81 FR 26776 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Stock Assessment of Eastern Bering Sea Pollock; Peer Review Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 86 (May 4, 2016)

Page Range		26776-26776
FR Document		2016-10445

NMFS has requested the Center for Independent Experts (CIE) to conduct a peer review of the agency's stock assessment of Eastern Bering Sea walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). The CIE is a group affiliated with the University of Miami that provides independent peer reviews of NMFS science nationwide, including reviews of stock assessments for fish and marine mammals. The Eastern Bering Sea pollock stock assessment is reviewed annually by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) Plan Team, and the NPFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee. The CIE review will examine whether the assessment incorporates the best available scientific information and provides a reasonable approach to understanding the population dynamics and stock status of Eastern Bering Sea pollock. The public is invited to attend and observe the presentations and discussions between the CIE panel and the NMFS scientists who collected and processed the data, and designed the underlying model.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 86 (Wednesday, May 4, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 26776]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10445]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE581


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Stock 
Assessment of Eastern Bering Sea Pollock; Peer Review Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has requested the Center for Independent Experts (CIE) to 
conduct a peer review of the agency's stock assessment of Eastern 
Bering Sea walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). The CIE is a group 
affiliated with the University of Miami that provides independent peer 
reviews of NMFS science nationwide, including reviews of stock 
assessments for fish and marine mammals. The Eastern Bering Sea pollock 
stock assessment is reviewed annually by the Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) Plan Team, 
and the NPFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee. The CIE review will 
examine whether the assessment incorporates the best available 
scientific information and provides a reasonable approach to 
understanding the population dynamics and stock status of Eastern 
Bering Sea pollock. The public is invited to attend and observe the 
presentations and discussions between the CIE panel and the NMFS 
scientists who collected and processed the data, and designed the 
underlying model.

DATES: The public meeting will be held from May 16 through May 19, 
2016, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

ADDRESSES: The review will be held at the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Building 4, Seattle, WA 98115. Photo 
identification is required to enter this facility.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Ianelli, 206-526-6510.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CIE panel will consist of three peer 
reviewers who will assess materials related to the topic, participate 
in a review workshop with the NMFS scientists who developed the model 
and the analytical approach, and produce a report. This review will be 
highly technical in nature and will cover mathematical details of the 
analytical approach. More information about the CIE is available on its 
Web site at www.ciereviews.org.
    Members of the public are invited to observe, and will be provided 
opportunities to contribute each day from May 16 through May 19, 2016. 
The final report will be available prior to the September NPFMC Plan 
Team meetings and will consist of individual reports from each panelist 
and a summary report. The results of the review will be presented 
during the September 2016 NPFMC Plan Team meeting, which will be 
announced at a later time in the Federal Register.

Special Accommodations

    These workshops will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Ron Felthoven, 206-526-4114, at 
least 10 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: April 29, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-10445 Filed 5-3-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

26776 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 86 / Wednesday, May 4, 2016 / Notices

