Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 55666-55667 [2020-19909]
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55666
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 175 / Wednesday, September 9, 2020 / Notices
assume that they are small relative to
any reasonable assumption of likely
population abundance for these stocks.
For reference, current abundance
estimates for other Pacific beaked whale
stocks include 3,044 Mesoplodont
beaked whales (California/Oregon/
Washington stock), 3,274 Cuvier’s
beaked whales (CA/OR/WA stock),
2,105 Blainville’s beaked whales
(Hawaii Pelagic stock), 7,619 Longman’s
beaked whales (Hawaii stock), and 723
Cuvier’s beaked whales (HI Pelagic
stock).
For the offshore stock of killer whale,
it would be unreasonable to assume that
all takes would accrue to this stock
(which would result in the take of 47
percent of the population). During
surveys from the Kenai Fjords to
Amchitka Pass in the central Aleutian
Islands, 59 groups totaling 1,038
individual killer whales were seen,
including 39 (66 percent) residents, 14
(24 percent) transients, 2 (3 percent)
offshore, and 4 (7 percent) unknown
(Wade et al., 2003). Based on this
information, we assume it relatively
unlikely that encountered killer whales
will be of the offshore stock, and that
take of offshore killer whales, if any,
would be of small numbers.
Based on the analysis contained
herein of the 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 is some sealing by indigenous
groups in the survey area in the
Aleutian Islands. However, given the
temporary nature of the planned
activities and the fact that all operations
would occur more than 3 nmi from
shore, the activity would not be
expected to have any impact on the
availability of the species or stocks for
subsistence users. L–DEO conducted
outreach to the Aleut Marine Mammal
Commission and to the Alaska Sea Otter
and Steller Sea Lion Commission to
notify subsistence hunters of the
planned survey, to identify the
measures that would be taken to
minimize any effects on the availability
of marine mammals for subsistence
uses, and to provide an opportunity for
comment on these measures. L–DEO
received confirmation from the Aleut
Marine Mammal Commissioners that
there were no concerns regarding the
potential effects of the planned survey
on the potential availability of marine
mammals for subsistence uses. NMFS is
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:06 Sep 08, 2020
Jkt 250001
unaware of any other subsistence uses
of the affected marine mammal stocks or
species that could be implicated by this
action. Therefore, NMFS has
determined that the total taking of
affected species or stocks would not
have an unmitigable adverse impact on
the availability of such species or stocks
for taking for subsistence purposes.
National Environmental Policy Act
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as implemented by
the regulations published by the
Council on Environmental Quality (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), the National
Science Foundation prepared an
Environmental Analysis (EA) to
consider the direct, indirect, and
cumulative effects to the human
environment from this marine
geophysical survey in the Aleutian
Islands. NSF’s EA was made available to
the public for review and comment in
relation to its suitability for adoption by
NMFS in order to assess the impacts to
the human environment of issuance of
an IHA to L–DEO. In compliance with
NEPA and the CEQ regulations, as well
as NOAA Administrative Order 216–6,
NMFS has reviewed the NSF’s EA,
determined it to be sufficient, and
adopted that EA and signed a Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI). NSF’s
EA is available at www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/
envcomp/, and NMFS’ FONSI is
available at www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
action/incidental-take-authorizationlamont-doherty-earth-observatorymarine-geophysical-survey-2.
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
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
whenever we propose to authorize take
for endangered or threatened species.
The NMFS Office of Protected
Resources (OPR) ESA Interagency
Cooperation Division issued a Biological
Opinion under section 7 of the ESA, on
the issuance of an IHA to L–DEO under
section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA by the
NMFS OPR Permits and Conservation
Division. The Biological Opinion
concluded that the proposed action is
not likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of the sei whale, fin whale,
blue whale, sperm whale, humpback
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Frm 00031
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
whale (Western North Pacific DPS and
Mexico DPS), western North Pacific gray
whale, and western DPS of Steller sea
lion.
Authorization
As a result of these determinations,
NMFS has issued an IHA to L–DEO for
conducting a marine geophysical survey
in the Aleutian Islands beginning in
September 2020, provided the
previously mentioned mitigation,
monitoring, and reporting requirements
are incorporated.
Dated: September 2, 2020.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–19815 Filed 9–8–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA426]
Caribbean Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
The Caribbean Fishery
Management Council (CFMC) will hold
its 171st public meeting (virtual) to
address the items contained in the
tentative agenda included in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The CFMC 171st public meeting
(virtual) will be held on September 25,
2020, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The meeting
will be at Eastern Day Time.
ADDRESSES: You may join the CFMC
171st public meeting (virtual) via
GoToMeeting from a computer, tablet or
smartphone by entering the following
address:
SUMMARY:
CFMC September 25, 2020, 9 a.m. to
3 p.m.
Please join the meeting from your
computer, tablet or smartphone. https://
global.gotomeeting.com/join/971749317
You can also dial in using your
phone.
United States: +1 (408) 650–3123.
