Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits, 15820-15821 [2018-07621]

Download as PDF 15820 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 71 / Thursday, April 12, 2018 / Notices 7. This Authorization may be modified, suspended or withdrawn if the holder fails to abide by the conditions prescribed herein, or if NMFS determines the authorized taking is having more than a negligible impact on the species or stock of affected marine mammals. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Request for Public Comments We request comment on our analyses, the proposed authorization, and any other aspect of this Notice of Proposed IHA for the proposed pier implosion and pile driving. We also request comment on the potential for renewal of this proposed IHA as described in the paragraph below. Please include with your comments any supporting data or literature citations to help inform our final decision on the request for MMPA authorization. On a case-by-case basis, NMFS may issue a second one-year IHA without additional notice when (1) another year of identical or nearly identical activities as described in the Specified Activities section is planned or (2) the activities would not be completed by the time the IHA expires and a second IHA would allow for completion of the activities beyond that described in the Dates and Duration section, provided all of the following conditions are met: • A request for renewal is received no later than 60 days prior to expiration of the current IHA; • The request for renewal must include the following: (1) An explanation that the activities to be conducted beyond the initial dates either are identical to the previously analyzed activities or include changes so minor (e.g., reduction in pile size) that the changes do not affect the previous analyses, take estimates, or mitigation and monitoring requirements; and (2) A preliminary monitoring report showing the results of the required monitoring to date and an explanation showing that the monitoring results do not indicate impacts of a scale or nature not previously analyzed or authorized; and • Upon review of the request for renewal, the status of the affected species or stocks, and any other pertinent information, NMFS determines that there are no more than minor changes in the activities, the mitigation and monitoring measures remain the same and appropriate, and the original findings remain valid. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:20 Apr 11, 2018 Jkt 244001 Dated: April 9, 2018. Donna S. Wieting, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–07573 Filed 4–11–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XG149 Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. AGENCY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all of the required information and warrant further consideration. The Exempted Fishing Permit would allow commercial fishing vessels to land Atlantic halibut under the minimum size limit and in excess of the possession limit. This EFP is required to support an Atlantic halibut study by the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology, and The Nature Conservancy to improve future halibut stock assessments. Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits. DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 27, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following methods: • Email: NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line ‘‘Comments on TNC Atlantic halibut EFP.’’ • Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ‘‘TNC Atlantic Halibut EFP.’’ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management Specialist, 978–281–9232, Spencer.Talmage@noaa.gov. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 The Nature Conservancy (TNC) submitted a complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on March 6, 2018, which requests a renewal of an EFP issued last year to collect biological samples of halibut. The project is funded through the Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program, and seeks to address identified information gaps in order to improve future Atlantic halibut stock assessments. Research focuses on characteristics such as stock structure, seasonal movements, behavior, and life history. The renewal application requests the same exemptions from the regulations that were approved for the 2017 fishing year. The exemptions include the Atlantic halibut possession limit, as described in § 648.86(c), and the Atlantic halibut minimum size limit, as described in § 648.83(a)(1). The EFP would authorize 21 commercial fishing vessels to collect biological samples of halibut during regular fishing operations. A maximum of five halibut may be sampled per trip. Participating vessels may land halibut under the minimum size limit and/or above the possession limit provided these fish are transferred to participating researchers for additional data collection. The EFP issued for the 2017 fishing year allowed for a total sampling size of 250 halibut sampled across the entirety of the project. To date, TNC has sampled 132 halibut. The renewed EFP would increase the total sample size to 275. TNC requested this increase in order to fully utilize SaltonstallKennedy Grant Program funding. Sampling would include recording of fish length and weight, as well as removal of gonads, otoliths, and genetic material. The exemption from the minimum size limit would allow researchers to collect data from all sizes of halibut, which is necessary to ensure that results of the project are accurate and reflective of the halibut population. The exemption from the possession limit is necessary to ensure that the researchers are able to obtain sufficient biological samples to conduct their research. No halibut above the possession limit or below the minimum size limit could be landed for sale. Fishing under the EFP would occur during the 2018 fishing year, from May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019. Participating vessels would use multiple gear types, including handline/jig, longline, sink gillnet, and otter trawl. Fishing would occur throughout both the Gulf of Maine and the Georges Bank Regulated Mesh Areas, primarily in statistical areas 514, 521, 522, 525, and 526. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\12APN1.SGM 12APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 71 / Thursday, April 12, 2018 / Notices If approved, the applicants may request minor modifications and extensions to the EFPs 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 impacts 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 9, 2018. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–07621 Filed 4–11–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group; Notice of Advisory Committee Closed Meeting Office of the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice of Advisory Committee closed meeting. AGENCY: The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the U.S. Strategic Command Strategic Advisory Group will take place. DATES: Day 1—Closed to the public Thursday, May 10, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Day 2—Closed to the public Friday, May 11, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: Dougherty Conference Center, Building 432, 906 SAC Boulevard, Offutt AFB, Nebraska 68113. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John L. Trefz, Jr., Designated Federal Officer, (402) 294–4102 (Voice), (402) 294–3128 (Facsimile), john.l.trefz.civ@ mail.mil (Email). Mailing address is 901 SAC Boulevard, Suite 1F7, Offutt AFB, NE 68113–6030. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This meeting is being held under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102–3.140. This meeting is being held under the provisions of the FACA of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix), the Government Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102–3.150. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:20 Apr 11, 2018 Jkt 244001 Purpose of the Meeting: The purpose of the meeting is to provide advice on scientific, technical, intelligence, and policy-related issues to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, during the development of the Nation’s strategic war plans. Agenda: Topics include: Policy Issues, Space Operations, Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Assessment, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Intelligence Operations, Cyber Operations, Global Strike, Command and Control, Science and Technology, Missile Defense. Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, and 41 CFR 102–3.155, the Department of Defense has determined that the meeting shall be closed to the public. Per delegated authority by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John E. Hyten, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, in consultation with his legal advisor, has determined in writing that the public interest requires that all sessions of this meeting be closed to the public because they will be concerned with matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1). Written Statements: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102–3.140(c), the public or interested organizations may submit written statements to the membership of the Strategic Advisory Group at any time or in response to the stated agenda of a planned meeting. Written statements should be submitted to the Strategic Advisory Group’s Designated Federal Officer; the Designated Federal Officer’s contact information can be obtained from the GSA’s FACA Database—https:// www.facadatabase.gov/. Written statements that do not pertain to a scheduled meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group may be submitted at any time. However, if individual comments pertain to a specific topic being discussed at a planned meeting, then these statements must be submitted no later than five business days prior to the meeting in question. The Designated Federal Officer will review all submitted written statements and provide copies to all the committee members. Dated: April 9, 2018. Shelly E. Finke, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. 2018–07590 Filed 4–11–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–06–P PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 15821 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [Docket ID ED–2017–IES–0095] Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of a new system of records. AGENCY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Privacy Act), the Department of Education (the Department) publishes this notice of a new system of records entitled ‘‘Impact Evaluation of Parent Messaging Strategies on Student Attendance (18–13–42).’’ This system contains individually identifying information voluntarily provided by individuals and districts who participate in the impact study. The information contained in the records maintained in this system will be used to conduct a rigorous study of the effectiveness of a low-cost, parentfocused text messaging intervention, meant to reduce elementary school absenteeism and ultimately improve student achievement. DATES: Submit your comments on this new system of records notice on or before May 14, 2018. This new system of records will become applicable upon publication in the Federal Register on April 12, 2018, unless the new system of records notice needs to be changed as a result of public comment. The routine uses listed under ‘‘ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH USES’’ will become applicable on May 14, 2018, unless the new system of records notice needs to be changed as a result of public comment. The Department will publish any significant changes to the system of records or routine uses that result from public comment. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. We will not accept comments submitted by fax or by email or those submitted after the comment period. To ensure that we do not receive duplicate copies, please submit your comments only once. In addition, please include the Docket ID at the top of your comments. • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov to submit your comments electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing agency SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\12APN1.SGM 12APN1

