Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 47189-47190 [2020-16914]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 150 / Tuesday, August 4, 2020 / Notices
information and warrants further
consideration. This exempted fishing
permit would allow two commercial
fishing vessels participating in an
electronic monitoring program to fish in
the Southern New England Regulated
Mesh Area with a 6-inch (15.24 cm)
diamond mesh codend. 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 August 19, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written
comments by the following method:
• Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov.
Include in the subject line ‘‘6–INCH
MESH CODEND EM EFP.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978–281–9232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 5,
2020, the Cape Cod Commercial
Fishermen’s Alliance (Alliance)
submitted an application for a renewal
of an exempted fishing permit (EFP)
which would exempt two trawl vessels
from the codend minimum mesh size
restriction in the Southern New England
(SNE) Regulated Mesh Area (RMA), as
found in 50 CFR 648.80(b)(2)(i), to
conduct an exploratory fishing project.
Fishermen have reported a seasonally
appearing abundance of haddock in the
SNE RMA, and a 6-inch (15.24-cm)
diamond mesh codend is intended to
increase harvest of haddock while
reducing discards of flounder species,
relative to the current codend minimum
mesh size of 6.5 inches (16.51 cm).
We issued the fishing year 2019 EFP
in December 2019, and the EFP ended
on April 30, 2020. The study period
under the 2019 EFP did not provide
sufficient time for participating vessels
to fish for haddock with the 6-inch
(15.24-cm) diamond mesh codend.
Vessels completed only one tow on a
single trip with the gear and
encountered no haddock. The Alliance
submitted a renewal application so that
exploratory fishing could be completed,
and requests an expanded study period
from September 1, 2020, through April
30, 2021. This would provide an
opportunity for participating vessels to
locate and fish for seasonally available
haddock when present. This EFP would
be identical to the EFP issued for the
2019 fishing year.
Participating vessels would conduct
commercial fishing with the 6-inch
(15.24-cm) diamond mesh codend in
SNE, specifically statistical areas 537,
539, 611, and 613. The application
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estimates that each of the two vessels
participating with the exemption from
minimum codend mesh size would take
35 day-trips during the project. Of the
35 trips that each vessel plans to take
during that time period, the number of
trips taken with a 6-inch (15.24-cm)
mesh codend under the proposed EFP
would vary, based on the presence of
haddock. On EFP trips, four to five
hauls would be made per day, with each
tow length averaging 2 to 3 hours. While
on these trips, vessels may switch back
to a standard 6.5-inch (16.51-cm) mesh
cod-end to retain operational flexibility.
The applicant states that a switch
from a 6.5-inch (16.51-cm) square mesh
codend to the 6-inch (15.24-cm)
diamond mesh codend would improve
catch of haddock, a healthy stock, while
reducing catch of several flounder
species. Based on a codend mesh
selectivity study which compared
retention length and size selection range
for 6.5- and 6-inch (16.51- and 15.24cm) square and diamond mesh, the
applicant additionally states that 6-inch
(15.24-cm) diamond mesh is unlikely to
retain undersized haddock (He, 2007).
The participating vessels must also
participate in the audit-model electronic
monitoring (EM) program, and
participating vessels are required to use
EM on 100 perfect of trips. Vessels must
adhere to a vessel-specific monitoring
plan detailing at-sea catch handling
protocols. Vessels also submit haul-level
electronic vessel trip reports (eVTR)
with count and weight estimates for all
groundfish discards. The Alliance
would compare the discard data
collected from trips taken by vessels
fishing with a 6-inch (15.24-cm)
diamond mesh codend to trips with the
standard 6.5-inch (16.51-cm) mesh
codend. The Alliance states that this
comparison would also demonstrate the
usefulness of EM systems as tools for
research.
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 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.
References
He, P. (2007). Selectivity of large mesh trawl
codends in the Gulf of Maine: I.
Comparison of square and diamond
mesh. Fisheries Research, 83(1), 44–59.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
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47189
Dated: July 29, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–16867 Filed 8–3–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA284]
Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
AGENCY:
The South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council/SAFMC)
will hold a meeting of its Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC) via webinar.
