Marine Mammal Protection Act; Draft Stock Assessment Reports for the Pacific Walrus Stock and Three Northern Sea Otter Stocks in Alaska, 7992-7993 [2023-02513]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
7992
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 7, 2023 / Notices
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES
Abstract: Use of the Application for
Surplus Federal Real Property Public
Benefit Conveyance and Base
Realignment and Closure (BRAC)
Program for Emergency Management
Use is necessary to implement the
processes and procedures for the
successful, lawful, and expeditious
conveyance of real property from the
Federal Government to public entities
such as state, local, county, city, town,
or other like government bodies, as it
relates to emergency management
response purposes, including fire and
rescue services. Utilization of this
application will ensure that properties
will be fully positioned for use at their
highest and best potential as required by
General Services Administration and
Department of Defense regulations,
public law, Executive Orders, and the
Code of Federal Regulations.
Affected Public: State, local, or Tribal
Government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
15.
Estimated Number of Responses: 15.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 68.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent
Cost: $5,291.
Estimated Respondents’ Operation
and Maintenance Costs: $0.
Estimated Respondents’ Capital and
Start-Up Costs: $0.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to the
Federal Government: $3,321.
Comments
Comments may be submitted as
indicated in the ADDRESSES caption
above. Comments are solicited to (a)
evaluate whether the proposed data
collection is necessary for the proper
performance of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) evaluate the
accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) minimize the burden
of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Millicent Brown Wilson,
Records Management Branch Chief, Office
of the Chief Administrative Officer, Mission
Support, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2023–02572 Filed 2–6–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111–19–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:52 Feb 06, 2023
Jkt 259001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2022–0155;
FF07CAMM00–FXES111607MWA07]
Marine Mammal Protection Act; Draft
Stock Assessment Reports for the
Pacific Walrus Stock and Three
Northern Sea Otter Stocks in Alaska
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act and its
implementing regulations, we, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, have
developed draft revised marine mammal
stock assessment reports (SAR) for the
Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus
divergens) and for each of the three
northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris
kenyoni) stocks in Alaska. We invite
comments on the four SARs from the
public and from Federal, tribal, state,
and local governments.
DATES: We must receive comments by
May 8, 2023. Comments submitted
electronically using the Federal
eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES,
below) must be received by 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time on the closing date.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may view
the draft revised stock assessment
reports at https://www.regulations.gov
under Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2022–
0155, or you may request copies from
the contact under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Submitting Comments: You may
submit comments by one of the
following methods:
• Internet: https://www.regulations.
gov. Search for and submit comments on
FWS–R7–ES–2022–0155.
• U.S. mail: Public Comments
Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS–R7–
ES–2022–0155, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 5275
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia
22041–3803.
We request that you send comments
only by one of the two methods
described above. We will post all
comments at https://www.regulations.
gov. You may request that we withhold
personal identifying information from
public review; however, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, see Public
Comment Procedures under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jenipher Cate, Marine Mammals
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Management, by telephone at 907–205–
8322; by email at jenipher_cate@
fws.gov; or by mail at U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, MS–341, 1011 East
Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503.
Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY,
TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and its
implementing regulations in the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR
part 18, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service), have developed four
draft revised marine mammal stock
assessment reports (SARs) for species in
Alaska. The draft revised SARs are for
the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus
divergens) and for each of the three
stocks of the northern sea otter (Enhydra
lutris kenyoni) in Alaska—the
southwest, southcentral, and southeast
stocks. We invite comments on the four
draft SARs from the public and from
Federal, Tribal, State, and local
governments.
Background
Under the MMPA and its
implementing regulations, we regulate
the taking, possession, transportation,
purchasing, selling, offering for sale,
exporting, and importing of marine
mammals. One of the goals of the
MMPA is to ensure that each stock of
marine mammals occurring in waters
under U.S. jurisdiction does not
experience a level of human-caused
mortality and serious injury that is
likely to cause the stock to be reduced
below its optimum sustainable
population level (OSP). The MMPA
defines the OSP as ‘‘the number of
animals which will result in the
maximum productivity of the
population or the species, keeping in
mind the carrying capacity of the habitat
and the health of the ecosystem of
which they form a constituent element’’
(16 U.S.C. 1362).
