November 2010 Biological Opinion on the Effects of the Alaska Groundfish Fisheries on Steller Sea Lions and Other Endangered Species; Public Meeting, 34350-34352 [2012-14151]
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34350
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2012 / Notices
Rich
Turner, at phone number: (503) 736–
4737, or email: Rich.Turner@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Species Covered in This Notice
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha): threatened, naturally
produced and artificially propagated
Lower Columbia River.
Chum salmon (O. keta): threatened,
naturally produced and artificially
propagated Columbia River.
Coho salmon (O. kisutch): threatened,
naturally produced and artificially
propagated Lower Columbia River.
Steelhead (O. mykiss): threatened,
naturally produced and artificially
propagated Lower Columbia River.
Pacific eulachon (Thaleichthys
pacificus): threatened, naturally
produced southern distinct population
segment.
ODFW has submitted to NMFS four
HGMPs describing hatchery programs
that release salmon and steelhead into
the Sandy River in a manner that is
intended to comply with requirements
of the ESA under limit 5 of the 4(d)
Rule. The programs are designed to
meet mitigation responsibilities related
to impacts from development in the
Sandy River and Columbia River basins
by providing hatchery fish to support
fishing opportunities while minimizing
potential risks to natural-origin spring
Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and
winter steelhead populations, consistent
with Oregon’s Lower Columbia River
Conservation and Recovery Plan for
Oregon Populations of Salmon and
Steelhead.
As specified in the July 10, 2000, ESA
4(d) rule for salmon and steelhead (65
FR 42422) and updated June 28, 2005
(70 FR 37160), NMFS may approve an
HGMP if it meets criteria set forth in 50
CFR 223.203(b)(5)(i)(A) through (K).
Prior to final approval of an HGMP,
NMFS must publish notification
announcing its availability for public
review and comment. NMFS received
requests from the Native Fish Society
and the Pacific Rivers Council to extend
the public comment period. The
comment period for the proposed policy
was to end on June 8, 2012. NMFS is reopening the comment period until July
9, 2012, to allow for more opportunity
for public comment (see DATES and
ADDRESSES).
Authority
Under section 4 of the ESA, the
Secretary of Commerce is required to
adopt such regulations as he deems
necessary and advisable for the
conservation of species listed as
threatened. The ESA salmon and
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steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July
10, 2000, as updated in 70 FR 37160,
June 28, 2005) specifies categories of
activities that contribute to the
conservation of listed salmonids and
sets out the criteria for such activities.
Limit 5 of the updated 4(d) rule (50 CFR
223.203(b)(5)) further provides that the
prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the
updated 4(d) rule (50 CFR 223.203(a))
do not apply to activities associated
with artificial propagation programs
provided that an HGMP has been
approved by NMFS to be in accordance
with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule
(65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000, as updated
in 70 FR 37160, June 28, 2005).
Dated: June 6, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–14155 Filed 6–8–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC066
November 2010 Biological Opinion on
the Effects of the Alaska Groundfish
Fisheries on Steller Sea Lions and
Other Endangered Species; Public
Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
Notice of public meeting;
request for presentations.
ACTION:
NMFS will host a meeting to
conduct a panel review by experts
contracted through the Center for
Independent Experts (CIE) related to
NMFS’s November 2010 Biological
Opinion on the effects of the Alaska
groundfish fisheries on Steller sea lions
and other endangered species (Final
Biop). The meeting will provide an
opportunity for the CIE reviewers to
receive presentations from NMFS, the
State of Alaska, the State of Washington,
the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council, and the public concerning new
and relevant scientific information that
has become available since NMFS
issued the Final Biop. NMFS requests
that parties interested in presenting
such information to the CIE reviewers
submit a statement of interest including
an abstract of the information to be
presented.
SUMMARY:
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The meeting will be held August
1–2, 2012, from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Pacific
Daylight Time. Statements of interest
and abstracts must be received by 5 p.m.