Access Code: 971–749–317.
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app
now and be ready when the first
meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/
971749317
In case there are problems with
GoToMeeting, and we cannot reconnect
E:\FR\FM\09SEN1.SGM
09SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 175 / Wednesday, September 9, 2020 / Notices
via GoToMeeting, the meeting will
continue via Google Meet.
By Google Meet on Sept. 25, 2020, 9
a.m., follow this link:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r/
eventedit/copy/
NDdzYXU5OWdrMDZsZzJnNmJlMW1
pczVlbzQgbWlndWVsYXIyOUBt/
bWlndWVsYXIyOUBnbWFpbC5jb20
?pli=1&sf=true
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Miguel Rolo´n, Executive Director,
Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
270 Mun˜oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401,
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918–1903,
telephone: (787) 398–3717.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following items included in the
tentative agenda will be discussed:
Tentative Agenda
9 a.m.–12 p.m.—Five-Year Strategic
Plan—Dr. Michelle Duval
12 p.m.–1 p.m.—Lunch Break
1 p.m.–2:30 p.m.—Executive Order on
Promoting American Seafood
Competitiveness and Economic
Growth (May 7, 2020)
2:30 p.m.–2:45 p.m.—Other Business
2:45 p.m.–3 p.m.—5-minutes Public
Comments/Presentations
The CFMC is interested in hearing
feedback on priorities for its Five-Year
Strategic Plan (Sept. 25, 2020, 9 a.m.).
The list of topics the Council is
considering in developing the Strategic
Plan, and on which the Council would
like feedback include: (1) Resource
Health: Invasive species, climate
change, erosion & sedimentation, coastal
development, natural disasters, habitat
loss & destruction, enforcement,
pollution, bycatch & discard mortality,
abundance of baitfish and forage
species, lack of biological or ecosystem
information, overfishing, and illegal
fishing; (2) Social, Cultural, Economic
Concerns: closed seasons and stock
assessment, valuation and assessment of
area closures, increasing costs,
competition with foreign fishermen,
recreational & commercial user
conflicts, displacement of fishing
communities, and ability to support a
family, illegal/unlicensed commercial
fishers, lack of new entrants into
fishery, lack of social & economic data,
excess gear, market instability,
infrastructure needs (landing sites),
inadequate enforcement, excess fishing
capacity; (3) Management & Operational
Issues: accurate/timely commercial and
recreational catch data, enforcement of
existing regulations, fisher involvement
in data collection, regulatory
consistency (federal & territorial), clear
management objectives, bycatch/
regulatory discards, gear limits, cost-
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:06 Sep 08, 2020
Jkt 250001
effective data collection technology,
balancing commercial & recreational
concerns, incorporation of climate
change into management, Federal
permit program, and territorial licensing
requirements; and (4) Communication
and Outreach: frequency of
communication (alerts/reminders of
scoping meetings and council meetings),
variety of tools used in communication
(e.g. email, website, social media, paper,
text message alerts), educational
resources (e.g. science & stock
assessment, business planning,
restaurant choices, etc.), improving
general public awareness of fisheries
issues, regular in-person outreach
workshops on important topics, and
clarity and simplicity of presentations.
The order of business may be adjusted
as necessary to accommodate the
completion of agenda items. Other than
the start time, interested parties should
be aware that discussions may start
earlier or later than indicated, at the
discretion of the Chair.
Special Accommodations
Simultaneous interpretation will be
provided. To receive interpretation in
Spanish you can dial into the meeting
as follows:
US/Canada: call +1–888–947–3988,
when system answers, enter 1*999996#.
Para interpretacio´n en ingle´s marcar:
US/Canada: call +1–888–947–3988,
cuando el sistema conteste, entrar el
siguiente nu´mero 2*999996#.
For any additional information on this
public virtual meeting, please contact
Diana Martino, Caribbean Fishery
Management Council, 270 Mun˜oz
Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan,
Puerto Rico, 00918–1903, telephone:
(787) 226–8849.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 3, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–19909 Filed 9–8–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA402]
Pacific Ocean AquaFarms
Environmental Impact Statement
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
55667
Notice of intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement;
request for comments.
ACTION:
NOAA is publishing this
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the proposed development of a
commercial-scale finfish aquaculture
facility to be located in Federal waters
off the coast of southern California. The
proposed facility would require two
Federal permits: A Section 402 Clean
Water Act (CWA) permit, and a Section
10 Rivers and Harbor Act (RHA) permit,
over which the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE),
respectively, have authority. The EPA
and USACE will act as cooperating
agencies for purposes of this EIS. This
NOI initiates the public scoping process
for the EIS during which time interested
parties are invited to provide comments
on the proposed project, its potential to
effect the human environment, means
for avoiding, minimizing, or mitigating
those effects, the preliminary reasonable
range of alternatives, and any additional
reasonable alternatives that should be
considered.
SUMMARY:
Written comments on the scope
of the analysis to be considered in the
draft EIS must be submitted no later
than October 26, 2020.
