National Estuarine Research Reserve System, 21117-21118 [E8-8345]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 76 / Friday, April 18, 2008 / Notices
recognizes a stock of false killer whales
near Palmyra Atoll.
The report also notes that NMFS
continues to collect and analyze
information to help resolve population
structure of false killer whales in the
North Pacific Ocean. At the most recent
SRG meeting, NMFS proposed a
revision of stock structure for false killer
whales within the Hawaiian EEZ and
anticipates incorporating this proposal
into the draft 2008 reports.
NMFS disagrees the approach used in
the false killer whale SAR is
inconsistent with the best available
scientific information. The SAR
partitions abundance, PBR and
mortality/serious injury to assess the
impact of removals of false killer whales
incidental to U.S. fisheries with the
information available (stock boundaries
outside the EEZ are unknown,
abundance of false killer whales outside
the EEZ is unknown, and mortality and
serious injury incidental to foreign
fisheries is unknown). The approach is
consistent with the best available
information, with NMFS’ guidelines for
preparing SARs, and with the MMPA.
Comment 48: Human-caused
mortality estimates for blue whales
should be updated to include a number
of ship strike events documented in
2007.
Response: Human-caused mortality
information included in the stock
assessments represents data for the most
recent five-year period for which data
are available. At the time the 2007 draft
stock assessments were written, the
recent ship strike events had not
occurred. Ship strike data for the
previous calendar year 2006 were also
not available to the authors at that time.
Comment 49: The SAR for shortfinned pilot whales, CA/OR/WA stock,
should be updated to report that a pilot
observer program was implemented in
this fishery in 2004 and that no pilot
whale interactions have been observed
in 95 fishing trips through early 2007.
NMFS should also strike language from
the stock assessment that assigns
responsibility for 14 fishery-related pilot
whale strandings between 1974 and
1990 to the squid purse seine fishery,
while not providing evidence for the
fishery-specific source of the
mortalities.
Response: The report was updated to
reflect the recent lack of pilot whale
interactions in the squid purse seine
fishery. There is well-documented
historical evidence (cited in the stock
assessment) of pilot whale interactions
and mortalities resulting from
interactions with this fishery, and while
no recent interactions have occurred,
the text on historical interactions is
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:38 Apr 17, 2008
Jkt 214001
included to give the reader perspective
on past and current risks to the stock.
Comment 50: The long-beaked
common dolphin stock assessment
should be modified so that inter-annual
variability in abundance estimates is
adequately addressed. The stock has
gone from ‘‘non-strategic’’ to ‘‘strategic’’
status, largely because of steep decline
in the estimate of abundance for this
stock, while the annual human-caused
mortality has not changed significantly
(from 11 animals to 17 animals in the
draft stock assessment).
Response: The SAR notes the high
inter-annual variability in abundance
estimates for this stock.
Comment 51: Mortalities in the form
of fishery-related strandings should be
included in the table that summarizes
fishery mortality for Pacific white-sided
dolphins, CA/OR/WA stock.
Response: Table 1 of the stock
assessment includes fishery-related
strandings in the summation of
mortalities although the specific fishery
responsible for the mortalities is listed
as unknown.
Comment 52: We trust that
methodology to allow for speciesspecific management of mesoplodont
beaked whales is being developed,
rather than the current strategy of
lumping six species under one
management unit.
Response: NMFS agrees that finer
scale resolution of stock management
for these species is desirable.
Unfortunately, field identification of
most of these species is difficult, which
prevents species-specific abundance
estimates. Progress has been made with
the identification of Blainville’s beaked
whales, and a stock-specific abundance
estimate which appeared in the draft
2007 stock assessment.
Comment 53: NMFS should use a
more precautionary approach in
designating a strategic status for the CA/
OR/WA stocks of pygmy and dwarf
sperm whales, given the lack of
abundance estimates and evidence of
historic mortality.
Response: Pygmy and dwarf sperm
whales occur only rarely in waters
under the jurisdiction of the U.S. The
fishery with which these stocks have
interacted in the past is the CA/OR drift
gillnet fishery, which has been subject
to observer coverage since the early
1990s. No mortality of these stocks of
marine mammals have been noted in
recent years. In addition, a Take
Reduction Plan has been prepared and
implemented for the fishery to protect
offshore cetaceans; presumably, these
pygmy and dwarf sperm whales are
deriving benefit from the plan even
though the stocks are not driving the
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
21117
need for the plan. Therefore, labeling
these stocks as ‘‘strategic’’ would add no
additional protection.
Comment 54: Provide clarification on
whether or not estimates of sperm
whale, CA/OR/WA stock, abundance are
corrected for diving whales that were
not sighted during surveys.
Response: Estimates are corrected for
diving animals not seen during surveys.
The stock assessment was revised to
clarify this point.
Dated: April 15, 2008.
David Cottingham,
Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle
Conservation Divison, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8–8406 Filed 4–17–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
National Estuarine Research Reserve
System
Estuarine Reserves Division,
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Public Comment
Period for the Revised Management Plan
for the Chesapeake Bay Maryland
National Estuarine Research Reserve.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office
of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), U.S.
Department of Commerce is announcing
a thirty-day public comment period on
the Chesapeake Bay Maryland National
Estuarine Research Reserve
Management Plan Revision.
The Chesapeake Bay Maryland
National Estuarine Research Reserve has
three sites; Monie Bay, Jug Bay, and
Otter Point Creek. Monie Bay was
designated as part of the National
Estuarine Research Reserve in 1985 and
Jug Bay and Otter Point Creek were
designated in 1990 pursuant to Section
315 of the Coastal Zone Management
Act of 1972, as amended, 16 U.S.C.
1461. The reserve has been operating
under a management plan approved in
1990. Pursuant to 15 CFR Section
921.33(c), a state must revise their
management plan every five years. The
submission of this plan brings the
reserve into compliance and sets a
course for successful implementation of
E:\FR\FM\18APN1.SGM
18APN1
21118
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 76 / Friday, April 18, 2008 / Notices
the goals and objectives of the reserve.
A boundary expansion, new facilities,
and updated programmatic objectives
are notable revisions to the 1990
approved management plan.
The revised management plan
outlines the administrative structure;
the education, stewardship, and
research goals of the reserve; and the
plans for future land acquisition and
facility development to support reserve
operations. Since 1990, the reserve has
added a coastal training program that
delivers science-based information to
key decisionmakers in the Chesapeake
Bay. The reserve has realized many
aspects of the 1990 plan, including the
completion of the Anita C. Leight Center
in Harford County. This facility
provides classrooms, lab space, exhibit
space and office space and has allowed
the implementation of research,
education and volunteer activity at the
Otter Point Creek component of the
reserve.
This management plan calls for a
boundary expansion at two reserve sites:
One thousand three hundred and fortyfive acres are incorporated into the Jug
Bay component site and approximately
thirty-two acres will be incorporated
into the Otter Point Creek site. The Otter
Point Creek component will expand its
land area from 443 to 475 acres. The
land increase consists of two forested
parcels adjacent to the current boundary
that will serve as a buffer for core
estuarine habitat and will also provide
an important access point for
monitoring and education programming.
The expansion at Jug Bay includes land
on both sides of the Patuxent River,
increasing the acreage of this site from
491 to 1,836. The original boundary for
this component site included a portion
of the county owned parks. This
expansion incorporates a larger portion
of those parks to become designated as
part of the National Estuarine Research
Reserves. West of the Patuxent River,
the reserve will add 455 acres of
wetlands and buffer lands that will
enhance the protection of core reserve
lands and will enhance the research and
monitoring. East of the Patuxent River,
the reserve will be expanded by 890
acres to increase the level of protection
surrounding the river and expand the
area available for reserve programming.
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Migliori at (301) 563–1126 or
Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563–1158 of
NOAA’s National Ocean Service,
Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 EastWest Highway, N/ORM5, 10th floor,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. For copies of
the Chesapeake Bay Management Plan
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:38 Apr 17, 2008
Jkt 214001
revision, visit https://
www.dnr.state.md.us/bay/cbnerr/.
Dated: April 10, 2008.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–8345 Filed 4–17–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
[Docket No. DoD–2008–OS–0037]
Proposed Collection; Comment
Request
Defense Information Systems
Agency, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In compliance with Section
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the Defense
Information Systems Agency announces
a proposed public information
collection and seeks public comment on
the provisions thereof. Comments are
invited on: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the Agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
Agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the information collection on
respondents, including through the use
of automated collection techniques or
other form of information technology.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all
comments received by June 17, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by docket number and title,
by any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Federal Docket Management
System Office, 1160 Defense Pentagon,
Washington, DC 20301–1160.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name, docket
number and title for this Federal
Register document. The general policy
for comments and other submissions
from members of the public is to make
these submissions available for public
viewing on the Internet at https://
www.regulations.gov as they are
received without change, including any
personal identifiers or contact
information.