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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15820-15821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07621]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG149


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic 
Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable 
Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary 
determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit application contains all 
of the required information and warrant further consideration. The 
Exempted Fishing Permit would allow commercial fishing vessels to land 
Atlantic halibut under the minimum size limit and in excess of the 
possession limit. This EFP is required to support an Atlantic halibut 
study by the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, School for Marine 
Science and Technology, and The Nature Conservancy to improve future 
halibut stock assessments.
    Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act require publication of this notification to provide 
interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for 
proposed Exempted Fishing Permits.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
``Comments on TNC Atlantic halibut EFP.''
     Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 
01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``TNC Atlantic Halibut EFP.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9232, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Nature Conservancy (TNC) submitted a 
complete application for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on March 6, 
2018, which requests a renewal of an EFP issued last year to collect 
biological samples of halibut. The project is funded through the 
Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program, and seeks to address identified 
information gaps in order to improve future Atlantic halibut stock 
assessments. Research focuses on characteristics such as stock 
structure, seasonal movements, behavior, and life history. The renewal 
application requests the same exemptions from the regulations that were 
approved for the 2017 fishing year. The exemptions include the Atlantic 
halibut possession limit, as described in Sec.  648.86(c), and the 
Atlantic halibut minimum size limit, as described in Sec.  
648.83(a)(1).
    The EFP would authorize 21 commercial fishing vessels to collect 
biological samples of halibut during regular fishing operations. A 
maximum of five halibut may be sampled per trip. Participating vessels 
may land halibut under the minimum size limit and/or above the 
possession limit provided these fish are transferred to participating 
researchers for additional data collection. The EFP issued for the 2017 
fishing year allowed for a total sampling size of 250 halibut sampled 
across the entirety of the project. To date, TNC has sampled 132 
halibut. The renewed EFP would increase the total sample size to 275. 
TNC requested this increase in order to fully utilize Saltonstall-
Kennedy Grant Program funding. Sampling would include recording of fish 
length and weight, as well as removal of gonads, otoliths, and genetic 
material.
    The exemption from the minimum size limit would allow researchers 
to collect data from all sizes of halibut, which is necessary to ensure 
that results of the project are accurate and reflective of the halibut 
population. The exemption from the possession limit is necessary to 
ensure that the researchers are able to obtain sufficient biological 
samples to conduct their research. No halibut above the possession 
limit or below the minimum size limit could be landed for sale.
    Fishing under the EFP would occur during the 2018 fishing year, 
from May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2019. Participating vessels would 
use multiple gear types, including handline/jig, longline, sink 
gillnet, and otter trawl. Fishing would occur throughout both the Gulf 
of Maine and the Georges Bank Regulated Mesh Areas, primarily in 
statistical areas 514, 521, 522, 525, and 526.

[[Page 15821]]

    If approved, the applicants may request minor modifications and 
extensions to the EFPs 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 impacts 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 9, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-07621 Filed 4-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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