Alaska Daylight Time on July 2, 2012,
to be considered for presentation during
the meeting on August 2, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send statements of interest
in making a presentation and abstracts
to Jon Kurland, Assistant Regional
Administrator for Protected Resources,
NMFS, by any one of the following
methods:
• Fax: 907–586–7012.
• Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802.
• Email: jon.kurland@noaa.gov
• Hand delivery to the Federal
Building: 709 West 9th Street, Room
420A, Juneau, Alaska.
The meeting will be held at NMFS
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600
Sand Point Way NE., Building 4, Seattle,
WA, 98115, in the Jim Traynor
conference room.
The CIE contract statement of work
(SOW) and terms of reference (TORs)
and documents subject to the CIE
review are available on the NMFS
Alaska Region Web site at
www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
protectedresources/stellers/esa/biop/
final/cie/review.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon
Kurland, 907–586–7638.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Background
NMFS contracted with the CIE to
conduct a peer review of the November
2010 Biological Opinion on the Alaska
groundfish fisheries (Final Biop), which
NMFS prepared under Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). The CIE
is a group affiliated with the University
of Miami that provides independent
peer reviews of the science upon which
many of NMFS’s management decisions
are based, including reviews of stock
assessments for fish and marine
mammals. The structure and operation
of the CIE are designed to ensure the
quality, relevance, and independence of
the reviews. Independence is
maintained by eliminating any role for
NMFS in selecting or paying the
reviewers or in approving the content of
reviewers’ reports. Reviewers must
adhere to a strict conflict of interest
policy and the SOW and TORs
contained in the review contract.
The ESA requires each federal agency
to insure than any action authorized,
funded, or carried out by the agency is
not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any threatened or
endangered species or adversely modify
or destroy designated critical habitat.
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2012 / Notices
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Action agencies must consult with
NMFS or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service regarding any action that may
affect listed species. For fisheries
managed under the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, NMFS is the action agency and
must complete the consultation
internally, involving its Sustainable
Fisheries Division (responsible for
authorization of the fisheries) and
Protected Resources Division
(responsible for implementing the ESA).
The subject of the CIE review is the
scientific information used for, and
analysis contained in, the Final Biop;
and new scientific information relevant
to Steller sea lions and fisheries since
completion of the Final Biop. The
review consists of two chapters: (1) A
desk review of the Final Biop including
information available to NMFS through
September 3, 2010, and (2) a panel
review of new information that became
available subsequent to the Final Biop.
NMFS expects to receive a final report
from the CIE review on September 7,
2012.
Terms of Reference
The following TORs provide the
parameters for the CIE review. The CIE
reviewers must address each of the
items specified in the TORs and must
not address other issues than those
specifically enumerated.
Tasks specific to developing Chapter
1 (desk review of Final Biop):
1. Read the Final Biop (November 24,
2010) on the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands and Gulf of Alaska groundfish
fisheries; and state waters parallel
groundfish fisheries and related
background documents (provided by
NMFS) and the recovery plan (see
ADDRESSES for a link to these
documents).
2. Provide a scientific peer review and
comment on the Final Biop, including
scientific information available to
NMFS through the end of the public
comment period (September 3, 2010) for
the Draft Biop, evaluate the scientific
information and its interpretation that
developed the rationale and the
subsequent findings regarding factors
potentially affecting Steller sea lion
population status, vital rates, critical
habitat, risk of extinction, and recovery
including in particular the findings
regarding the effects of fisheries on
Steller sea lion population status, vital
rates, and critical habitat. Address the
following:
a. Does the Final Biop thoroughly and
accurately (i.e. using the best available
scientific information) describe what is
known about the status of the listed
species?
