New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 12505-12506 [2010-5722]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 16, 2010 / Notices
Comment 54: NMFS’ abundance
estimate for the pelagic stock is
scientifically unsound. Specifically, and
as described in more detail in a report
enclosed with the comment, NMFS’
abundance estimate fails to employ a
Bayesian methodology, which is wellrecognized in the scientific community
as the best available method for
estimating the population size of marine
stocks such as the false killer whale
pelagic stock. An alternative analysis of
the existing false killer whale data
utilizes the best available scientific
methods and provides a best estimate of
the Hawaii Pelagic Stock as 2,066
whales.
Response: NMFS disagrees that the
alternative included in this comment
represents the best available scientific
information. Bayesian analyses may
constitute excellent science and are
widely used by NMFS scientists in
assessing marine animal populations;
however, the report enclosed with this
comment has not been peer-reviewed or
published, and it violates the
fundamental principle of choosing an
appropriate prior distribution when
conducting a Bayesian analysis. The
report assumes that the density of false
killer whales in highly productive
waters of the Eastern Tropical Pacific
Ocean would be a suitable prior for their
density in the unproductive waters
surrounding Hawaii. The report did not
discuss a rationale for this assumption
or evaluate alternate, more suitable, data
sets for the prior distribution. There is
no ecological or oceanographic support
for this assumption. Rather, there are
differences in ocean productivity
between the Eastern Tropical Pacific
Ocean and the Hawaiian EEZ, and
densities of most tropical dolphin
species, including false killer whales,
decline as one moves north from
tropical latitudes and into the
subtropical waters of the Hawaiian
Islands.
Comment 55: NMFS fails to discuss a
report from April 2009 documenting
depredation in the Hawaii longline
fishery based on interviews with vessel
owners and captains. The comment
states that the report constitutes current,
published, and NMFS-funded scientific
research suggesting that the sheer
magnitude of catch depredation by false
killer whales implicates a population
size much larger than the 484 estimate
reported in the 2009 draft SAR.
Response: The report cited in this
comment was not available in 2008
when the draft 2009 SAR was prepared,
and the report and its findings have not
been subjected to peer review. Estimates
in the report contain many untested
assumptions (e.g., species identification,
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16:33 Mar 15, 2010
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range of fishery). Furthermore, NMFS’
abundance estimate of 484 is limited to
the U.S. EEZ, whereas the depredation
report included observations from a
much larger area where the fishery
operates. No assumption about
uniformity of false killer whale
distribution has been made in NMFS’
estimates of abundance.
Comment 56: False killer whale
densities on the high seas south of
Hawaii should lead to a higher PBR for
high seas stocks, warranting Cat II or III
classification for the high seas
component of the fishery.
Response: Although the fishery is
conducted on the high seas as well as
within the EEZ, the fishery is classified
based upon its take of false killer whales
in within the EEZ, where only U.S.based fishing occurs. Incidental
mortality and serious injury incidental
to longline fishing within the EEZ
exceed a PBR based upon surveys
within the EEZ. Furthermore, mortality
and serious injury of false killer whales
exceed 50 percent of a number
calculated using the PBR approach for
false killer whales on the high seas areas
of the fishery (which is also subject to
an additional unknown level of
mortality incidental to a substantial
longline fishing effort by vessels from
other nations within the range of the
U.S. fishery on the high seas).
Accordingly, the fishery is appropriately
classified as a Category I fishery over its
entire range.
Comment 57: Reeves et al. make
several unsubstantiated assertions. Even
if the insular stock has declined, there
is no evidence that the longline fishery
is responsible. No evidence of
strandings or sightings of carcasses were
made in support of a large mortality.
SAR guidelines state old abundance
data should not be used.
Response: Reeves et al. is a peerreviewed scientific article that clearly
outlines the data and basis for their
conclusions, including observed line
injuries and decreases in sighting rates.
In the SAR, the longline fishery is listed
only as one potential contributing
factor, reflecting uncertainty in the
sources of such injuries. The longline
fishery operated within the known
range of the insular false killer whale
stock during the early 1990s, when the
decline began, but there was no observer
program to document potential
interactions with cetaceans. Further, it
is well established that animals that die
at sea rarely strand or are recorded at
sea, but rather they sink or are swept
away from land by currents. The SAR
guidelines state that old abundance data
are unreliable to estimate current
abundance. However, older data are
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12505
essential for evaluating trends, and their
inclusion in this historical context is
fully warranted.
Comment 58: There is no evidence
that the insular stock has interacted
with longline fisheries.
Response: NMFS recognizes that the
data available for determining stock
identity of false killer whales is
incomplete for this 2009 SAR. At the
time of the 2009 SAR preparation,
genetic samples were only available for
five of the 24 false killer whales taken
by the fishery (and only for two of the
takes within HI EEZ waters). Thus, the
identity of the majority of false killer
whales taken by the fishery is unknown
and can be assigned based only on
location. No tissue samples are available
for three takes that occurred during sets
spanning the insular/pelagic stock
boundary, and these animals could have
been from the insular stock based on the
distance from the islands at which they
have been documented. NMFS will
continue to investigate ways to improve
allocation of stock-specific bycatch,
taking into account takes and fishing
effort within the insular stock range.
NMFS will also continue efforts to
obtain tissue samples for genetic
analysis on as many animals as possible
to aid in stock identification.
Dated: March 10, 2010.
