marine Protected Area (MPA)/Ecosystem
Committee's progress to develop and recommend alternatives for Habitat
Areas of Particular Concern in the EFH Omnibus Amendment. The day will
conclude with a report on jurisdictional issues related to wind farm,
liquified natural gas and aquaculture projects in the Northeast and an
update on the Council's ecosystem project.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
During the Wednesday morning session, the Council receive a
presentation on the Data Quality Act. This will be followed by an open
public comment period to address items not listed on the agenda. The
Scallop Committee will then present its recommendations for measures to
be included in Framework Adjustment 18 to the Sea Scallop Fishery
Management
[[Page 49577]]
Plan (FMP). The Council will consider alternatives and provide final
approval on issues related to area rotation, specifications for trip
and days-at-sea allocations in 2006 and 2007, a streamlined procedure
to adjust the Elephant Trunk Area and open area allocations in 2007,
the general category scallop fishery, crew size limits on controlled
area access trips and a new bycatch data collection and monitoring
program. Also included will be changes in controlled access area trip
exchanges, the broken trip limit exemption program and the research
set-aside program. Consideration of Framework Adjustment 18 is likely
to take most of the day on Wednesday.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
There will be a presentation of the assessment summary from the
41st Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop. Species to be
addressed include summer flounder, bluefish and tilefish. This will be
followed by a report on a video monitoring pilot study that explores
alternative means to supplement and complement observer activities on
fishing vessels. The Council also will discuss and consider
establishing a control date for party and charter boats in the
multispecies fishery, as recommended by the its Recreational Fishing
Advisory Panel. During the remainder of the day the Council will take
further action on Framework Adjustment 42 to the Northeast Multispecies
FMP by identifying additional measures to be analyzed and further
considered in the action. These will include the Category B (regular)
days-at-sea pilot program, a formal rebuilding program for Georges Bank
yellowtail flounder with associated measures, a standardized bycatch
reporting methodology, and possible modifications to the rolling
closures now in effect to reduce groundfish fishing mortality. The
Transboundary Management Guidance Committee is scheduled to ask for
approval of its recommendations for the 2006 total allowable catches
for cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder in a specific area of Georges
Bank that is governed by the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing
Understanding. Prior to addressing any other outstanding business, the
Council will consider and possibly approve retaining the 2005 herring
specifications through the 2006 fishing year.
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be
the subjects of formal action during this meeting. Council action will
be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and
any issues arising after publication of this notice that require
emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
provided that the public has been notified of the Council's intent to
take final action to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days
prior to the meeting date.
Dated: August 19, 2005.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-4630 Filed 8-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S