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b. Does the Final Biop thoroughly and
accurately describe what is known
about groundfish fishery practices and
catch statistics under the current
ongoing ‘‘status quo’’ action, as defined
in the Final Biop?
c. While the agency is directed to
evaluate the effects of the action on
listed species and critical habitat, does
the Final Biop also adequately address
alternative scientific explanations to the
apparent population dynamics of the
western distinct population segment
(WDPS) of Steller sea lion, such as (but
not limited to) predation, disease,
ecosystem/carrying capacity, or
emigration?
d. Does the Final Biop thoroughly and
accurately assess the effects (direct and
indirect) of the action on the listed
species and its critical habitat?
e. Evaluate the scientific weight of the
evidence presented in the Final Biop.
Does the evidence provide strong,
moderate or weak support for the
discussion, findings and conclusions
made in the document?
3. Reviewers shall evaluate the quality
and completeness of the scientific and
commercial information used in the
Final Biop analysis, and identify if the
Final Biop analysis is comprehensive or
if there are relevant scientific or
commercial data or information that
were not used in the Final Biop
analysis.
4. Reviewers are specifically asked to
evaluate the scientific basis for the
nutritional stress findings of the Final
Biop. Reviewers shall evaluate and
comment on the strength of the linkages
among fish biomass estimates, fishery
removals, Steller sea lion reproductive
rates, and recovery of the WDPS. Does
the Final Biop accurately evaluate the
inter-relationships between Steller sea
lion population status and trends,
foraging ecology, and groundfish
fisheries effects across broad geographic
areas (ecosystems to highly localized
regions) and temporal scales (years to
seasons)?
5. Reviewers will determine if there is
any additional literature, assessments,
or analyses that should have been
considered in the Final Biop (as of the
end of the public comment period for
the Draft Biop, September 3, 2010).
6. In making these evaluations,
reviewers shall consider and address the
following questions:
a. Are the findings of the Final Biop
contradicted by any scientific
information available as of September 3,
2010 presented in, or omitted from, the
Final Biop?
b. As part of this consideration,
reviewers shall also assess the scientific
record to determine whether adequate
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34351
consideration has been given to the
likelihood that factors other than fishing
are negatively affecting the population
status, critical habitat or recovery of the
WDPS including predation, changes in
the ecosystem or carrying capacity,
emigration, exposure to contaminants,
or other factors.
Tasks specific to Chapter 2 (panel
review meeting):
1. Reviewers will convene as a Panel
and will conduct a scientific peer
review during the panel review meeting
in Seattle. In addition to scientific
presentations regarding the Final Biop
analysis and related scientific
information, the meeting will include
presentations by experts from
environmental organizations, the fishing
industry, affected communities, and
other agencies and institutions. The
Panel will conduct the peer review in
accordance with the TORs for Chapter 2
and consider all relevant scientific
information available up to the date of
the Panel meeting. Refer to Annex 3 of
the CIE review contract for listing of
report and background documents (see
ADDRESSES).
2. Following the same TORs
identified for Chapter 1 of the CIE
review, the reviewers will reexamine
the Final Biop, its scientific record and
any new information available
subsequent to the issuance of the Final
Biop and may provide additional
commentary on the findings they made
in Chapter 1 based on scientific
information that arises through the
panel presentations. This re-visitation of
Chapter 1 shall be part of Chapter 2 of
the report. As part of this commentary
the reviewers are tasked to reevaluate
the scientific basis for the conclusions
of the Final Biop, that fisheries are
causing nutritional stress in Steller sea
lions, which in turn is adversely
impacting the survival and recovery of
the WDPS of the Steller sea lion. The
reviewers shall evaluate and comment
on the strength of the relationship
between fishery removals and recovery
of the WDPS.
3. The Reasonable Prudent
Alternative (RPA) presented in the Final
Biop (Section 8.3.4 of the Final Biop)
and as implemented through an Interim
Final Rule (75 FR 77535, December 13,
2010) may present an opportunity for an
adaptive management experiment to test
the response of fisheries and Steller sea
lions to the fisheries closures
implemented by the interim final rule.