River, in northern California, for DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE CIE is available on its Web site at
consideration pursuant to limit 5 of the www.ciereviews.org.
ESA 4(d) rule for salmon and steelhead. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Members of the public are invited to
Administration observe, and will be provided
The hatchery program that is the
subject of the NMFS evaluation would RIN 0648–XE581 opportunities to contribute each day
from May 16 through May 19, 2016. The
operate to provide steelhead for harvest
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic final report will be available prior to the
in freshwater recreational fisheries in
Zone Off Alaska; Stock Assessment of September NPFMC Plan Team meetings
the Mad River. The program would and will consist of individual reports
Eastern Bering Sea Pollock; Peer
propagate steelhead that are derived from each panelist and a summary
Review Meeting
from the local steelhead population in report. The results of the review will be
the Mad River, ensuring that at least half AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries presented during the September 2016
of the MRH winter-run steelhead Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and NPFMC Plan Team meeting, which will
spawning pairs are hatchery spawned Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), be announced at a later time in the
natural-origin and to match natural- Commerce. Federal Register.
origin steelhead with their natural ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
counterparts whenever possible. Special Accommodations
SUMMARY: NMFS has requested the These workshops will be physically
Measures would be applied in the
Center for Independent Experts (CIE) to accessible to people with disabilities.
hatchery program to reduce the risk of
conduct a peer review of the agency’s Requests for sign language
incidental adverse genetic, ecological,
stock assessment of Eastern Bering Sea interpretation or other auxiliary aids
and demographic effects on natural- walleye pollock (Theragra
origin steelhead and salmon should be directed to Ron Felthoven,
chalcogramma). The CIE is a group 206–526–4114, at least 10 working days
populations. affiliated with the University of Miami prior to the meeting date.
As specified in the July 10, 2000, ESA that provides independent peer reviews
4(d) rule for salmon and steelhead (65 of NMFS science nationwide, including Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
FR 42422) and updated June 28, 2005 reviews of stock assessments for fish Dated: April 29, 2016.
(70 FR 37160), NMFS may approve an and marine mammals. The Eastern Emily H. Menashes,
HGMP if it meets criteria set forth in 50 Bering Sea pollock stock assessment is Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
CFR 223.203(b)(5)(i)(A) through (K). reviewed annually by the Alaska Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
Prior to final approval of an HGMP, Fisheries Science Center, the North [FR Doc. 2016–10445 Filed 5–3–16; 8:45 am]
NMFS must publish notification Pacific Fishery Management Council BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
announcing its availability for public (NPFMC) Plan Team, and the NPFMC
review and comment. Scientific and Statistical Committee.
The CIE review will examine whether DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Authority the assessment incorporates the best
available scientific information and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Under section 4 of the ESA, the provides a reasonable approach to Administration
Secretary of Commerce is required to understanding the population dynamics
adopt such regulations as she deems RIN 0648–XE592
and stock status of Eastern Bering Sea
necessary and advisable for the pollock. The public is invited to attend Endangered and Threatened Species;
conservation of species listed as and observe the presentations and Take of Anadromous Fish
threatened. The ESA salmon and discussions between the CIE panel and
steelhead 4(d) rule (65 FR 42422, July the NMFS scientists who collected and AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
10, 2000, as updated in 70 FR 37160, processed the data, and designed the Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
June 28, 2005) specifies categories of underlying model. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
activities that contribute to the DATES: The public meeting will be held Commerce.
conservation of listed salmonids and from May 16 through May 19, 2016, 9 ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
sets out the criteria for such activities. a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. Environmental Impact Statement;
Limit 5 of the updated 4(d) rule (50 CFR ADDRESSES: The review will be held at request for comments.
223.203(b)(5)) further provides that the the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National
prohibitions of paragraph (a) of the Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE.,
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), this
updated 4(d) rule (50 CFR 223.203(a)) Building 4, Seattle, WA 98115. Photo
notice announces that NMFS intends to
do not apply to activities associated identification is required to enter this
obtain information necessary to prepare
with artificial propagation programs facility.
an Environmental Impact Statement
provided that an HGMP has been FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (EIS) for 10 Hatchery and Genetic
approved by NMFS to be in accordance James Ianelli, 206–526–6510. Management Plans (HGMPs) for salmon
with the salmon and steelhead 4(d) rule SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CIE and steelhead hatchery programs jointly
(65 FR 42422, July 10, 2000, as updated panel will consist of three peer submitted by the Washington
in 70 FR 37160, June 28, 2005). reviewers who will assess materials Department of Fish and Wildlife
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Dated: April 28, 2016. related to the topic, participate in a (WDFW) with the Muckleshoot Indian
Angela Somma, review workshop with the NMFS Tribe and the Suquamish Tribe (referred
scientists who developed the model and to as the co-managers), for NMFS’s
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
the analytical approach, and produce a evaluation and determination under
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
report. This review will be highly Limit 6 of the Endangered Species Act
technical in nature and will cover (ESA) 4(d) Rule for threatened salmon
[FR Doc. 2016–10380 Filed 5–3–16; 8:45 am]
mathematical details of the analytical and steelhead. The HGMPs specify the
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
approach. More information about the propagation of salmon and steelhead in

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Document Created: 2016-05-04 01:23:11
Document Modified: 2016-05-04 01:23:11

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of a public meeting.
Dates		The public meeting will be held from May 16 through May 19, 2016, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.
Contact		James Ianelli, 206-526-6510.
FR Citation		81 FR 26776
RIN Number		0648-XE58

81 FR 26776 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Stock Assessment of Eastern Bering Sea Pollock; Peer Review Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 86 (May 4, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration