Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; At-Sea Scales Requirements, 23944-23945 [2014-09732]
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23944
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 82 / Tuesday, April 29, 2014 / Notices
Point
A
B
C
D
E
F
A
N. lat.
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41°30′
41°30′
41°50′
41°50′
42°00′
42°00′
41°30′
W. long.
(66°34.8′)
67°20′
67°20′
67°10′
67°10′
(67°00.63′)
(66°34.8′)
Note
(1)
(2), (3)
(1)
1 The
intersection of 41°30’ N. latitude and the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary, approximate longitude in parentheses.
intersection of 42°00’ N. latitude and the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary, approximate longitude in parentheses.
3 From POINT F back to POINT A along the U.S.-Canada Maritime Boundary.
2 The
The proposed rule highlighted that
GARFO is interested in conducting
research through an EFP to gather catch
data from portions of CAs I and II to
provide basic catch information to the
industry, the public, and NMFS.
Participating vessels would require an
exemption from CA I and II regulations
at 50 CFR 648.81(a) and (b),
respectively, and fish possession
restrictions noted above (for catch
sampling purposes only) to conduct this
study.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Pilot Study Objectives
This pilot project would authorize
limited access groundfish sector vessels
in the study fleet to fish in portions of
CAs I and II to achieve the following
objectives:
1. Provide basic catch composition
and catch rate data, with a focus on
target species such as haddock, and
species of concern, such as yellowtail
flounder and cod.
2. Evaluate the economic benefit of
allowing sector vessels to fish in these
areas, as proposed under the sector rule.
Pilot Study Methods
Vessels would take up to 10 trips into
portions of CA I and/or CA II to collect
catch composition data. Vessels would
fish in accordance with standard
commercial practice, including tow
duration ranges between 1 and 3 hours,
tow speed averages of 2.5–3.0 knots, and
fishing activity throughout the day
when on the fishing grounds. Trips
would be 5–10 days in length. Vessels
would have discretion to fish inside or
outside the closed area during the trip.
When fishing in closed areas, vessels
would be required to use selective trawl
gears (i.e., Ruhle trawl, haddock
separator trawl, or rope separator trawl).
In addition, vessels would only be
authorized to fish within the access
areas proposed above. In CA I, trips
would begin in May 2014 and be
completed no later than December 31,
2014. In CA II, trips would begin in May
2014, be completed no later than June
15, 2014, and then continue between
November 1, 2014, through December
31, 2014. A study fleet technician would
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be on board every trip operating under
the closed area exemption, and the
technician would collect data from
every tow that occurs in a closed area,
including pounds retained and
discarded of focus species, length
frequency of focus species, tow location
and duration, gear specifications, and
bottom temperature, among other
information. Vessels would remain
subject to groundfish catch limits, and
all catch would be accounted for and
applied against the appropriate Annual
Catch Entitlement, or other quota, as
applicable. Legal catch would be sold.
Pilot Study Results
Catch composition and catch rate data
will be characterized at different spatial
and temporal scales (e.g., tow, trip, area)
to inform questions about target and
non-target catch in these areas. Catch
data will be released to the public.
If approved, the applicant may
request minor modifications and
extensions to the EFP throughout the
year. EFP modifications and extensions
may be granted without further notice if
they are deemed essential to facilitate
completion of the proposed research
and have minimal impact that do not
change the scope or impact of the
initially approved EFP request. Any
fishing activity conducted outside the
scope of the exempted fishing activity
would be prohibited.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 24, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–09741 Filed 4–28–14; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XD249
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; At-Sea Scales
Requirements
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshop.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces a workshop
to solicit input from owners and
operators of catcher/processor vessels
(C/Ps) and motherships that are required
to weigh catch at sea. The workshop
concerns proposed changes to
equipment and operational
requirements for motion compensating
scales that weigh catch at sea. These
proposed changes would affect the
owners and operators of three groups of
vessels: trawl C/Ps and motherships
permitted to fish for or to receive
pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands (BSAI) under the (American
Fisheries Act) AFA; trawl C/Ps
permitted to fish for groundfish under
Amendment 80 to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
BSAI or rockfish in the Central Gulf of
Alaska; and longline C/Ps with a license
limitation program license endorsed for
C/P operations that fish for Pacific cod
using hook-and-line gear in the Bering
Sea or Aleutian Islands areas. The
workshop will be divided into three
sections, and each section will focus on
how the proposed changes will affect
the three groups of vessels described
above. The workshop is open to the
public, but NMFS is specifically
requesting those who are knowledgeable
about the operations of the three groups
of vessels (described above) to attend.
