Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 55666-55667 [2020-19909]

Download as PDF 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 PO 00000 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
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.