National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 20, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate Advisory Panel to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

This notice responds to Section 209 of the Sea Grant Program Improvement Act of 1976 (Pub. L. 94-461, 33 U.S.C. 1128), which requires the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to solicit nominations at least once a year for membership on the National Sea Grant Advisory Board (Board), a Federal Advisory Committee that provides advice on the implementation of the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP). To apply for membership to the Board, applicants should submit a current resume to Mrs. Jennifer Hinden using the methods under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. A cover letter highlighting specific areas of expertise relevant to the purpose of the Board is helpful, but not required. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an equal opportunity employer. This notice also sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Board. Board members will discuss and provide advice on the NSGCP in the areas of program evaluation, strategic planning, education and extension, science and technology programs, and other matters as described in the agenda found on the National Sea Grant College Program Web site at https:// seagrant.noaa.gov/WhoWeAre/Leadership/NationalSeaGrantAdvisor yBoard/ UpcomingAdvisoryBoardMeetings.aspx.

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) was established by a Decision Memorandum dated September 25, 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies for research, education, and application of science to operations and information services. SAB activities and advice provide necessary input to ensure that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) science programs are of the highest quality and provide optimal support to resource management. Time and Date: The meeting will be held Thursday November 17, 2016 from 9:45 a.m. EST to 5:45 p.m. EST and on Friday November 18, 2016 from 8:30 a.m. EST to 1:45 p.m. EST. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Please refer to the Web page www.sab.noaa.gov/SABMeetings.aspx for the most up-to-date meeting times and agenda. Place: The meeting will be held at The Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation with a 15- minute public comment period on November 17 from 5:30-5:45 p.m. EST (check Web site to confirm time). The SAB expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted verbal or written statements. In general, each individual or group making a verbal presentation will be limited to a total time of two (2) minutes. Individuals or groups planning to make a verbal presentation should contact the SAB Executive Director by November 10, 2016 to schedule their presentation. Written comments should be received in the SAB Executive Director's Office by November 10, 2016, to provide sufficient time for SAB review. Written comments received by the SAB Executive Director after November 10, 2016, will be distributed to the SAB, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Seating at the meeting will be available on a first-come, first- served basis. Special Accommodations: These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for special accommodations may be directed no later than 12:00 p.m. on November 10, 2016, to Dr. Cynthia Decker, SAB Executive Director, SSMC3, Room 11230, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Email: Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov. Matters To Be Considered: The meeting will include the following topics: (1) Report from the Review of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES); (2) Updates from the NOAA Administrator and Chief Scientist; (3) Discussion on the Ecosystem Services Valuation Report; (4) Discussion on the GOES-R Level 0 Data report; (5) Discussion on RESTORE Act Metrics and Communication report; (6) SAB Strategy Discussion and Implications for NOAA; and (7) Discussion of the SAB Working Group Concept of Operations.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) for the take of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in the Atlantic coast region.