Reviewers will be asked to (1) comment
on the utility of this opportunity, (2)
evaluate the metrics identified in the
Final Biop (e.g., trends in Steller sea
lion abundance, trends in biomass of
Atka mackerel and other groundfish,
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2012 / Notices
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etc.), and (3) suggest other metrics not
described in the Final Biop that could
be used to evaluate the efficacy of the
action in ensuring the groundfish
fisheries are not likely to adversely
affect the survival and recovery of
WDPS of the Steller sea lion.
CIE Panel Review
The CIE panel review will focus on
Chapter 2 from the TORs. Persons or
groups wishing to make a presentation
to the CIE reviewers must submit a
statement of interest with a brief (one
page or less) abstract of the type of
information to be presented.
Presentations must address new
scientific information germane to Steller
sea lions and the groundfish fisheries
that was not available before September
3, 2010. Persons or groups proposing to
present information that does not fall
within the TORs for the CIE review will
not be invited to make presentations.
Due to the limited time available for
the panel review, NMFS encourages
individuals or groups that may have
similar perspectives on the pertinent
scientific information to coordinate
their proposed presentations into
subject specific panels to present the
information effectively and minimize
redundancy. For example, a panel could
be comprised of several fishing industry
representatives or several
representatives of non-governmental
organizations, with each participant
addressing a different facet of the
relevant information.
NMFS will review the statements of
interest, abstracts, and proposed panels
and, in consultation with the CIE
reviewers, will schedule the
presentations so as to focus on the most
relevant scientific information of
interest to the reviewers. The amount of
time available per presenter or panel
will depend on the number of persons
and groups wishing to make
presentations. NMFS will contact the
proposed presenters in advance of the
meeting to specify the amount of time
available and the approximate schedule.
During the meeting presenters may
provide additional written information
to the CIE reviewers for consideration,
but the CIE reviewers are not obligated
under the contract to review documents
beyond those identified in the SOW.
More information on the CIE review,
including the full SOW and TORs and
all written materials for review
identified in the SOW, is available on
the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (see
ADDRESSES).
Arrangements for Foreign Nationals
Individuals wishing to attend the
meeting who are not citizens of the
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United States must make prior
arrangements to be permitted entrance
to the Alaska Fisheries Science Center
(see ADDRESSES). Requests for such
arrangements should be directed to
Jennifer Ferdinand by email at
jennifer.ferdinand@noaa.gov by July 23,
2012.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Jennifer
Ferdinand, (206) 526–4076, at least 5
working days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: June 6, 2012.
Helen Golde,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–14151 Filed 6–8–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XB139
On April
02, 2012 notice was published in the
Federal Register (77 FR 19646) that a
request for a permit to import marine
mammal parts for scientific research
had been submitted by the above-named
applicant. The requested permit has
been issued under the authority of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and
the regulations governing the taking and
importing of marine mammals (50 CFR
part 216).
The permit authorizes the import of
fur, blood, and fat biopsies from up to
300 crabeater seals (Lobodon
carcinophaga), 200 Weddell seals
(Leptonychotes weddellii), 50 Ross seals
(Ommatophoca Rossii), and 25 leopard
seals (Hydrurga leptonyx). No takes of
live animals are authorized. The permit
will expire June 01, 2017.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final
determination has been made that the
activity proposed is categorically
excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Marine Mammals; File No. 17178
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.
Dated: June 5, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–14133 Filed 6–8–12; 8:45 am]
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that a
permit has been issued to Virginia
Institute of Marine Science [Responsible
Party: Elizabeth Canuel, Ph.D.], P.O. Box
1346, Route 1208 Greate Road,
Gloucester Point, VA 23062 to import
marine mammal parts for scientific
research.
