Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting, 25381-25382 [2023-08820]

Download as PDF ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 26, 2023 / Notices publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Dunlap, West Coast Region, NMFS, (206) 316–7944, matthew.dunlap@ noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan and the regulations implementing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act at 50 CFR 600.745, which state that exempted fishing permits (EFP) may be used to authorize fishing activities that would otherwise be prohibited. On June 28, 2019 (84 FR 31146), at the recommendation of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), NMFS published a final rule that authorized the use of EM in place of human observers to meet requirements for 100percent at-sea monitoring for catcher vessels in the groundfish trawl catch share fishery (Trawl Rationalization Program). EM video systems are used to record catch and discards by the vessel crew while at sea. Vessel operators are responsible for recording catch and discards in a logbook, which is then used to debit individual fishing quota (IFQ) accounts and cooperative allocations. The Council recommended, and NMFS implemented, a delay to the start of the regulatory program (86 FR 5525, October 6, 2021) until January 2024. FlyWire, the EFP applicant, seeks to test the third party EM service provider model during the delay, as described in the EM program manual and associated guidelines and under 50 CFR 660.603 and 660.604. The West Coast EM regulatory program established requirements for vessel owners and operators, standards for EM systems, and protocols for handling catch while using EM systems in the Catch Share Program. The EM program also established requirements for third party EM Service Providers, which are companies tasked with providing EM services to the fleet. EM service providers are responsible for the installation and technical support of EM systems, and the collection and review of EM video data. EM vessels submit logbooks to report catch and discard information to NOAA Fisheries, and video data is used to audit logbooks to ensure information is accurately reported. If approved, the applicant would test alternative catch handling VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:28 Apr 25, 2023 Jkt 259001 approaches for bottom trawl designed to reduce the time and labor burden for vessel crew, in addition to testing the third party model in the maximized retention Pacific whiting fleet. The applicant anticipates providing EM services to approximately five vessels that would participate in the EFP. While the applicant seeks an exemption from the requirement for vessels to carry an at-sea observer, all catch and effort would be covered by existing Individual Fishing Quota, Coop allocations, and associated National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act analyses. Observers will be required for initial ‘‘shakedown’’ cruises, but an observer exemption will be granted for this EFP if the equipment and vessel monitoring plans are consistent with the existing EM EFP guidelines. If approved, NMFS would issue the permits for the EFP project to the applicant and vessel owners or designated representatives as the ‘‘EFP holder.’’ NMFS intends to use an adaptive management approach in which NMFS may revise requirements and protocols to improve the program without issuing another Federal Register notice, provided that the modifications fall within the scope of the original EFP. NMFS would also accept additional applications to participate in the same, or similar, exempted fishing activity. The Regional Administrator has made a preliminary determination that the applications described above contain all of the required information and constitute an activity appropriate for further consideration. After publication of this document in the Federal Register, and review and consideration of any public comments received, NMFS may approve and issue permits for the EFP project. NMFS may approve the application in its entirety or may make any alterations needed to achieve the goals of the EFP. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 50 CFR 600.745. This action is authorized by the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan and the regulations implementing the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act at 50 CFR 600.745, which state that exempted fishing permits (EFP) may be used to authorize fishing activities that would otherwise be prohibited. Dated: April 20, 2023. Kelly Denit, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–08731 Filed 4–25–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 25381 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XC932] Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public meeting. AGENCY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (MAFMC’s) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee will hold a public meeting jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Technical Committee. DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. For agenda details, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Connection information will be posted to the calendar at www.mafmc.org prior to the meeting. Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N. State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674–2331; www.mafmc.org. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302) 526–5255. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MAFMC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee and ASMFC Technical Committee will meet jointly to discuss several issues in preparation for additional meetings later in 2023 regarding 2024 recreational management measures for black sea bass and 2024–25 recreational measures for scup and summer flounder. During this meeting, the groups will discuss the configuration of the Recreational Demand Model and any potential modifications that may be needed. They will also review the process and timeline for setting recreational measures used for 2023 and consider potential improvements to the process for setting measures for the upcoming fishing year(s). Special Accommodations The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to E:\FR\FM\26APN1.SGM 26APN1 25382 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 26, 2023 / Notices Shelley Spedden, (302) 526–5251 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: April 21, 2023. Rey Israel Marquez, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–08820 Filed 4–25–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Special Accommodations The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 5 days prior to the meeting. