Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting, 69170 [2023-22124]

Download as PDF 69170 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 192 / Thursday, October 5, 2023 / Notices available scientific information in assessing impacts to marine mammals and determined that the surveys have the potential to impact marine mammals through behavioral effects and auditory masking. NMFS agrees that noise pollution in marine waters is an issue and is affecting marine mammals, including their ability to communicate when noise reaches certain thresholds. However, NMFS does not expect that the generally short-term, intermittent, and transitory marine site characterization survey activities planned by Orsted will create conditions of acute or chronic acoustic exposure leading to long-term physiological impacts in marine mammals. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Determinations NMFS has concluded that there is no new information suggesting that our analysis or findings should change from those reached for the initial IHA. This includes consideration of the 2022 SAR estimated abundance of the North Atlantic right whale stock. Specifically, NMFS is proposing to authorize 17 takes of North Atlantic right whales by Level B harassment only, and the impacts resulting from the project’s activities are neither reasonably expected nor reasonably likely to adversely affect the stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival. Additionally, approximately 5 percent of the stock abundance is proposed for take by Level B harassment. Based on the information and analysis contained here and in the referenced documents, including the consideration of the final 2022 SARs, NMFS has determined the following: (1) the required mitigation measures will effect the least practicable impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat; (2) the authorized takes will have a negligible impact on the affected marine mammal species or stocks; (3) the authorized takes represent small numbers of marine mammals relative to the affected stock abundances; (4) Orsted’s activities will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on taking for subsistence purposes as no relevant subsistence uses of marine mammals are implicated by this action; and (5) appropriate monitoring and reporting requirements are included. National Environmental Policy Act This action is consistent with categories of activities identified in Categorical Exclusion B4 (incidental take authorizations with no anticipated serious injury or mortality) of the Companion Manual for NOAA Administrative Order 216–6A, which do VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:37 Oct 04, 2023 Jkt 262001 not individually or cumulatively have the potential for significant impacts on the quality of the human environment and for which we have not identified any extraordinary circumstances that would preclude this categorical exclusion. Accordingly, NMFS determined that the issuance of the initial IHA qualified to be categorically excluded from further NEPA review. NMFS has determined that the application of this categorical exclusion remains appropriate for this Renewal IHA. Dated: September 29, 2023. Kimberly Damon-Randall, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. Endangered Species Act Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting 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, in this case with the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO), whenever we propose to authorize take for endangered or threatened species. NMFS Office of Protected Resources has authorized the incidental take of four species of marine mammals which are listed under the ESA (the North Atlantic right, fin, sei, and sperm whale) and has determined that these activities fall within the scope of activities analyzed in GARFO’s programmatic consultation regarding geophysical surveys along the U.S. Atlantic coast in the three Atlantic Renewable Energy Regions (completed June 29, 2021; revised September 2021). The Renewal IHA provides no new information about the effects of the action, nor does it change the extent of effects of the action, or any other basis to require reinitiation of consultation with NMFS GARFO; therefore, the ESA consultation has been satisfied for the initial IHA and remains valid for the Renewal IHA. Renewal IHA As a result of these determinations, NMFS has issued a renewal IHA to Orsted for conducting marine site characterization surveys off New York to Massachusetts (Lease Areas OCS–A 0486, 0487, and 0500), effective from October 6, 2023 through October 5, 2024, provided the previously described mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements are incorporated. PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 [FR Doc. 2023–22120 Filed 10–4–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648–XD449] National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; public meeting. AGENCY: The MAFMC’s Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will meet via webinar to develop recommendations for future Spiny Dogfish specifications. DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, November 6, 2023, from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Connection information will be posted to the MAFMC calendar prior to the meeting at www.mafmc.org. 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 Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will meet to review options for future specifications and management measures, and make any appropriate recommendations. Special Accommodations The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to Shelley Spedden, (302) 526–5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: September 29, 2023. Rey Israel Marquez, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–22124 Filed 10–4–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\05OCN1.SGM 05OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 192 (Thursday, October 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 69170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22124]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD449]


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 MAFMC's Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will meet via 
webinar to develop recommendations for future Spiny Dogfish 
specifications.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, November 6, 2023, from 12:30 
p.m. to 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Connection information 
will be posted to the MAFMC calendar prior to the meeting at 
www.mafmc.org.
    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 Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will 
meet to review options for future specifications and management 
measures, and make any appropriate recommendations.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should 
be directed to Shelley Spedden, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior 
to the meeting date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: September 29, 2023.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-22124 Filed 10-4-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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