SUMMARY:
The permit and related
documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment
in the following offices:
Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,
Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301)427–8401; fax (301)713–0376;
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West
Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach,
CA 90802–4213; phone (562)980–4001;
fax (562)980–4018; and
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th
Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, Florida
33701; phone (727)824–5312; fax
(727)824–5309.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Morse or Amy Sloan, (301)427–
8401.
ADDRESSES:
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BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
COMMISSION
Meeting of Technology Advisory
Committee
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (‘‘CFTC’’)
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The CFTC announces that on
Wednesday, June 20, 2012, the CFTC’s
Technology Advisory Committee
(‘‘TAC’’) will hold a public meeting at
the CFTC’s Washington, DC
headquarters, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. The TAC will focus on updates
from the TAC Subcommittee on
Automated and High Frequency Trading
(HFT), HFT strategies, and liquidity
aggregation across designated contract
markets (DCMs) and swap execution
facilities (SEFs).
DATES: The meeting will be held on June
20, 2012 from 10:0 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Members of the public who wish to
submit written statements in connection
with the meeting should submit them by
June 19, 2012.
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 112 (Monday, June 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34350-34352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14151]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XC066
November 2010 Biological Opinion on the Effects of the Alaska
Groundfish Fisheries on Steller Sea Lions and Other Endangered Species;
Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for presentations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS will host a meeting to conduct a panel review by experts
contracted through the Center for Independent Experts (CIE) related to
NMFS's November 2010 Biological Opinion on the effects of the Alaska
groundfish fisheries on Steller sea lions and other endangered species
(Final Biop). The meeting will provide an opportunity for the CIE
reviewers to receive presentations from NMFS, the State of Alaska, the
State of Washington, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and
the public concerning new and relevant scientific information that has
become available since NMFS issued the Final Biop. NMFS requests that
parties interested in presenting such information to the CIE reviewers
submit a statement of interest including an abstract of the information
to be presented.
DATES: The meeting will be held August 1-2, 2012, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Pacific Daylight Time. Statements of interest and abstracts must be
received by 5 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time on July 2, 2012, to be
considered for presentation during the meeting on August 2, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send statements of interest in making a presentation and
abstracts to Jon Kurland, Assistant Regional Administrator for
Protected Resources, NMFS, by any one of the following methods:
Fax: 907-586-7012.
Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
Email: jon.kurland@noaa.gov
Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, Alaska.
The meeting will be held at NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center,
7600 Sand Point Way NE., Building 4, Seattle, WA, 98115, in the Jim
Traynor conference room.
The CIE contract statement of work (SOW) and terms of reference
(TORs) and documents subject to the CIE review are available on the
NMFS Alaska Region Web site at www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources/stellers/esa/biop/final/cie/review.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon Kurland, 907-586-7638.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS contracted with the CIE to conduct a peer review of the
November 2010 Biological Opinion on the Alaska groundfish fisheries
(Final Biop), which NMFS prepared under Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). The CIE is a group affiliated with the University of
Miami that provides independent peer reviews of the science upon which
many of NMFS's management decisions are based, including reviews of
stock assessments for fish and marine mammals. The structure and
operation of the CIE are designed to ensure the quality, relevance, and
independence of the reviews. Independence is maintained by eliminating
any role for NMFS in selecting or paying the reviewers or in approving
the content of reviewers' reports. Reviewers must adhere to a strict
conflict of interest policy and the SOW and TORs contained in the
review contract.
The ESA requires each federal agency to insure than any action
authorized, funded, or carried out by the agency is not likely to
jeopardize the continued existence of any threatened or endangered
species or adversely modify or destroy designated critical habitat.
[[Page 34351]]
Action agencies must consult with NMFS or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service regarding any action that may affect listed species. For
fisheries managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, NMFS is the action agency and must complete the
consultation internally, involving its Sustainable Fisheries Division
(responsible for authorization of the fisheries) and Protected
Resources Division (responsible for implementing the ESA).
