80 FR 8629 - Nominations to the Marine Mammal Scientific Review Groups

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 32 (February 18, 2015)

As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Secretary of Commerce established three independent regional Scientific Review Groups (SRGs) to provide advice on a range of marine mammal science and management issues. NMFS has conducted a membership review of the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific SRGs and is soliciting nominations for new Members to fill vacancies on the Atlantic and Pacific SRGs. Nominees should possess demonstrable expertise in the areas specified below, be able to conduct thorough scientific reviews of marine mammal science, and be able to fulfill the necessary time commitments associated with a thorough review of documents and attendance at one annual meeting.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8629-8631]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03196]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD757


Nominations to the Marine Mammal Scientific Review Groups

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

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the 
Secretary of Commerce established three independent regional Scientific 
Review Groups (SRGs) to provide advice on a range of marine mammal 
science and management issues. NMFS has conducted a membership review 
of the Alaska, Atlantic, and Pacific SRGs and is soliciting nominations 
for new Members to fill vacancies on the Atlantic and Pacific SRGs. 
Nominees should possess demonstrable expertise in the areas specified 
below, be able to conduct thorough scientific reviews of marine mammal 
science, and be able to fulfill the necessary time commitments 
associated with a thorough review of documents and attendance at one 
annual meeting.

DATES: Nominations must be received by March 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent to: Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea 
Turtle Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910-3226, Attn: SRGs.

[[Page 8630]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Bettridge, Office of Protected 
Resources, 301-427-8402, [email protected]; or Seth Sykora-
Bodie, Office of Protected Resources, 301-427-8409, [email protected]. Information about the SRGs is available via the 
Internet at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/sars/group.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 117(d) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA) (16 U.S.C. 1386(d)) directs the Secretary of 
Commerce to establish three independent regional Scientific Review 
Groups (SRGs) to advise the Secretary (authority delegated to the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)). The Alaska SRG advises on 
marine mammals that occur in waters off Alaska that are under the 
jurisdiction of the United States. The Pacific SRG advises on marine 
mammals that occur in waters off the Pacific coast, Hawaiian Islands 
and the U.S. Territories in the Central and Western Pacific that are 
under the jurisdiction of the United States. The Atlantic SRG advises 
on marine mammals that occur in waters off the Atlantic coast, Gulf of 
Mexico, and U.S. Territories in the Caribbean that are under the 
jurisdiction of the United States.
    The SRGs meet annually. Prior to the meetings, SRG Members review 
draft stock assessment reports and other relevant documents. SRGs 
comprise highly-qualified individuals with expertise in marine mammal 
biology and ecology, population dynamics and modeling, commercial 
fishing technology and practices, and stocks taken under section 101(b) 
of the MMPA. The SRGs provide expert reviews of draft marine mammal 
stock assessment reports and other information related to the matters 
identified in section 117(d)(1) of the MMPA, including:
    (A) Population estimates and the population status and trends of 
marine mammal stocks;
    (B) Uncertainties and research needed regarding stock separation, 
abundance, or trends, and factors affecting the distribution, size, or 
productivity of the stock;
    (C) Uncertainties and research needed regarding the species, 
number, ages, gender, and reproductive status of marine mammals;
    (D) Research needed to identify modifications in fishing gear and 
practices likely to reduce the incidental mortality and serious injury 
of marine mammals in commercial fishing operations;
    (E) The actual, expected, or potential impacts of habitat 
destruction, including marine pollution and natural environmental 
change, on specific marine mammal species or stocks, and for strategic 
stocks, appropriate conservation or management measures to alleviate 
any such impacts; and
    (F) Any other issue which the Secretary or the groups consider 
appropriate.
    SRG Members collectively serve as independent advisors to NMFS and 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provide their expert review and 
recommendations through participation in the SRG. Members attend 
meetings and undertake activities as independent persons providing 
expertise in their subject areas. Members are not appointed as 
representatives of professional organizations or particular stakeholder 
groups, including government entities, and are not permitted to 
represent or advocate for those organizations, groups or entities 
during SRG meetings, discussions and deliberations.
    NMFS has developed terms of reference for the SRGs, which state 
that the agency will annually review the expertise available on the SRG 
and identify gaps in expertise needed to provide advice pursuant to 
section 117(d) of the MMPA. In conducting the reviews, NMFS will 
continue to attempt to achieve, to the maximum extent practicable, a 
balanced representation of viewpoints among the individuals on each 
SRG. NMFS has conducted a review of the expertise available on the 
three SRGs and has identified gaps. NMFS is now soliciting nominations 
for individuals with the following expertise.
    For the Atlantic SRG (including waters off the Atlantic coast, Gulf 
of Mexico, and U.S. Territories in the Caribbean), NMFS seeks 
individuals with expertise in one or more of the following areas (in no 
particular order of priority): Quantitative ecology; habitat modeling; 
population dynamics; statistical analyses; passive acoustics; abundance 
estimation (including line transect methods, mark-recapture methods, 
quantitative bycatch estimation, and/or survey design); and fisheries 
gear/techniques, with particular emphasis on pot/trap and gillnet 
fisheries along the Atlantic coast and in Gulf of Mexico fisheries.
    For the Pacific SRG (including waters off the Pacific coast, 
Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. Territories in the Central and Western 
Pacific), NMFS seeks individuals with expertise in one or more of the 
following areas (in no particular order of priority): Quantitative 
ecology; habitat modeling; population dynamics; fisheries gear/
techniques, particularly of Hawaiian and Pacific Islands fisheries; 
Hawaii and Pacific Islands ecology; marine mammal genetics; passive 
acoustics; marine mammal population structure; abundance estimation 
(including line transect methods, mark-recapture methods, and 
quantitative bycatch estimation).
    NMFS is not seeking nominations for the Alaska SRG in this 
solicitation.
    Nominations for new Members should be accompanied by the 
individual's curriculum vitae and detailed information regarding (a) 
how the recommended person meets the minimum selection criteria for SRG 
Members, (b) how the recommended person would augment existing 
expertise or bring needed expertise to the group, and (c) how the 
recommended person's participation on the SRG would contribute to 
achieving a balanced representation of viewpoints. Self-nominations are 
acceptable. The following contact information should accompany each 
nomination: nominee's name, address, telephone number, and email 
address.
    When reviewing nominations, NMFS will consider the following 
criteria:
    (1) Ability to make time available for the purposes of the SRG;
    (2) Knowledge of the species (or closely related species) of marine 
mammals in the SRG's region;
    (3) Scientific or technical achievement in a relevant discipline, 
which may include ecology, life history, fishing technology and 
practices, biology, genetics, resource management, or biological 
modeling, to be considered an expert peer reviewer for the topic;
    (4) Demonstrated experience working effectively on teams;
    (5) Expertise relevant to current and expected needs of the SRG, in 
particular, expertise required to provide adequate review and 
knowledgeable feedback on current or developing stock assessment 
issues, techniques, etc. In practice, this means that each Member 
should have expertise in more than one topic as the species and 
scientific issues discussed in SRG meetings are diverse; and
    (6) No conflict of interest with respect to their duties as a 
member of the SRG.
    A Scientific Review Group Member cannot be a registered Federal 
lobbyist. Membership is voluntary and, except for reimbursable travel 
and related expenses, service is without pay. The terms of reference 
specify that the term of service for SRG Members is three years and 
Members may serve up to three consecutive terms. Nominations

[[Page 8631]]

should be sent to (see ADDRESSES) and must be received by March 20, 
2015.

    Dated: February 11, 2015.
Perry Gayaldo,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-03196 Filed 2-17-15; 8:45 am]
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