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The SSC meeting will take place
from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday,
August 19, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting address: The meeting will be
held via webinar.
Council address: South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 4055
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N
Charleston, SC 29405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim
Iverson, Public Information Officer,
4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North
Charleston, SC 29405; phone: (843) 571–
4366 or toll free: (866) SAFMC–10; fax:
(843) 769–4520; email: kim.iverson@
safmc.net.
SUMMARY:
The
meeting is open to the public via
webinar as it occurs. Webinar
registration is required. Information
regarding webinar registration will be
posted to the Council’s website at:
https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/
scientific-and-statistical-committeemeetings/ as it becomes available. The
meeting agenda, briefing book materials,
and online comment form will be
posted to the Council’s website two
weeks prior to the meeting. Written
comment on SSC agenda topics is to be
distributed to the Committee through
the Council office, similar to all other
briefing materials. Written comment to
be considered by the SSC shall be
provided to the Council office no later
than one week prior to an SSC meeting.
For this meeting, the deadline for
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\04AUN1.SGM
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47190
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 150 / Tuesday, August 4, 2020 / Notices
submission of written comment is 12
p.m., Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
The following agenda items will be
addressed by the SSC during the
meeting:
1. Review and approve Statements of
Work for the 2023 Snowy Grouper and
Tilefish stock assessments;
2. An update on the operational
assessment and research track
development;
3. Replace an open SSC representative
seat on the Citizen Science Operations
Committee;
4. Discussion of other business as
needed.
The SSC will provide guidance to
staff and recommendations for Council
consideration as appropriate.
Multiple opportunities for comment
on agenda items will be provided during
SSC meetings. Open comment periods
will be provided at the start of the
meeting and near the conclusion. Those
interested in providing comment should
indicate such in the manner requested
by the Chair, who will then recognize
individuals to provide comment.
Additional opportunities for comment
on specific agenda items will be
provided, as each item is discussed,
between initial presentations and SSC
discussion. Those interested in
providing comment should indicate
such in the manner requested by the
Chair, who will then recognize
individuals to provide comment. All
comments are part of the record of the
meeting.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in the meeting agenda may
come before this group for discussion,
those issues may not be the subject of
formal action during this meeting.
Action will be restricted to those issues
specifically identified in this notice and
any issues arising after publication of
this notice that require emergency
action under section 305(c) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
provided the public has been notified of
the intent to take final action to address
the emergency
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Special Accommodations
This meeting is accessible to people
with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary
aids should be directed to the SAFMC
office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5
business days prior to the meeting.
Note: The times and sequence specified in
this agenda are subject to change.
(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:14 Aug 03, 2020
Jkt 250001
Dated: July 30, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–16914 Filed 8–3–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XV184]
Notice of Availability of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee
Implementation Group Final
Restoration Plan/Environmental
Assessment #5: Living Coastal and
Marine Resources—Marine Mammals
and Oysters
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
The Deepwater Horizon
Federal natural resource trustee
agencies for the Louisiana Trustee
Implementation Group (Louisiana TIG)
have prepared a Final Restoration Plan/
Environmental Assessment (RP/EA #5):
Living Coastal and Marine Resources—
Marine Mammals and Oysters. The
Final RP/EA #5 describes, and, in
conjunction with the associated Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI),
selects the preferred restoration projects
considered by the Louisiana TIG to
restore natural resources and ecological
services injured or lost as a result of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The
Federal Trustees of the Louisiana TIG
have determined that the
implementation of the Final RP/EA #5
is not a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the
human environment within the context
of the NEPA. They have concluded a
FONSI is appropriate, and, therefore, an
Environmental Impact Statement will
not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: You
may download the Final RP/EA #5 at:
https://
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
restoration-areas/louisiana.