DATES: The public workshop will be
held on Friday, May 16, 2014. The
workshop will be divided into three
sessions: AFA trawl C/Ps and
motherships, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Pacific
daylight savings time; Amendment 80
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 82 / Tuesday, April 29, 2014 / Notices
and Central GOA trawl C/Ps, 11 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. Pacific daylight savings time;
and Pacific cod longline C/Ps, 1 p.m. to
2:30 p.m. Pacific daylight savings time.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
The workshop will be held
at the International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC) Seattle Office, 2320
West Commodore Way, Suite 300,
Seattle, WA. Directions to the IPHC are
on its Web site at https://www.iphc.int/
component/content/article/135-newoffice.html.
RIN 0648–XD264
ADDRESSES:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
Alan Kinsolving, 928–774–4362 or
Jennifer Watson, 907–586–7537.
SUMMARY:
NMFS is
developing proposed revisions to the atsea scales program for C/Ps and
motherships that are required to weigh
catch at sea. NMFS is considering three
major changes to current regulations.
First, NMFS is proposing to change
regulations concerning daily scale
testing and require electronic reporting
of daily scale test results. Second, scales
used to weigh catch would need
electronics capable of logging and
printing the frequency and magnitude of
scale calibrations as well as the time
and date of each scale fault and scale
startup. Finally, NMFS is proposing to
require that the area around the scale be
monitored using video. These changes
are being proposed to reduce the
possibility of scale tampering, to
improve the accuracy of catch
estimation by the C/P and mothership
sector, and to revise technical
regulations that are no longer
applicable.
The workshop—to be held Friday,
May 16, 2014 (see DATES section for
the specific times of the three
sessions)—is open to the public, but
NMFS is particularly seeking
participation by those who are
knowledgeable about the operations of
the three groups of vessels described
above and who can discuss with NMFS
the potential operational impacts of
proposed monitoring requirements.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council’s (Council)
Executive Committee will meet in a
closed session via webinar.
DATES: The webinar will be Tuesday,
May 20, 2014, starting at 1:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The closed meetings will be
held via webinar.
Council Address: Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 800 N.
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 674–2331.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher M. Moore Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, 800 N. State
Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901;
telephone: (302) 526–5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the webinar is to develop
recommendations to the Council
Chairman regarding appointments to the
River Herring and Shad Advisor Panel.
Dated: April 23, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–09602 Filed 4–28–14; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and
Information Administration
First Responder Network Authority
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Special Accommodations
[Docket Number 131219999–4338–02]
The workshop will be physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language
interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Jennifer Watson,
907–586–7537, at least 10 working days
prior to the meeting date.
RIN 0660–XC008
Dated: April 24, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–09732 Filed 4–28–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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National Environmental Policy Act
Categorical Exclusions
National Telecommunications
and Information Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The First Responder Network
Authority (FirstNet) publishes this
notice of its categorical exclusions (CEs)
of actions that FirstNet has determined
SUMMARY:
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23945
do not individually or cumulatively
have a significant effect on the human
environment and, thus, should be
categorically excluded from the
requirement to prepare an
environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement under
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA).
DATES: These categorical exclusions
become effective on April 29, 2014.
ADDRESSES: A complete set of comments
filed in response to the First Responder
Network Authority: National
Environmental Policy Act Implementing
Procedures and Categorical Exclusions
published on January 6, 2014, is
available at: https://www.ntia.doc.gov/
federal-register-notice/2014/commentsnotice-firstnet-categorical-exclusions.