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
To
request more information on this
proposed information collection or to
obtain a copy of the proposal and
associated collection instruments,
please write to Mr. Robert Berk, P. O.
Box 4502, Arlington VA 22204–4502 or
call (703) 681–2232.
Title and OMB Number: DISA
Computing Services Survey; OMB
Number 0704–TBD.
Needs and Uses: The survey data is
needed from those organizations that
use the DISA Computing Services
provided by DISA Center for Computing
Services. The survey responses will
help determine the customers’
satisfaction level with the provided Data
Processing and Help Desk/ Operations
Support team (OST) services. It will
offer an opportunity for suggested
changes as well. This information will
be used to develop and execute an
action plan that addresses all major
issue areas perceived by the customer
end-users.
Affected Public: DISA Contractors,
potential DISA contractors, or all
contractors who work for DoD related
Services/Agencies and who use DISA
Computing Services offerings.
Annual Burden Hours: 92 hours.
Number Of Respondents: 275.
Responses Per Respondent: 1.
Average Burden Per Response: 20
minutes.
Frequency: Annually.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Summary of Information Collection
The survey data is needed from those
organizations that use the DISA
Computing Services provided by DISA
Center for Computing Services. The
survey responses will help determine
the customers’ satisfaction level with
the provided Data Processing and Help
Desk/ Operations Support team (OST)
services. It will offer an opportunity for
suggested changes as well. This
information will be used to develop and
execute an action plan that addresses all
major issue areas perceived by the
customer end-users.
Dated: March 24, 2008.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. E8–8375 Filed 4–17–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
E:\FR\FM\18APN1.SGM
18APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 76 (Friday, April 18, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21117-21118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8345]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Estuarine Research Reserve System
AGENCY: Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Public Comment Period for the Revised Management Plan
for the Chesapeake Bay Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division,
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S.
Department of Commerce is announcing a thirty-day public comment period
on the Chesapeake Bay Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve
Management Plan Revision.
The Chesapeake Bay Maryland National Estuarine Research Reserve has
three sites; Monie Bay, Jug Bay, and Otter Point Creek. Monie Bay was
designated as part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve in 1985
and Jug Bay and Otter Point Creek were designated in 1990 pursuant to
Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16
U.S.C. 1461. The reserve has been operating under a management plan
approved in 1990. Pursuant to 15 CFR Section 921.33(c), a state must
revise their management plan every five years. The submission of this
plan brings the reserve into compliance and sets a course for
successful implementation of
[[Page 21118]]
the goals and objectives of the reserve. A boundary expansion, new
facilities, and updated programmatic objectives are notable revisions
to the 1990 approved management plan.
The revised management plan outlines the administrative structure;
the education, stewardship, and research goals of the reserve; and the
plans for future land acquisition and facility development to support
reserve operations. Since 1990, the reserve has added a coastal
training program that delivers science-based information to key
decisionmakers in the Chesapeake Bay. The reserve has realized many
aspects of the 1990 plan, including the completion of the Anita C.
Leight Center in Harford County. This facility provides classrooms, lab
space, exhibit space and office space and has allowed the
implementation of research, education and volunteer activity at the
Otter Point Creek component of the reserve.
This management plan calls for a boundary expansion at two reserve
sites: One thousand three hundred and forty-five acres are incorporated
into the Jug Bay component site and approximately thirty-two acres will
be incorporated into the Otter Point Creek site. The Otter Point Creek
component will expand its land area from 443 to 475 acres. The land
increase consists of two forested parcels adjacent to the current
boundary that will serve as a buffer for core estuarine habitat and
will also provide an important access point for monitoring and
education programming. The expansion at Jug Bay includes land on both
sides of the Patuxent River, increasing the acreage of this site from
491 to 1,836. The original boundary for this component site included a
portion of the county owned parks. This expansion incorporates a larger
portion of those parks to become designated as part of the National
Estuarine Research Reserves. West of the Patuxent River, the reserve
will add 455 acres of wetlands and buffer lands that will enhance the
protection of core reserve lands and will enhance the research and
monitoring. East of the Patuxent River, the reserve will be expanded by
890 acres to increase the level of protection surrounding the river and
expand the area available for reserve programming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Migliori at (301) 563-1126 or
Laurie McGilvray at (301) 563-1158 of NOAA's National Ocean Service,
Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, N/ORM5, 10th
floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910. For copies of the Chesapeake Bay
Management Plan revision, visit https://www.dnr.state.md.us/bay/cbnerr/.
Dated: April 10, 2008.
David M. Kennedy,
Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-8345 Filed 4-17-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
