Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals, 53960-53961 [2024-14337]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 125 / Friday, June 28, 2024 / Notices
analyses. The product of the Assessment
Process is a stock assessment report
which describes the fisheries, evaluates
the status of the stock, estimates
biological benchmarks, projects future
population conditions, and recommends
research and monitoring needs. The
assessment is independently peer
reviewed at the Review Workshop. The
product of the Review Workshop is a
Summary documenting panel opinions
regarding the strengths and weaknesses
of the stock assessment and input data.
Participants for SEDAR Workshops are
appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South
Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery
Management Councils and NOAA
Fisheries Southeast Regional Office,
Highly Migratory Species Management
Division, and Southeast Fisheries
Science Center. Participants include:
data collectors and database managers;
stock assessment scientists, biologists,
and researchers; constituency
representatives including fishermen,
environmentalists, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs);
international experts; and staff of
Councils, Commissions, and state and
federal agencies.
The items of discussion at the SEDAR
92 Atlantic Blueline Tilefish LS–TWG
Webinar III are as follows:
Discuss available data sources, review
preliminary analysis, and provide
guidance for next steps.
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
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 intent to take final action
to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is accessible to people
with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary
aids should be directed to the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council
office (see ADDRESSES) at least 10
business days prior to the meeting.
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Note: The times and sequence specified in
this agenda are subject to change.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 25, 2024.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–14339 Filed 6–27–24; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE052]
Taking and Importing of Marine
Mammals
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; 2023 affirmative finding
annual renewals for Colombia, Ecuador,
Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain.
AGENCY:
This provides notice that on
June 5, 2023, the NMFS Assistant
Administrator (Assistant Administrator)
completed an affirmative finding annual
renewal for the Governments of
Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico,
Peru and Spain (referred to hereafter as
‘‘The Nations’’) under the portions of
the Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) related to the eastern tropical
Pacific Ocean (ETP) tuna purse seine
fishery and the importation of yellowfin
tuna from nations participating in this
fishery. These affirmative findings
allowed for the importation into the
United States of yellowfin tuna and
yellowfin tuna products harvested in
the ETP from April 1, 2023, through
March 31, 2024, in compliance with the
Agreement on the International Dolphin
Conservation Program (AIDCP), by
purse seine vessels operating under The
Nations’ jurisdiction or exported from
The Nations. NMFS based the
affirmative finding annual renewals on
reviews of documentary evidence
submitted by the Governments of The
Nations and of information obtained
from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna
Commission (IATTC). NMFS typically
publishes notice of affirmative finding
annual renewals shortly after the
Assistant Administrator makes those
findings; however, due to an oversight,
this notice was not published in 2023,
and is therefore being published now to
provide the public with notice of the
findings.
SUMMARY:
These affirmative finding annual
renewals were effective for the 1-year
period of April 1, 2023, through March
31, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Justin Greenman, West Coast Region,
NMFS, by mail: 501 W Ocean Blvd.,
Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802,
email: justin.greenman@noaa.gov, or
phone: (562) 980–3264.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., allows
for importation into the United States of
DATES:
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yellowfin tuna harvested by purse seine
vessels in the ETP from a nation with
jurisdiction over purse seine vessels
with carrying capacity greater than 400
short tons that harvest tuna in the ETP
only if the nation has an ‘‘affirmative
finding’’ issued by the NMFS Assistant
Administrator. See section 101(a)(2)(B)
of the MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)(B);
see also 50 CFR 216.24(f)(6)(i). If
requested by the Government of such a
nation, the Assistant Administrator will
determine whether to make an
affirmative finding based upon
documentary evidence provided by the
Government, the IATTC, or the
Department of State.
The affirmative finding process
requires that the harvesting nation is
meeting its obligations under the AIDCP
and its obligations of membership in the
IATTC. Every 5 years, the Government
of the harvesting nation must request a
new affirmative finding and submit the
required documentary evidence directly
to the Assistant Administrator. On an
annual basis, NMFS must determine
whether the harvesting nation continues
to meet the requirements of their 5-year
affirmative finding. NMFS does this by
annually reviewing the documentary
evidence from the previous year. A
nation may provide information related
to compliance with AIDCP and IATTC
measures directly to NMFS on an
annual basis or may authorize the
IATTC to release the information to
NMFS to annually renew an affirmative
finding determination without an
application from the harvesting nation.
An affirmative finding will be
terminated, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, if the Assistant
Administrator determines that the
requirements of 50 CFR 216.24(f) are no
longer being met or that a nation is
consistently failing to take enforcement
actions on violations, thereby
diminishing the effectiveness of the
AIDCP.