The subject of the CIE review is the scientific information used
for, and analysis contained in, the Final Biop; and new scientific
information relevant to Steller sea lions and fisheries since
completion of the Final Biop. The review consists of two chapters: (1)
A desk review of the Final Biop including information available to NMFS
through September 3, 2010, and (2) a panel review of new information
that became available subsequent to the Final Biop. NMFS expects to
receive a final report from the CIE review on September 7, 2012.
Terms of Reference
The following TORs provide the parameters for the CIE review. The
CIE reviewers must address each of the items specified in the TORs and
must not address other issues than those specifically enumerated.
Tasks specific to developing Chapter 1 (desk review of Final Biop):
1. Read the Final Biop (November 24, 2010) on the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries; and state
waters parallel groundfish fisheries and related background documents
(provided by NMFS) and the recovery plan (see ADDRESSES for a link to
these documents).
2. Provide a scientific peer review and comment on the Final Biop,
including scientific information available to NMFS through the end of
the public comment period (September 3, 2010) for the Draft Biop,
evaluate the scientific information and its interpretation that
developed the rationale and the subsequent findings regarding factors
potentially affecting Steller sea lion population status, vital rates,
critical habitat, risk of extinction, and recovery including in
particular the findings regarding the effects of fisheries on Steller
sea lion population status, vital rates, and critical habitat. Address
the following:
a. Does the Final Biop thoroughly and accurately (i.e. using the
best available scientific information) describe what is known about the
status of the listed species?
b. Does the Final Biop thoroughly and accurately describe what is
known about groundfish fishery practices and catch statistics under the
current ongoing ``status quo'' action, as defined in the Final Biop?
c. While the agency is directed to evaluate the effects of the
action on listed species and critical habitat, does the Final Biop also
adequately address alternative scientific explanations to the apparent
population dynamics of the western distinct population segment (WDPS)
of Steller sea lion, such as (but not limited to) predation, disease,
ecosystem/carrying capacity, or emigration?
d. Does the Final Biop thoroughly and accurately assess the effects
(direct and indirect) of the action on the listed species and its
critical habitat?
e. Evaluate the scientific weight of the evidence presented in the
Final Biop. Does the evidence provide strong, moderate or weak support
for the discussion, findings and conclusions made in the document?
3. Reviewers shall evaluate the quality and completeness of the
scientific and commercial information used in the Final Biop analysis,
and identify if the Final Biop analysis is comprehensive or if there
are relevant scientific or commercial data or information that were not
used in the Final Biop analysis.
4. Reviewers are specifically asked to evaluate the scientific
basis for the nutritional stress findings of the Final Biop. Reviewers
shall evaluate and comment on the strength of the linkages among fish
biomass estimates, fishery removals, Steller sea lion reproductive
rates, and recovery of the WDPS. Does the Final Biop accurately
evaluate the inter-relationships between Steller sea lion population
status and trends, foraging ecology, and groundfish fisheries effects
across broad geographic areas (ecosystems to highly localized regions)
and temporal scales (years to seasons)?
5. Reviewers will determine if there is any additional literature,
assessments, or analyses that should have been considered in the Final
Biop (as of the end of the public comment period for the Draft Biop,
September 3, 2010).
6. In making these evaluations, reviewers shall consider and
address the following questions:
a. Are the findings of the Final Biop contradicted by any
scientific information available as of September 3, 2010 presented in,
or omitted from, the Final Biop?
b. As part of this consideration, reviewers shall also assess the
scientific record to determine whether adequate consideration has been
given to the likelihood that factors other than fishing are negatively
affecting the population status, critical habitat or recovery of the
WDPS including predation, changes in the ecosystem or carrying
capacity, emigration, exposure to contaminants, or other factors.