To help accomplish the goal of
maintaining marine mammal stocks at
their OSPs, section 117 of the MMPA
requires the Service and the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to
prepare an SAR for each marine
mammal stock that occurs in waters
under U.S. jurisdiction. When preparing
SARs, section 117 of the MMPA also
E:\FR\FM\07FEN1.SGM
07FEN1
7993
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 7, 2023 / Notices
requires the Service to consider the best
scientific information available and
consult with regional scientific review
groups, established under section 117(d)
of the MMPA. Pursuant to section 117(a)
of the MMPA, each SAR must include:
(1) A description of the stock and its
geographic range; (2) a minimum
population estimate, maximum net
productivity rate, and current
population trend; (3) an estimate of the
annual human-caused mortality and
serious injury of the stock by source
and, for a strategic stock, other factors
that may be causing a decline or
impeding recovery of the stock,
including effects on marine mammal
habitat and prey; (4) commercial fishery
interactions; (5) categorization of the
status of the stock; and (6) an estimate
on the potential biological removal
(PBR) level.
The MMPA defines the PBR level as
‘‘the maximum number of animals, not
including natural mortalities, that may
be removed from a marine mammal
stock while allowing that stock to reach
or maintain its optimum sustainable
population.’’ (16 U.S.C. 1362(20)). The
PBR is the product of the minimum
population estimate of the stock (Nmin);
one-half the maximum theoretical or
estimated net productivity rate of the
stock at a small population size (Rmax);
and a recovery factor (Fr) of between 0.1
and 1.0, which is intended to
compensate for uncertainty and
unknown estimation errors. This can be
written as: PBR = (Nmin)(1⁄2 of the
Rmax)(Fr)
Section 117 of the MMPA also
requires the Service and NMFS to
review the SARs (1) at least annually for
stocks that are specified as strategic
stocks; (2) at least annually for stocks for
which significant new information is
available; and (3) at least once every 3
years for all other stocks. If our review
of the status of a stock indicates that it
has changed or may be more accurately
determined, then the SAR must be
revised accordingly.
A strategic stock is defined in the
MMPA as a marine mammal stock ‘‘(A)
for which the level of direct humancaused mortality exceeds the PBR; (B)
which, based on the best available
scientific information, is declining and
is likely to be listed as a threatened
species under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.), within the foreseeable future; or
(C) which is listed as a threatened or
endangered species under the ESA, or is
designated as depleted under [the
MMPA].’’ (16 U.S.C. 1362(19)).
Summary of Draft Revised Stock
Assessment Reports
The SARs for the Pacific walrus
(Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and for
the southwest, southcentral, and
southeast stocks of the northern sea
otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) were last
revised in 2014 (79 FR 22154). In 2021,
the Service preliminarily concluded that
stock assessment revisions are
warranted for each of these stocks
because the status of the stocks can be
more accurately determined at this time.
We based this determination on new
information that has become available,
such as population estimates for all
these stocks, that allows us to better
describe their status. The Service is in
consultation with the Alaska Regional
Scientific Review Group, established
under section 117 of the MMPA, on
these draft revised SARs.
The following table summarizes the
draft revised SARs for the Pacific walrus
and the southwest, southcentral, and
southeast stocks of the northern sea
otter, listing each stock’s Nmin, Rmax, Fr,
PBR, annual estimated human-caused
mortality and serious injury, and status.
SUMMARY OF DRAFT REVISED STOCK ASSESSMENT REPORTS FOR THE PACIFIC WALRUS AND FOR THE SOUTHWEST,
SOUTHCENTRAL, AND SOUTHEAST STOCKS OF THE NORTHERN SEA OTTER
Stock
Nmin
Rmax
Fr
Annual estimated
human-caused mortality
PBR
Fishery/other
Pacific Walrus ..............................................
Northern Sea Otter, Southwest Stock .........
Northern Sea Otter, Southcentral Stock .....
Northern Sea Otter, Southeast Stock .........
214,008
41,666
19,854
25,768
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES
Public Comment Procedures
If you wish to comment on any of the
revised draft SARs, you may submit
your comments by one of the methods
in ADDRESSES. Please identify which
revised draft SAR you are commenting
on, make your comments as specific as
possible, confine comments to issues
pertinent to the draft revised SARs, and
explain the reasons for any changes you
recommend. Where possible, your
comments should reference the specific
section or paragraph of the SAR that you
are addressing. We will consider all
comments that are received by the close
of the comment period (see DATES).