As a part of the affirmative finding
process set forth in 50 CFR 216.24(f)(8),
for this annual renewal, the Assistant
Administrator considered documentary
evidence submitted by the Governments
of The Nations and obtained from the
IATTC and determined that The Nations
met the MMPA’s requirements to
receive affirmative finding annual
renewals.
After consultation with the
Department of State, the Assistant
Administrator issued affirmative finding
annual renewals to The Nations,
allowing the continued importation into
the United States of yellowfin tuna and
products derived from yellowfin tuna
harvested in the ETP by purse seine
vessels operating under The Nations’
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 125 / Friday, June 28, 2024 / Notices
jurisdiction or exported from The
Nations. Issuance of affirmative finding
annual renewals for The Nations does
not affect implementation of an
intermediary nation embargo under 50
CFR 216.24(f)(9), which applies to
exports from a nation that exports to the
United States yellowfin tuna or
yellowfin tuna products that was subject
to a ban on importation into the United
States under section 101(a)(2)(B) of the
MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)(B).
These affirmative finding annual
renewals for The Nations were for the 1year period of April 1, 2023, through
March 31, 2024. The Nations’ individual
5-year affirmative findings, which have
varying start and end dates, remain
valid, subject to subsequent annual
reviews by NMFS. Peru’s 5-year
affirmative findings will remain valid
through March 31, 2027. Ecuador,
Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain’s 5-year
affirmative findings will remain valid
through March 31, 2025. Colombia had
a 5-year affirmative finding that was
valid through March 31, 2024, and was
renewed on May 22, 2024, for the period
of April 1, 2024, through March 31,
2029.
Dated: June 14, 2024.
Janet Coit,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–14337 Filed 6–27–24; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XD932]
Determination of Overfishing or an
Overfished Condition
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This action serves as a notice
that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary), has found that
California Quillback rockfish and the
Queets spring/summer Chinook salmon
stock are now overfished; Gulf of
Mexico Lane snapper is now subject to
overfishing; and Atlantic mackerel and
the Klamath River fall-run Chinook
salmon stock remain overfished. NMFS,
on behalf of the Secretary, is required to
provide this notice whenever it
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determines that a stock or stock
complex is subject to overfishing,
overfished, or approaching an
overfished condition.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diana Perry, (301)-427–7863.
Pursuant
to section 304(e)(2) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2),
NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, must
notify councils, and publish a notice in
the Federal Register, whenever it
determines that a stock or stock
complex is subject to overfishing,
overfished, or approaching an
overfished condition.
NMFS has determined that the
Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon
stock remains overfished and the Queets
spring/summer Chinook salmon stock is
now overfished. These determinations
are based on assessments, completed in
2023, using data from 2020–2022 for the
Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon
stock and data from 2019–2021 for the
Queets spring/summer Chinook salmon
stock. These assessments indicate that
the 3-year geometric mean of the annual
spawning escapement for each stock is
less than each stock’s minimum stock
size threshold (MSST). NMFS continues
to work with the Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Pacific Council)
to rebuild the Klamath River fall-run
Chinook salmon stock and has notified
the Pacific Council of the requirement to
rebuild the Queets spring/summer
Chinook salmon stock.
NMFS has determined that California
Quillback rockfish is now overfished.
This determination is based on the most
recent assessment, completed in 2021
and using data from 2020, which
indicates that the spawning stock
biomass is less than the MSST. NMFS
has notified the Pacific Council of the
requirement to rebuild this stock.
NMFS has determined that Atlantic
mackerel is still overfished. This
determination is based on the most
recent assessment, completed in 2023
and using data from 2022, which
indicates that the spawning stock
biomass is less than the MSST. NMFS
continues to work with the Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council to rebuild
this stock.
NMFS has determined that Gulf of
Mexico Lane snapper is now subject to
overfishing. Gulf of Mexico Lane
snapper was not assessed in 2023, so
landings data from 2022 was compared
to the overfishing limit to support the
status determination of subject to
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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53961
overfishing. NMFS has notified the Gulf
of Mexico Fishery Management Council
of its requirement to end overfishing.
Dated: June 25, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–14307 Filed 6–27–24; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE066]
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to Furie Operating
Alaska, LLC Oil and Gas Activities in
Cook Inlet, Alaska; Correction
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental
harassment authorizations; request for
comments on proposed authorizations
and possible renewals; correction.
AGENCY:
On June 14, 2024, a notice
was published in the Federal Register
announcing the proposed issuance of
two incidental harassment
authorizations (IHAs) for take of marine
mammals incidental to oil and gas
activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska. That
document inadvertently contained
errors in tables 7 and 10. This document
only corrects those errors; all other
information is unchanged.