Tasks specific to Chapter 2 (panel review meeting):
1. Reviewers will convene as a Panel and will conduct a scientific
peer review during the panel review meeting in Seattle. In addition to
scientific presentations regarding the Final Biop analysis and related
scientific information, the meeting will include presentations by
experts from environmental organizations, the fishing industry,
affected communities, and other agencies and institutions. The Panel
will conduct the peer review in accordance with the TORs for Chapter 2
and consider all relevant scientific information available up to the
date of the Panel meeting. Refer to Annex 3 of the CIE review contract
for listing of report and background documents (see ADDRESSES).
2. Following the same TORs identified for Chapter 1 of the CIE
review, the reviewers will reexamine the Final Biop, its scientific
record and any new information available subsequent to the issuance of
the Final Biop and may provide additional commentary on the findings
they made in Chapter 1 based on scientific information that arises
through the panel presentations. This re-visitation of Chapter 1 shall
be part of Chapter 2 of the report. As part of this commentary the
reviewers are tasked to reevaluate the scientific basis for the
conclusions of the Final Biop, that fisheries are causing nutritional
stress in Steller sea lions, which in turn is adversely impacting the
survival and recovery of the WDPS of the Steller sea lion. The
reviewers shall evaluate and comment on the strength of the
relationship between fishery removals and recovery of the WDPS.
3. The Reasonable Prudent Alternative (RPA) presented in the Final
Biop (Section 8.3.4 of the Final Biop) and as implemented through an
Interim Final Rule (75 FR 77535, December 13, 2010) may present an
opportunity for an adaptive management experiment to test the response
of fisheries and Steller sea lions to the fisheries closures
implemented by the interim final rule. Reviewers will be asked to (1)
comment on the utility of this opportunity, (2) evaluate the metrics
identified in the Final Biop (e.g., trends in Steller sea lion
abundance, trends in biomass of Atka mackerel and other groundfish,
[[Page 34352]]
etc.), and (3) suggest other metrics not described in the Final Biop
that could be used to evaluate the efficacy of the action in ensuring
the groundfish fisheries are not likely to adversely affect the
survival and recovery of WDPS of the Steller sea lion.
CIE Panel Review
The CIE panel review will focus on Chapter 2 from the TORs. Persons
or groups wishing to make a presentation to the CIE reviewers must
submit a statement of interest with a brief (one page or less) abstract
of the type of information to be presented. Presentations must address
new scientific information germane to Steller sea lions and the
groundfish fisheries that was not available before September 3, 2010.
Persons or groups proposing to present information that does not fall
within the TORs for the CIE review will not be invited to make
presentations.
Due to the limited time available for the panel review, NMFS
encourages individuals or groups that may have similar perspectives on
the pertinent scientific information to coordinate their proposed
presentations into subject specific panels to present the information
effectively and minimize redundancy. For example, a panel could be
comprised of several fishing industry representatives or several
representatives of non-governmental organizations, with each
participant addressing a different facet of the relevant information.
NMFS will review the statements of interest, abstracts, and
proposed panels and, in consultation with the CIE reviewers, will
schedule the presentations so as to focus on the most relevant
scientific information of interest to the reviewers. The amount of time
available per presenter or panel will depend on the number of persons
and groups wishing to make presentations. NMFS will contact the
proposed presenters in advance of the meeting to specify the amount of
time available and the approximate schedule. During the meeting
presenters may provide additional written information to the CIE
reviewers for consideration, but the CIE reviewers are not obligated
under the contract to review documents beyond those identified in the
SOW.
More information on the CIE review, including the full SOW and TORs
and all written materials for review identified in the SOW, is
available on the NMFS Alaska Region Web site (see ADDRESSES).
Arrangements for Foreign Nationals
Individuals wishing to attend the meeting who are not citizens of
the United States must make prior arrangements to be permitted entrance
to the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (see ADDRESSES). Requests for
such arrangements should be directed to Jennifer Ferdinand by email at
jennifer.ferdinand@noaa.gov by July 23, 2012.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Jennifer Ferdinand, (206) 526-
4076, at least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: June 6, 2012.
Helen Golde,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-14151 Filed 6-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