Comments, including names and
addresses of respondents, will become
part of the administrative record. Before
including your address, telephone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, be advised that your entire
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:52 Feb 06, 2023
Jkt 259001
0.06
0.29
0.29
0.29
0.5
0.4
0.75
0.75
3,210
2,417
2,159
2,803
comment, including your personal
identifying information, may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comments to
withhold from public review your
personal identifying information, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Next Steps
After consideration of any public
comments received, we will revise each
of the SARs as appropriate for these
stocks. We plan to publish a notice of
availability and summary of the final
revised SARs, including responses to
comments we received.
<1
<1
<1
<1
Frm 00056
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
4,210
176
389
851
Strategic.
Strategic.
Nonstrategic.
Nonstrategic.
upon request from the Alaska Marine
Mammals Management Office (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Authority
The authority for this action is the
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.).
Martha Williams,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–02513 Filed 2–6–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
References
The complete list of references used
during the drafting of each of the four
draft revised SARs is available at
https://www.regulations.gov under
Docket No. FWS–R7–ES–2022–0155 and
PO 00000
Stock status
Subsistence
E:\FR\FM\07FEN1.SGM
07FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7992-7993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02513]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2022-0155; FF07CAMM00-FXES111607MWA07]
Marine Mammal Protection Act; Draft Stock Assessment Reports for
the Pacific Walrus Stock and Three Northern Sea Otter Stocks in Alaska
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and its
implementing regulations, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have
developed draft revised marine mammal stock assessment reports (SAR)
for the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and for each of
the three northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) stocks in Alaska.
We invite comments on the four SARs from the public and from Federal,
tribal, state, and local governments.
DATES: We must receive comments by May 8, 2023. Comments submitted
electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES,
below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: You may view the draft revised stock
assessment reports at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. FWS-
R7-ES-2022-0155, or you may request copies from the contact under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the
following methods:
Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. Search for and
submit comments on FWS-R7-ES-2022-0155.
U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No.
FWS-R7-ES-2022-0155, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W),
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3803.
We request that you send comments only by one of the two methods
described above. We will post all comments at https://www.regulations.gov. You may request that we withhold personal
identifying information from public review; however, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so. For more information, see
Public Comment Procedures under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenipher Cate, Marine Mammals
Management, by telephone at 907-205-8322; by email at
[email protected]; or by mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
MS-341, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Individuals in
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United
States should use the relay services offered within their country to
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and
its implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
at 50 CFR part 18, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),
have developed four draft revised marine mammal stock assessment
reports (SARs) for species in Alaska. The draft revised SARs are for
the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and for each of the
three stocks of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in
Alaska--the southwest, southcentral, and southeast stocks. We invite
comments on the four draft SARs from the public and from Federal,
Tribal, State, and local governments.
Background
Under the MMPA and its implementing regulations, we regulate the
taking, possession, transportation, purchasing, selling, offering for
sale, exporting, and importing of marine mammals. One of the goals of
the MMPA is to ensure that each stock of marine mammals occurring in
waters under U.S. jurisdiction does not experience a level of human-
caused mortality and serious injury that is likely to cause the stock
to be reduced below its optimum sustainable population level (OSP). The
MMPA defines the OSP as ``the number of animals which will result in
the maximum productivity of the population or the species, keeping in
mind the carrying capacity of the habitat and the health of the
ecosystem of which they form a constituent element'' (16 U.S.C. 1362).
To help accomplish the goal of maintaining marine mammal stocks at
their OSPs, section 117 of the MMPA requires the Service and the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to prepare an SAR for each
marine mammal stock that occurs in waters under U.S. jurisdiction. When
preparing SARs, section 117 of the MMPA also
[[Page 7993]]
requires the Service to consider the best scientific information
available and consult with regional scientific review groups,
established under section 117(d) of the MMPA. Pursuant to section
117(a) of the MMPA, each SAR must include: (1) A description of the
stock and its geographic range; (2) a minimum population estimate,
maximum net productivity rate, and current population trend; (3) an
estimate of the annual human-caused mortality and serious injury of the
stock by source and, for a strategic stock, other factors that may be
causing a decline or impeding recovery of the stock, including effects
on marine mammal habitat and prey; (4) commercial fishery interactions;
(5) categorization of the status of the stock; and (6) an estimate on
the potential biological removal (PBR) level.
