Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting, 29520-29521 [2017-13621]

Download as PDF 29520 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 124 / Thursday, June 29, 2017 / Notices characterize daily and seasonal movement and distribution of affected marine mammals, it can be difficult to distinguish between the number of individuals harassed and the instances of harassment, and this can result in a take estimate that overestimates the number of individuals harassed. In particular, for stationary activities, such as the planned project, it is more likely that some smaller number of individuals may accrue a number of incidences of harassment per individual than for each incidence to accrue to a new individual. This is especially true for those individuals display some degree of residency or site fidelity and the impetus to use the site is stronger than the deterrence presented by the harassing activity, as is the case with harbor seals that use Children’s Pool as a haulout. For the reasons described above, we expect that there will almost certainly be some overlap in individuals present day-to-day at the project site, and the total numbers of authorized takes are expected to occur only within a small portion of the overall regional stocks. Thus while we authorize the instances of incidental take shown in Table 5, we believe that the number of individual marine mammals that will be incidentally taken by the project will be substantially lower than these numbers. TABLE 5—ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF TAKE AND PERCENTAGES OF MARINE MAMMAL STOCKS THAT MAY BE TAKEN Level B take authorized Species Harbor seal .................................................................................................................................. California sea lion ........................................................................................................................ Northern elephant seal ................................................................................................................ 1 NMFS 30,968 296,750 179,000 Percentage of stock or population 5 <1 <1 2015 marine mammal stock assessment reports (Carretta et al., 2016) available online at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/sars/. Based on the analysis contained herein of the planned activity (including the mitigation and monitoring measures) and the anticipated take of marine mammals, NMFS finds that small numbers of marine mammals will be taken relative to the population size of the affected species or stocks. Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis and Determination There are no relevant subsistence uses of the affected marine mammal stocks or species implicated by this action. Therefore, NMFS has determined that the total taking of affected species or stocks will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of such species or stocks for taking for subsistence purposes. Endangered Species Act (ESA) sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES 1,620 36 14 Stock abundance estimate 1 Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal agency insure that any action it authorizes, funds, or carries out is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat. To ensure ESA compliance for the issuance of IHAs, NMFS consults internally with our ESA Interagency Cooperation Division whenever we propose to authorize take for endangered or threatened species. No incidental take of ESA-listed species is authorized or expected to result from this activity. Therefore, NMFS has determined that formal consultation under section 7 of the ESA is not required for this action. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:29 Jun 28, 2017 Jkt 241001 Authorization NMFS has issued an IHA to the City of San Diego for the take of small numbers of three marine mammal species incidental to conducting demolition and construction activities at Coast Boulevard, La Jolla, California, from June 1, 2017 through December 14, 2017, provided the previously mentioned mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements. Dated: June 23, 2017. Donna S. Wieting, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–13581 Filed 6–28–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XF503 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public meeting. AGENCY: The Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (Council) will hold a meeting. DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, July 19–20, 2017, beginning at 1 p.m. on July 19 and concluding by 12:30 p.m. on July 20. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 The meeting will take place at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, 550 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202; telephone: (410) 234–0550. Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N. State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674–2331; Web site: www.mafmc.org. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302) 526–5255. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this meeting is to make multi-year (2018–19) ABC recommendations for scup based on updated stock assessment information. The SSC will also review the currently implemented 2018 ABCs for summer flounder, black sea bass and bluefish based on the most recent fishery and survey data for each of these species. In addition, topics to be discussed include a discussion on the potential development of chub mackerel reference points, a review of the current generic Terms of Reference used for setting specifications and an SSC OFL Working Group progress report. A detailed agenda and background documents will be made available on the Council’s Web site (www.mafmc.org) prior to the meeting. ADDRESSES: Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526–5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. E:\FR\FM\29JNN1.SGM 29JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 124 / Thursday, June 29, 2017 / Notices sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Dated: June 23, 2017. Jeffrey N. Lonergan, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. geographical region if certain findings are made and either regulations are issued or, if the taking is limited to harassment, a notice of a proposed authorization is provided to the public [FR Doc. 2017–13621 Filed 6–28–17; 8:45 am] for review. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P An authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS finds that the taking will have a negligible DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE impact on the species or stock(s), will National Oceanic and Atmospheric not have an unmitigable adverse impact Administration on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where RIN 0648–XF318 relevant), and if the permissible Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to methods of taking and requirements pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring Specified Activities; Taking Marine and reporting of such takings are set Mammals Incidental to the San forth. Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible Project, South Basin Improvements impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact Project resulting from the specified activity that AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries cannot be reasonably expected to, and is Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and not reasonably likely to, adversely affect Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the species or stock through effects on Commerce. annual rates of recruitment or survival. The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ ACTION: Notice; Issuance of an Incidental means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or Harassment Authorization. attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill SUMMARY: NMFS received a request from any marine mammal. the San Francisco Bay Area Water Except with respect to certain Emergency Transportation Authority activities not pertinent here, the MMPA (WETA) for authorization to take marine defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: Any act of mammals incidental to construction pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i) activities as part of a ferry terminal has the potential to injure a marine expansion and improvements project. mammal or marine mammal stock in the Pursuant to the Marine Mammal wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is the potential to disturb a marine announcing our issuance of an mammal or marine mammal stock in the incidental harassment authorization wild by causing disruption of behavioral (IHA) to WETA to incidentally take patterns, including, but not limited to, marine mammals, by Level B migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, harassment only, during the specified feeding, or sheltering (Level B activity. harassment). DATES: This Authorization is effective National Environmental Policy Act from June 1, 2017 through May 31, To comply with the National 2018. Environmental Policy Act of 1969 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and Laura McCue, Office of Protected NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 216–6A, NMFS must review our Electronic copies of the applications proposed action with respect to and supporting documents, as well as a environmental consequences on the list of the references cited in this human environment. document, may be obtained online at: NMFS published an Environmental www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ Assessment (EA) in 2016 on WETA’s incidental/construction.htm. In case of ferry terminal construction activities. problems accessing these documents, NMFS found that there would be no please call the contact listed above. significant impacts to the human SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: environment and signed a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) on June 28, Background 2016. Because the activities and analysis Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the are the same as WETA’s 2016 activities, MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct NMFS used the existing EA and signed the Secretary of Commerce to allow, a FONSI in May 2017 for WETA’s 2017 upon request, the incidental, but not activities. intentional, taking of small numbers of Summary of Request marine mammals by U.S. citizens who NMFS received a request from WETA engage in a specified activity (other than for an IHA to take marine mammals commercial fishing) within a specified VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:29 Jun 28, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 29521 incidental to pile driving and removal in association with the San Francisco Ferry Terminal Expansion Project, South Basin Improvements Project (Project) in San Francisco Bay, California. In-water work associated with the project is expected to be completed within 23 months. This IHA is for the first phase of construction activities (June 1, 2017–May 31, 2018). The use of both vibratory and impact pile driving and removal is expected to produce underwater sound at levels that have the potential to result in behavioral harassment of marine mammals. Seven species of marine mammals have the potential to be affected by the specified activities: Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), California sea lion (Zalophus californianus), Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), Northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). These species may occur year round in the action area. WETA received authorization for take of marine mammals incidental to these same activities in 2016 (81 FR 43993; July 6, 2016); however construction activities did not occur. Therefore, the specified activities described in the previous IHA are identical to the activities described here. In addition, similar construction and pile driving activities in San Francisco Bay have been authorized by NMFS in the past. These projects include construction activities at the Exploratorium (75 FR 66065; October 27, 2010), Pier 36 (77 FR 20361; April 4, 2012), and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (71 FR 26750; May 8, 2006, 72 FR 25748; August 9, 2007, 74 FR 41684; August 18, 2009, 76 FR 7156; February 9, 2011, 78 FR 2371; January 11, 2013, 79 FR 2421; January 14, 2014, and 80 FR 43710; July 23, 2015). Description of the Specified Activity Overview The WETA is expanding berthing capacity at the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal (Ferry Terminal), located at the San Francisco Ferry Building (Ferry Building), to support existing and future planned water transit services operated on San Francisco Bay by WETA and WETA’s emergency operations. A detailed description of the planned construction project is provided in the Federal Register notice for the proposed IHA (82 FR 17799; April 13, 2017). Since that time, no changes have been made to the planned activities. Therefore, a detailed description is not provided here. Please E:\FR\FM\29JNN1.SGM 29JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 124 (Thursday, June 29, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29520-29521]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13621]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF503


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Science and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) will hold a meeting.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, July 19-20, 
2017, beginning at 1 p.m. on July 19 and concluding by 12:30 p.m. on 
July 20. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Royal Sonesta Harbor 
Court Baltimore, 550 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202; telephone: 
(410) 234-0550.
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N. 
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674-2331; 
Web site: www.mafmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302) 
526-5255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this meeting is to make 
multi-year (2018-19) ABC recommendations for scup based on updated 
stock assessment information. The SSC will also review the currently 
implemented 2018 ABCs for summer flounder, black sea bass and bluefish 
based on the most recent fishery and survey data for each of these 
species. In addition, topics to be discussed include a discussion on 
the potential development of chub mackerel reference points, a review 
of the current generic Terms of Reference used for setting 
specifications and an SSC OFL Working Group progress report.
    A detailed agenda and background documents will be made available 
on the Council's Web site (www.mafmc.org) prior to the meeting.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at 
least 5 days prior to the meeting date.


[[Page 29521]]


    Dated: June 23, 2017.
Jeffrey N. Lonergan,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-13621 Filed 6-28-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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