Helen M. Golde,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–5699 Filed 3–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XV22
New England Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery
Management Council (Council) is
scheduling a joint public meeting of its
Habitat Committee, Advisory Panel and
Plan Development Team in April, 2010
to consider actions affecting New
England fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
Recommendations from this group will
be brought to the full Council for formal
consideration and action, if appropriate.
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12506
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 16, 2010 / Notices
DATES: This meeting will be held on
Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 9 a.m. and
Friday, April 2, 2010 at 9 a.m.
This meeting will be held at
the Seaport World Trade Center, 200
Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA 02210;
telephone: (617) 385–5000; fax: (617)
385–5090.
Council address: New England
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul
J. Howard, Executive Director, New
England Fishery Management Council;
telephone: (978) 465–0492.
The
purpose of this meeting is to review
implementation and outputs of the
Swept Area Seabed impact (SASI)
model, and then to discuss and
recommend management alternatives
based on model outputs. Committee
motions on alternatives for analysis in
EFH Omnibus Amendment 2 DEIS will
be solicited by the Committee Chair on
the second day of the meeting. The
meeting will include: PDT presentation
on the components and implementation
of the SASI model; PDT presentation of
general model outputs; PDT
presentation of model outputs specified
to address previous committee tasking;
group discussion of possible EFH
impacts minimization alternatives and
Committee motions related to inclusion
of alternatives in the DEIS. Other issues
may be raised at the Committee Chair’s
discretion.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during this meeting. 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
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, provided the public has been
notified of the Council’s intent to take
final action to address the emergency.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
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, Executive Director, at (978)
465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the
meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
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16:33 Mar 15, 2010
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Dated: March 11, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–5722 Filed 3–15–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XV24
Fisheries of the South Atlantic and
Gulf of Mexico; Southeast Data,
Assessment, and Review (SEDAR);
Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of SEDAR Workshop for
South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
goliath grouper.
SUMMARY: The SEDAR assessments of
the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
stocks of goliath grouper will consist of
a series of three workshops: a Data
Workshop, an Assessment Workshop,
and a Review Workshop. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The Data Workshop will take
place April 27–29, 2010. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific
dates and times.
ADDRESSES: The Data Workshop will be
held at the Hilton Bayfront, 333 First
Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701;
telephone: (727) -894–5000.
Council address: South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 4055
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North
Charleston, SC 29405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie
Neer, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 Faber
Place Drive, Suite 201, North
Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843)
571–4366.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
of Mexico, South Atlantic, and
Caribbean Fishery Management
Councils, in conjunction with NOAA
Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf
States Marine Fisheries Commissions
have implemented the Southeast Data,
Assessment and Review (SEDAR)
process, a multi-step method for
determining the status of fish stocks in
the Southeast Region. SEDAR includes
three workshops: (1) Data Workshop, (2)
Stock Assessment Workshop and (3)
Review Workshop. The product of the
Data Workshop is a data report which
compiles and evaluates potential
datasets and recommends which
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datasets are appropriate for assessment
analyses. The product of the Stock
Assessment Workshop is a stock
assessment report which describes the
fisheries, evaluates the status of the
stock, estimates biological benchmarks,
projects future population conditions,
and recommends research and
monitoring needs. The assessment is
independently peer reviewed at the
Review Workshop. The product of the
Review Workshop is a Consensus
Summary documenting Panel opinions
regarding the strengths and weaknesses
of the stock assessment and input data.
Participants for SEDAR Workshops are
appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South
Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery
Management Councils and NOAA
Fisheries Southeast Regional Office and
Southeast Fisheries Science Center.
Participants include data collectors and
database managers; stock assessment
scientists, biologists, and researchers;
constituency representatives including
fishermen, environmentalists, and
NGO’s; International experts; and staff
of Councils, Commissions, and state and
federal agencies.
SEDAR 23 Workshop Schedule
April 27–29, 2010; SEDAR 23 Data
Workshop
April 27 - 28, 2010: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; April
29, 2010: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
An assessment data set and associated
documentation will be developed
during the Data Workshop. Participants
will evaluate all available data and
select appropriate sources for providing
information on life history
characteristics, catch statistics, discard
estimates, length and age composition,
and fishery dependent and fishery
independent measures of stock
abundance.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during these meetings. 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 MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, provided the public
has been notified of the Council’s intent
to take final action to address the
emergency.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to the Council office
E:\FR\FM\16MRN1.SGM
16MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12505-12506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5722]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XV22
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is
scheduling a joint public meeting of its Habitat Committee, Advisory
Panel and Plan Development Team in April, 2010 to consider actions
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for
formal consideration and action, if appropriate.
[[Page 12506]]
DATES: This meeting will be held on Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 9 a.m.
and Friday, April 2, 2010 at 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Seaport World Trade Center,
200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA 02210; telephone: (617) 385-5000;
fax: (617) 385-5090.
Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this meeting is to review
implementation and outputs of the Swept Area Seabed impact (SASI)
model, and then to discuss and recommend management alternatives based
on model outputs. Committee motions on alternatives for analysis in EFH
Omnibus Amendment 2 DEIS will be solicited by the Committee Chair on
the second day of the meeting. The meeting will include: PDT
presentation on the components and implementation of the SASI model;
PDT presentation of general model outputs; PDT presentation of model
outputs specified to address previous committee tasking; group
discussion of possible EFH impacts minimization alternatives and
Committee motions related to inclusion of alternatives in the DEIS.
Other issues may be raised at the Committee Chair's discretion.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject
of formal action during this meeting. 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 Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, provided 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, Executive Director, at (978) 465-
0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 11, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-5722 Filed 3-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
