Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 41565-41566 [2020-14887]

Download as PDF jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 133 / Friday, July 10, 2020 / Notices 41565 process on our website (available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ national/marine-mammal-protection/ incidental-harassment-authorizationrenewals). on taking for subsistence purposes as no relevant subsistence uses of marine mammals are implicated by this action, and; (5) appropriate monitoring and reporting requirements are included. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Preliminary Determinations The proposed action of this Renewal IHA, ONR’s Arctic Research Activities, would be identical to the activities analyzed in the initial IHA. Based on the analysis detailed in the notices of the initial authorization of the likely effects of the specified activity on marine mammals and their habitat, and taking into consideration the implementation of the monitoring and mitigation measures, NMFS found that the total marine mammal take from the activity would have a negligible impact on all affected marine mammal species and stocks. There is an ongoing UME for ice seals, including ringed and bearded seals. Elevated strandings have occurred in the Bering and Chukchi Seas since June 2018. Though elevated numbers of seals have stranded during this UME, this event does not provide cause for concern regarding population-level impacts, as the population abundance estimates for each of the affected species number in the hundreds of thousands. ONR’s Arctic Research Activities Study Area is in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, well north and east of the primary area where seals have stranded along the western coast of Alaska (see map of strandings at: https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ marine-life-distress/2018-2019-ice-sealunusual-mortality-event-alaska). The location of ONR’s Arctic Research Activities, combined with the low-level potential effects on marine mammals, suggest that the proposed activities are not expected to contribute to, or combine with, the ongoing UME in a manner that would lead to impacts on reproduction or survivorship of any individuals. Therefore, NMFS has preliminarily determined that there is no new information suggesting that our analysis or findings should change from those reached for the initial IHA. Based on the information and analysis contained here and in the referenced documents, NMFS has determined the following: (1) The required mitigation measures will effect the least practicable impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat; (2) the authorized takes will have a negligible impact on the affected marine mammal species or stocks; (3) the authorized takes represent small numbers of marine mammals relative to the affected stock abundances; (4) ONR’s activities will not have an unmitigable adverse impact Endangered Species Act Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 250001 Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (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, in this case with the NMFS Alaska Regional Office (AKR), whenever we propose to authorize take for endangered or threatened species. The effects of this proposed federal action were adequately analyzed in NMFS’ Biological Opinion for the ONR Arctic Research Activities 2018–2021, dated August 27, 2019, which concluded that the take NMFS proposes to authorize through this IHA would not jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species or destroy or adversely modify any designated critical habitat. Proposed Renewal IHA and Request for Public Comment As a result of these preliminary determinations, NMFS proposes to issue a Renewal IHA to ONR for conducting Arctic Research Activities in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas from September 2020 through September 2021, provided the previously described mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements are incorporated. A draft of the proposed and final initial IHA can be found at https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/ incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act. We request comment on our analyses, the proposed Renewal IHA, and any other aspect of this notice. Please include with your comments any supporting data or literature citations to help inform our final decision on the request for MMPA authorization. Dated: July 2, 2020. Donna S. Wieting, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–14731 Filed 7–9–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XA274] National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. AGENCY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public. DATES: The online meeting will be held Monday, July 27, 2020, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held online. Specific meeting information, including directions on how to join the meeting and system requirements will be provided in the meeting announcement on the Pacific Council’s website (see www.pcouncil.org). You may send an email to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@ noaa.gov) or contact him at (503) 820– 2280, extension 412 for technical assistance. Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220–1384. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kit Dahl, Staff Officer, Pacific Council; telephone: (503) 820–2422. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During this meeting, the HMSMT will discuss its work plan for reviewing the best scientific information available relevant to essential fish habitat provisions in the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species. The HMSMT also will be briefed on and discuss potential changes to the presentation of data in the online version of the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation document. The HMSMT may also discuss other topics scheduled for future Pacific Council meetings. Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after publication of this document that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\10JYN1.SGM 10JYN1 41566 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 133 / Friday, July 10, 2020 / Notices provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency. Special Accommodations Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@ noaa.gov, (503) 820–2412) at least 10 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 7, 2020. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–14887 Filed 7–9–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XY113] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Cost Recovery Program National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notification of fee percentage. AGENCY: NMFS publishes notification of a 1.31 percent fee for cost recovery under the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program. This action is intended to provide holders of crab allocations with the 2020/2021 crab fishing year fee percentage so they can calculate the required cost recovery fee payment that must be submitted by July 31, 2021. DATES: The Crab Rationalization Program Registered Crab Receiver permit holder is responsible for submitting the fee liability payment to NMFS by July 31, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Duncan, (907) 586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: Background NMFS Alaska Region administers the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Crab Rationalization Program (Program) in the North Pacific. Fishing under the Program began on August 15, 2005. Regulations implementing the Program can be found at 50 CFR part 680. The Program is a limited access privilege program authorized by section 313(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Jul 09, 2020 Jkt 250001 (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Program includes a cost recovery provision to collect fees to recover the actual costs directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of the Program. The Program is consistent with the cost recovery provisions included under section 304(d)(2)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. NMFS developed the cost recovery regulations to conform to statutory requirements and to reimburse the agency for the actual costs directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of the Program. The cost recovery provision allows collection of 133 percent of the actual management, data collection, and enforcement costs up to 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of crab harvested under the Program. The Program provides that a proportional share of fees charged be forwarded to the State of Alaska for reimbursement of its share of management and data collection costs for the Program. A crab allocation holder generally incurs a cost recovery fee liability for every pound of crab landed. Catcher vessel and processor quota shareholders split the cost recovery fees equally with each paying half, while catcher/ processor quota shareholders pay the full fee percentage for crab processed at sea. The crab allocations subject to cost recovery include Individual Fishing Quota, Crew Individual Fishing Quota, Individual Processing Quota, Community Development Quota, and the Adak community allocation. The Registered Crab Receiver (RCR) permit holder must collect the fee liability from the crab allocation holder who is landing crab. Additionally, the RCR permit holder must collect their own fee liability for all crab delivered to the RCR. The RCR permit holder is responsible for submitting this payment to NMFS on or before July 31, in the year following the crab fishing year in which landings of crab were made. The dollar amount of the fee due is determined by multiplying the fee percentage (not to exceed 3 percent) by the ex-vessel value of crab debited from the allocation. Program details may be found in the implementing regulations at 50 CFR 680.44. Fee Percentage Each year, NMFS calculates and publishes in the Federal Register the fee percentage according to the factors and methodology described at § 680.44(c)(2). The formula for determining the fee percentage is the ‘‘direct program costs’’ divided by ‘‘value of the fishery,’’ where ‘‘direct program costs’’ are the direct program costs for the Program for the previous fiscal year, and ‘‘value of the PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 fishery’’ is the ex-vessel value of the catch subject to the crab cost recovery fee liability for the current year. Fee collections for any given year may be less than, or greater than, the actual costs and fishery value for that year, because, by regulation, the fee percentage is established in the first quarter of a crab fishery year based on the fishery’s value and costs in the prior year. According to the fee percentage formula described above, the estimated percentage of costs to value for the 2019/2020 fishery was 1.31 percent. Therefore, the fee percentage will be 1.31 percent for the 2020/2021 crab fishing year. This is a decrease of 0.39 percent from the 2019/2020 crab fishing year fee percentage of 1.70 percent (84 FR 43792, August 22, 2019). Direct program costs for managing the fishery decreased by approximately 13 percent from 2018/2019 to 2019/2020, while fishery value increased 12 percent, resulting in the decreased fee percentage. Similar to previous years, the largest direct program costs were incurred by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1862; Pub. L. 109– 241; Pub. L. 109–479. Dated: July 7, 2020. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–14929 Filed 7–9–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RTID 0648–XQ012 Recommendations for a Comprehensive Interagency Seafood Trade Strategy National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for information. AGENCY: On May 7, 2020, the White House issued an Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. As part of this effort, the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are co-chairing the Interagency Seafood Trade Task Force (Seafood Trade Task Force), which will develop recommendations to provide to USTR for the development of SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\10JYN1.SGM 10JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 133 (Friday, July 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41565-41566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14887]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA274]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) 
Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold an online 
meeting, which is open to the public.

DATES: The online meeting will be held Monday, July 27, 2020, 9:30 
a.m.-12:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held online. Specific meeting 
information, including directions on how to join the meeting and system 
requirements will be provided in the meeting announcement on the 
Pacific Council's website (see www.pcouncil.org). You may send an email 
to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt ([email protected]) or contact him at 
(503) 820-2280, extension 412 for technical assistance.
    Council address: Pacific Fishery Management Council, 7700 NE 
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220-1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kit Dahl, Staff Officer, Pacific 
Council; telephone: (503) 820-2422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During this meeting, the HMSMT will discuss 
its work plan for reviewing the best scientific information available 
relevant to essential fish habitat provisions in the Fishery Management 
Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species. The 
HMSMT also will be briefed on and discuss potential changes to the 
presentation of data in the online version of the Stock Assessment and 
Fishery Evaluation document. The HMSMT may also discuss other topics 
scheduled for future Pacific Council meetings.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda 
may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action 
during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues 
specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after 
publication of this document that require emergency action under 
section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act,

[[Page 41566]]

provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final 
action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt 
([email protected], (503) 820-2412) at least 10 days prior to 
the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: July 7, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-14887 Filed 7-9-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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