The MMPA defines the PBR level as ``the maximum number of animals,
not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine
mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum
sustainable population.'' (16 U.S.C. 1362(20)). The PBR is the product
of the minimum population estimate of the stock (Nmin); one-
half the maximum theoretical or estimated net productivity rate of the
stock at a small population size (Rmax); and a recovery
factor (Fr) of between 0.1 and 1.0, which is intended to
compensate for uncertainty and unknown estimation errors. This can be
written as: PBR = (Nmin)(\1/2\ of the Rmax)(Fr)
Section 117 of the MMPA also requires the Service and NMFS to
review the SARs (1) at least annually for stocks that are specified as
strategic stocks; (2) at least annually for stocks for which
significant new information is available; and (3) at least once every 3
years for all other stocks. If our review of the status of a stock
indicates that it has changed or may be more accurately determined,
then the SAR must be revised accordingly.
A strategic stock is defined in the MMPA as a marine mammal stock
``(A) for which the level of direct human-caused mortality exceeds the
PBR; (B) which, based on the best available scientific information, is
declining and is likely to be listed as a threatened species under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.),
within the foreseeable future; or (C) which is listed as a threatened
or endangered species under the ESA, or is designated as depleted under
[the MMPA].'' (16 U.S.C. 1362(19)).
Summary of Draft Revised Stock Assessment Reports
The SARs for the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and
for the southwest, southcentral, and southeast stocks of the northern
sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) were last revised in 2014 (79 FR
22154). In 2021, the Service preliminarily concluded that stock
assessment revisions are warranted for each of these stocks because the
status of the stocks can be more accurately determined at this time. We
based this determination on new information that has become available,
such as population estimates for all these stocks, that allows us to
better describe their status. The Service is in consultation with the
Alaska Regional Scientific Review Group, established under section 117
of the MMPA, on these draft revised SARs.
The following table summarizes the draft revised SARs for the
Pacific walrus and the southwest, southcentral, and southeast stocks of
the northern sea otter, listing each stock's Nmin,
Rmax, Fr, PBR, annual estimated human-caused
mortality and serious injury, and status.
Summary of Draft Revised Stock Assessment Reports for the Pacific Walrus and for the Southwest, Southcentral, and Southeast Stocks of the Northern Sea
Otter
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual estimated human-caused
mortality
Stock Nmin Rmax Fr PBR -------------------------------- Stock status
Fishery/other Subsistence
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific Walrus................... 214,008 0.06 0.5 3,210 <1 4,210 Strategic.
Northern Sea Otter, Southwest 41,666 0.29 0.4 2,417 <1 176 Strategic.
Stock.
Northern Sea Otter, Southcentral 19,854 0.29 0.75 2,159 <1 389 Nonstrategic.
Stock.
Northern Sea Otter, Southeast 25,768 0.29 0.75 2,803 <1 851 Nonstrategic.
Stock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Comment Procedures
If you wish to comment on any of the revised draft SARs, you may
submit your comments by one of the methods in ADDRESSES. Please
identify which revised draft SAR you are commenting on, make your
comments as specific as possible, confine comments to issues pertinent
to the draft revised SARs, and explain the reasons for any changes you
recommend. Where possible, your comments should reference the specific
section or paragraph of the SAR that you are addressing. We will
consider all comments that are received by the close of the comment
period (see DATES).
Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will become
part of the administrative record. Before including your address,
telephone number, email address, or other personal identifying
information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment,
including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comments to
withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Next Steps
After consideration of any public comments received, we will revise
each of the SARs as appropriate for these stocks. We plan to publish a
notice of availability and summary of the final revised SARs, including
responses to comments we received.
References
The complete list of references used during the drafting of each of
the four draft revised SARs is available at https://www.regulations.gov
under Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2022-0155 and upon request from the Alaska
Marine Mammals Management Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Marine Mammal Protection Act
of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.).
Martha Williams,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-02513 Filed 2-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