DATES: June 28, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Leah Davis, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
NMFS published a notice in the
Federal Register on June 14, 2024 (89
FR 51102) announcing the proposed
issuance of two IHAs for take of marine
mammals incidental to oil and gas
activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska. NMFS
refers the reader to the June 14, 2024,
Federal Register notice (89 FR 51102)
for background information concerning
the IHAs.
Corrections
On page 51118, table 7 is corrected to
read as follows:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53960-53961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14337]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XE052]
Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; 2023 affirmative finding annual renewals for Colombia,
Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain.
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SUMMARY: This provides notice that on June 5, 2023, the NMFS Assistant
Administrator (Assistant Administrator) completed an affirmative
finding annual renewal for the Governments of Colombia, Ecuador,
Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Spain (referred to hereafter as ``The
Nations'') under the portions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) related to the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) tuna purse
seine fishery and the importation of yellowfin tuna from nations
participating in this fishery. These affirmative findings allowed for
the importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna and yellowfin
tuna products harvested in the ETP from April 1, 2023, through March
31, 2024, in compliance with the Agreement on the International Dolphin
Conservation Program (AIDCP), by purse seine vessels operating under
The Nations' jurisdiction or exported from The Nations. NMFS based the
affirmative finding annual renewals on reviews of documentary evidence
submitted by the Governments of The Nations and of information obtained
from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). NMFS
typically publishes notice of affirmative finding annual renewals
shortly after the Assistant Administrator makes those findings;
however, due to an oversight, this notice was not published in 2023,
and is therefore being published now to provide the public with notice
of the findings.
DATES: These affirmative finding annual renewals were effective for the
1-year period of April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Justin Greenman, West Coast Region,
NMFS, by mail: 501 W Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802,
email: [email protected], or phone: (562) 980-3264.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., allows for
importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna harvested by purse
seine vessels in the ETP from a nation with jurisdiction over purse
seine vessels with carrying capacity greater than 400 short tons that
harvest tuna in the ETP only if the nation has an ``affirmative
finding'' issued by the NMFS Assistant Administrator. See section
101(a)(2)(B) of the MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)(B); see also 50 CFR
216.24(f)(6)(i). If requested by the Government of such a nation, the
Assistant Administrator will determine whether to make an affirmative
finding based upon documentary evidence provided by the Government, the
IATTC, or the Department of State.
The affirmative finding process requires that the harvesting nation
is meeting its obligations under the AIDCP and its obligations of
membership in the IATTC. Every 5 years, the Government of the
harvesting nation must request a new affirmative finding and submit the
required documentary evidence directly to the Assistant Administrator.
On an annual basis, NMFS must determine whether the harvesting nation
continues to meet the requirements of their 5-year affirmative finding.
NMFS does this by annually reviewing the documentary evidence from the
previous year. A nation may provide information related to compliance
with AIDCP and IATTC measures directly to NMFS on an annual basis or
may authorize the IATTC to release the information to NMFS to annually
renew an affirmative finding determination without an application from
the harvesting nation.
An affirmative finding will be terminated, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, if the Assistant Administrator determines that the
requirements of 50 CFR 216.24(f) are no longer being met or that a
nation is consistently failing to take enforcement actions on
violations, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the AIDCP.
As a part of the affirmative finding process set forth in 50 CFR
216.24(f)(8), for this annual renewal, the Assistant Administrator
considered documentary evidence submitted by the Governments of The
Nations and obtained from the IATTC and determined that The Nations met
the MMPA's requirements to receive affirmative finding annual renewals.
After consultation with the Department of State, the Assistant
Administrator issued affirmative finding annual renewals to The
Nations, allowing the continued importation into the United States of
yellowfin tuna and products derived from yellowfin tuna harvested in
the ETP by purse seine vessels operating under The Nations'
[[Page 53961]]
jurisdiction or exported from The Nations. Issuance of affirmative
finding annual renewals for The Nations does not affect implementation
of an intermediary nation embargo under 50 CFR 216.24(f)(9), which
applies to exports from a nation that exports to the United States
yellowfin tuna or yellowfin tuna products that was subject to a ban on
importation into the United States under section 101(a)(2)(B) of the
MMPA, 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)(B).
These affirmative finding annual renewals for The Nations were for
the 1-year period of April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024. The
Nations' individual 5-year affirmative findings, which have varying
start and end dates, remain valid, subject to subsequent annual reviews
by NMFS. Peru's 5-year affirmative findings will remain valid through
March 31, 2027. Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Spain's 5-year
affirmative findings will remain valid through March 31, 2025. Colombia
had a 5-year affirmative finding that was valid through March 31, 2024,
and was renewed on May 22, 2024, for the period of April 1, 2024,
through March 31, 2029.
Dated: June 14, 2024.
Janet Coit,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-14337 Filed 6-27-24; 8:45 am]
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