Alternatively, you may request a CD of
the Final RP/EA #5 (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT below). Also, you
may view the document at any of the
public facilities listed in Appendix A of
the Final RP/EA #5.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration—Mel Landry, NOAA
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00031
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Restoration Center, 225–425–0583,
mel.landry@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
On April 20, 2010, the mobile
offshore drilling unit Deepwater
Horizon, which was being used to drill
a well for BP Exploration and
Production, Inc. (BP), in the Macondo
prospect (Mississippi Canyon 252–
MC252), experienced a significant
explosion, fire, and subsequent sinking
in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an
unprecedented volume of oil and other
discharges from the rig and from the
wellhead on the seabed. The Deepwater
Horizon oil spill is the largest off shore
oil spill in U.S. history, discharging
millions of barrels of oil over a period
of 87 days. In addition, well over one
million gallons of dispersants were
applied to the waters of the spill area in
an attempt to disperse the spilled oil.
An undetermined amount of natural gas
was also released into the environment
as a result of the spill.
The Deepwater Horizon Federal and
State natural resource trustees (Trustees)
conducted the natural resource damage
assessment (NRDA) for the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill under OPA (OPA; 33
U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). Pursuant to OPA,
Federal and State agencies act as
trustees on behalf of the public to assess
natural resource injuries and losses and
to determine the actions required to
compensate the public for those injuries
and losses. OPA further instructs the
designated trustees to develop and
implement a plan for the restoration,
rehabilitation, replacement, or
acquisition of the equivalent of the
injured natural resources under their
trusteeship, including the loss of use
and services from those resources from
the time of injury until the time of
restoration to baseline (the resource
quality and conditions that would exist
if the spill had not occurred) is
complete.
The Deepwater Horizon Trustees are:
• U.S. Department of the Interior
(DOI), as represented by the National
Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and Bureau of Land
Management;
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), on behalf of
the U.S. Department of Commerce;
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA);
• U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA);
• State of Louisiana Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority
(CPRA), Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office
(LOSCO), Department of Environmental
Quality (LDEQ), Department of Wildlife
E:\FR\FM\04AUN1.SGM
04AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 150 (Tuesday, August 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47189-47190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16914]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA284]
Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council/SAFMC)
will hold a meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC)
via webinar. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The SSC meeting will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on
Wednesday, August 19, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
Meeting address: The meeting will be held via webinar.
Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N Charleston, SC 29405.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information
Officer, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405;
phone: (843) 571-4366 or toll free: (866) SAFMC-10; fax: (843) 769-
4520; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting is open to the public via
webinar as it occurs. Webinar registration is required. Information
regarding webinar registration will be posted to the Council's website
at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/scientific-and-statistical-committee-meetings/ as it becomes available. The meeting agenda,
briefing book materials, and online comment form will be posted to the
Council's website two weeks prior to the meeting. Written comment on
SSC agenda topics is to be distributed to the Committee through the
Council office, similar to all other briefing materials. Written
comment to be considered by the SSC shall be provided to the Council
office no later than one week prior to an SSC meeting. For this
meeting, the deadline for
[[Page 47190]]
submission of written comment is 12 p.m., Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
The following agenda items will be addressed by the SSC during the
meeting:
1. Review and approve Statements of Work for the 2023 Snowy Grouper
and Tilefish stock assessments;
2. An update on the operational assessment and research track
development;
3. Replace an open SSC representative seat on the Citizen Science
Operations Committee;
4. Discussion of other business as needed.
The SSC will provide guidance to staff and recommendations for
Council consideration as appropriate.
Multiple opportunities for comment on agenda items will be provided
during SSC meetings. Open comment periods will be provided at the start
of the meeting and near the conclusion. Those interested in providing
comment should indicate such in the manner requested by the Chair, who
will then recognize individuals to provide comment. Additional
opportunities for comment on specific agenda items will be provided, as
each item is discussed, between initial presentations and SSC
discussion. Those interested in providing comment should indicate such
in the manner requested by the Chair, who will then recognize
individuals to provide comment. All comments are part of the record of
the meeting.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda
may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the
subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted
to those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to
take final action to address the emergency
Special Accommodations
This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests
for auxiliary aids should be directed to the SAFMC office (see
ADDRESSES) at least 5 business days prior to the meeting.
Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are
subject to change.
(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)
Dated: July 30, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-16914 Filed 8-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