Two public meetings (in webinar
format) are scheduled for October 14,
2020 at 3 p.m.–5 p.m. Pacific Daylight
Time and October 16, 2020 at 1 p.m.–
3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2020–0117, by using the Federal
e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA–
NMFS–2020–0117. Click the ‘‘Comment
Now!’’ icon, complete the required
fields, and enter or attach your
comments.
Comments sent by any other method,
to any other address or individual, or
received after the end of the comment
period, may not be considered by
NOAA. All comments received are a
part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing
on www.regulations.gov without change.
All personal identifying information
(e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential
business information, or otherwise
sensitive information submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be
publicly accessible. NOAA will accept
anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in
the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
The webinar link for October 14 and
16, 2020, is https://bit.ly/34sj1UT. You
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\09SEN1.SGM
09SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55666-55667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19909]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA426]
Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) will hold its
171st public meeting (virtual) to address the items contained in the
tentative agenda included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
DATES: The CFMC 171st public meeting (virtual) will be held on
September 25, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The meeting will be at
Eastern Day Time.
ADDRESSES: You may join the CFMC 171st public meeting (virtual) via
GoToMeeting from a computer, tablet or smartphone by entering the
following address:
CFMC September 25, 2020, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/971749317
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (408) 650-3123.
Access Code: 971-749-317.
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when the first
meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/971749317
In case there are problems with GoToMeeting, and we cannot
reconnect
[[Page 55667]]
via GoToMeeting, the meeting will continue via Google Meet.
By Google Meet on Sept. 25, 2020, 9 a.m., follow this link:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r/eventedit/copy/NDdzYXU5OWdrMDZsZzJnNmJlMW1pczVlbzQgbWlndWVsYXIyOUBt/bWlndWVsYXIyOUBnbWFpbC5jb20?pli=1&sf=true
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miguel Rol[oacute]n, Executive
Director, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 270 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera
Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-1903, telephone: (787)
398-3717.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following items included in the
tentative agenda will be discussed:
Tentative Agenda
9 a.m.-12 p.m.--Five-Year Strategic Plan--Dr. Michelle Duval
12 p.m.-1 p.m.--Lunch Break
1 p.m.-2:30 p.m.--Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood
Competitiveness and Economic Growth (May 7, 2020)
2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.--Other Business
2:45 p.m.-3 p.m.--5-minutes Public Comments/Presentations
The CFMC is interested in hearing feedback on priorities for its
Five-Year Strategic Plan (Sept. 25, 2020, 9 a.m.). The list of topics
the Council is considering in developing the Strategic Plan, and on
which the Council would like feedback include: (1) Resource Health:
Invasive species, climate change, erosion & sedimentation, coastal
development, natural disasters, habitat loss & destruction,
enforcement, pollution, bycatch & discard mortality, abundance of
baitfish and forage species, lack of biological or ecosystem
information, overfishing, and illegal fishing; (2) Social, Cultural,
Economic Concerns: closed seasons and stock assessment, valuation and
assessment of area closures, increasing costs, competition with foreign
fishermen, recreational & commercial user conflicts, displacement of
fishing communities, and ability to support a family, illegal/
unlicensed commercial fishers, lack of new entrants into fishery, lack
of social & economic data, excess gear, market instability,
infrastructure needs (landing sites), inadequate enforcement, excess
fishing capacity; (3) Management & Operational Issues: accurate/timely
commercial and recreational catch data, enforcement of existing
regulations, fisher involvement in data collection, regulatory
consistency (federal & territorial), clear management objectives,
bycatch/regulatory discards, gear limits, cost-effective data
collection technology, balancing commercial & recreational concerns,
incorporation of climate change into management, Federal permit
program, and territorial licensing requirements; and (4) Communication
and Outreach: frequency of communication (alerts/reminders of scoping
meetings and council meetings), variety of tools used in communication
(e.g. email, website, social media, paper, text message alerts),
educational resources (e.g. science & stock assessment, business
planning, restaurant choices, etc.), improving general public awareness
of fisheries issues, regular in-person outreach workshops on important
topics, and clarity and simplicity of presentations.
The order of business may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate
the completion of agenda items. Other than the start time, interested
parties should be aware that discussions may start earlier or later
than indicated, at the discretion of the Chair.
Special Accommodations
Simultaneous interpretation will be provided. To receive
interpretation in Spanish you can dial into the meeting as follows:
US/Canada: call +1-888-947-3988, when system answers, enter
1*999996#. Para interpretaci[oacute]n en ingl[eacute]s marcar: US/
Canada: call +1-888-947-3988, cuando el sistema conteste, entrar el
siguiente n[uacute]mero 2*999996#.
For any additional information on this public virtual meeting,
please contact Diana Martino, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 270
Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Avenue, Suite 401, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 00918-
1903, telephone: (787) 226-8849.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 3, 2020.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-19909 Filed 9-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P