The FirstNet categorical exclusions and
the supporting administrative record for
these categorical exclusions is available
at: https://www.ntia.doc.gov/category/
firstnet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Genevieve Walker, First Responder
Network Authority, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW., HCHB Room CC 219, Washington,
DC 20230; (202) 482–4385; or
genevieve.walker@firstnet.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. National Environmental Policy Act
The National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321–4347)
(NEPA) requires federal agencies to
undertake an assessment of
environmental effects of their proposed
actions prior to making a final decision
and implementing the action. NEPA
requirements apply to any federal
project, decision, or action that may
have a significant impact on the quality
of the human environment. NEPA also
establishes the Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ), which
issued regulations implementing the
procedural provisions of NEPA as
codified in 40 CFR Parts 1500–1508.
Among other considerations, CEQ
regulations require federal agencies to
adopt their own implementing
procedures to supplement the Council’s
regulations, and to establish and use
‘‘categorical exclusions’’ to define
categories of actions that do not
individually or cumulatively have a
significant effect on the human
environment. Thus, such actions do not
require preparation of an environmental
assessment or an environmental impact
statement as required by NEPA.
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112–96,
126 Stat. 156 (2012)) (Act) created and
authorized FirstNet to take all actions
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23944-23945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09732]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD249
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; At-Sea
Scales Requirements
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshop.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces a workshop to solicit input from owners and
operators of catcher/processor vessels (C/Ps) and motherships that are
required to weigh catch at sea. The workshop concerns proposed changes
to equipment and operational requirements for motion compensating
scales that weigh catch at sea. These proposed changes would affect the
owners and operators of three groups of vessels: trawl C/Ps and
motherships permitted to fish for or to receive pollock in the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) under the (American Fisheries Act) AFA;
trawl C/Ps permitted to fish for groundfish under Amendment 80 to the
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI or rockfish in the
Central Gulf of Alaska; and longline C/Ps with a license limitation
program license endorsed for C/P operations that fish for Pacific cod
using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands areas.
The workshop will be divided into three sections, and each section will
focus on how the proposed changes will affect the three groups of
vessels described above. The workshop is open to the public, but NMFS
is specifically requesting those who are knowledgeable about the
operations of the three groups of vessels (described above) to attend.
DATES: The public workshop will be held on Friday, May 16, 2014. The
workshop will be divided into three sessions: AFA trawl C/Ps and
motherships, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Pacific daylight savings time;
Amendment 80
[[Page 23945]]
and Central GOA trawl C/Ps, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific daylight
savings time; and Pacific cod longline C/Ps, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Pacific daylight savings time.
ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the International Pacific
Halibut Commission (IPHC) Seattle Office, 2320 West Commodore Way,
Suite 300, Seattle, WA. Directions to the IPHC are on its Web site at
https://www.iphc.int/component/content/article/135-new-office.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Kinsolving, 928-774-4362 or
Jennifer Watson, 907-586-7537.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is developing proposed revisions to the
at-sea scales program for C/Ps and motherships that are required to
weigh catch at sea. NMFS is considering three major changes to current
regulations. First, NMFS is proposing to change regulations concerning
daily scale testing and require electronic reporting of daily scale
test results. Second, scales used to weigh catch would need electronics
capable of logging and printing the frequency and magnitude of scale
calibrations as well as the time and date of each scale fault and scale
startup. Finally, NMFS is proposing to require that the area around the
scale be monitored using video. These changes are being proposed to
reduce the possibility of scale tampering, to improve the accuracy of
catch estimation by the C/P and mothership sector, and to revise
technical regulations that are no longer applicable.
The workshop--to be held Friday, May 16, 2014 (see DATES section
for the specific times of the three sessions)--is open to the public,
but NMFS is particularly seeking participation by those who are
knowledgeable about the operations of the three groups of vessels
described above and who can discuss with NMFS the potential operational
impacts of proposed monitoring requirements.
Special Accommodations
The workshop will be physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Jennifer Watson, 907-586-7537, at
least 10 working days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: April 24, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-09732 Filed 4-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