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XC902] Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are subject to change. 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) will hold a meeting via webinar of its Snapper Grouper Recreational Permitting and Reporting Technical Advisory Panel (AP) to discuss reporting and permitting alternatives for the private recreational snapper grouper fishery. DATES: The AP meeting will be held from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Monday, May 15, 2023. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Webinar registration is required. Details are included in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, SAFMC; phone: (843) 302–8440 or toll free: (866) SAFMC–10; fax: (843) 769– 4520; email: kim.iverson@safmc.net. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting information, including the webinar registration link, online public comment form, agenda, and briefing book materials will be posted on the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/ advisory-council-meetings/. Comments become part of the Administrative Record of the meeting and will automatically be posted to the website and available for Council consideration. At this meeting the AP will review guidance from the March 2023 Council meeting, further address a series of permit and education topics posed by the Council and provide feedback on potential benefits of a permit. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:28 Apr 25, 2023 Jkt 259001 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 Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: April 21, 2023. Rey Israel Marquez, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–08819 Filed 4–25–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XC956] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Cook Inlet Salmon; Public Hearing National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public hearing. AGENCY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will hold a public hearing via webinar regarding an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Off Alaska (Salmon FMP). This FMP amendment would establish Federal management for the salmon fisheries in the Federal (EEZ) waters of upper Cook Inlet. DATES: The public hearing will take place via webinar on Thursday, May 18, 2023, starting at 5 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) and will conclude no later than 8 p.m. AKDT. NMFS may close the hearing 15 minutes after the conclusion of public testimony and after responding to any clarifying questions from hearing participants. Written public comments must be received by 5 p.m. AKDT Thursday, May 25, 2023. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held virtually rather than at a physical SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 location. The link to the virtual public meeting is: https://meet.google.com/bgctjpu-qgt. A phone connection is also available by calling 1 731–393–1334 and entering the following pin number: 300 304 724#. You may submit written comments regarding salmon fisheries in the upper Cook Inlet EEZ identified by Docket ID NOAA–NMFS–2023–0065 by either of the following methods: • Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https:// www.regulations.gov, search for the Docket ID indicated above, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ or ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Alaska Region NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99082–1668. Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Duncan, doug.duncan@noaa.gov, 907–586–7425, or Amy Hadfield, amy.hadfield@noaa.gov, 907–586–7376. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS will hold a public hearing on May 18, 2023, to receive input from interested persons on the development of an amendment to the Salmon FMP and implementing regulations. Written and oral comments received at the public hearing will be taken into consideration by NMFS when preparing the amendment and implementing regulations. As a result of a 2016 Ninth Circuit ruling and the 2022 summary judgment opinion of the Alaska District Court in UCIDA, et al. v. NMFS, NMFS must implement an amendment to the Salmon FMP by May 1, 2024 to federally manage the salmon fisheries that occur in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters of upper Cook Inlet, consistent with Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) requirements. E:\FR\FM\26APN1.SGM 26APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25381-25382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08820]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC932]


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice; public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC's) Summer 
Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Monitoring Committee will hold a 
public meeting jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Technical 
Committee.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 1 p.m. 
to 4 p.m. EDT. For agenda details, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Connection information 
will be posted to the calendar at www.mafmc.org prior to the meeting.
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N. 
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674-2331; 
www.mafmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302) 
526-5255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MAFMC Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black 
Sea Bass Monitoring Committee and ASMFC Technical Committee will meet 
jointly to discuss several issues in preparation for additional 
meetings later in 2023 regarding 2024 recreational management measures 
for black sea bass and 2024-25 recreational measures for scup and 
summer flounder. During this meeting, the groups will discuss the 
configuration of the Recreational Demand Model and any potential 
modifications that may be needed. They will also review the process and 
timeline for setting recreational measures used for 2023 and consider 
potential improvements to the process for setting measures for the 
upcoming fishing year(s).

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to

[[Page 25382]]

Shelley Spedden, (302) 526-5251 at least 5 days prior to the meeting 
date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: April 21, 2023.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-08820 Filed 4-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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