81 FR 80643 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 221 (November 16, 2016)

Page Range		80643-80644
FR Document		2016-27473

NMFS will hold a 2-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in December 2016. The intent of the meeting is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic HMS, specifically Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The meeting is open to the public.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 221 (Wednesday, November 16, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80643-80644]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27473]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF004

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly
Migratory Species Advisory Panel

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and webinar/conference call.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold a 2-day Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS)
Advisory Panel (AP) meeting in December 2016. The intent of the meeting
is to consider options for the conservation and management of Atlantic
HMS, specifically Amendment 5b to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS
Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The AP meeting and webinar will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30
p.m. on Thursday, December 1, 2016, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on
Friday, December 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel,
8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. The meeting presentations
will also be available via WebEx webinar/conference call.
The meeting on Thursday, December 1, and Friday, December 2, 2016,
will also be accessible via conference call and webinar. Conference
call and webinar access information are available at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/advisory_panels/hms_ap/meetings/dec-2016/ap-meeting.html.
Participants are strongly encouraged to log/dial in 15 minutes
prior to the meeting. NMFS will show the presentations via webinar and
allow public comment during identified times on the agenda.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Cooper or Margo Schulze-Haugen
at (301) 427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., as amended by the
Sustainable Fisheries Act, Public Law 104-297, provided for the
establishment of an AP to assist in the collection and evaluation of
information relevant to the development of any FMP or FMP amendment for
Atlantic HMS. NMFS consults with and considers the comments and views
of AP members when preparing and implementing FMPs or FMP amendments
for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.
The AP has previously consulted with NMFS on: Amendment 1 to the
Billfish FMP (April 1999); the HMS FMP (April 1999); Amendment 1 to the
HMS FMP (December 2003); the Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2006); and
Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 5b, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 to the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP (April and October 2008, February and September
2009, May and September 2010, April and September 2011, March and
September 2012, January and September 2013, April and September 2014,
March and September 2015, March and September 2016), among other
things.
The intent of this meeting is for NMFS to consult with the AP on
the proposed management measures contained in Draft Amendment 5b to the
2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP, which proposes a range of
management measures to prevent overfishing and rebuild dusky sharks.
These measures are based on a recent stock assessment that determined
dusky sharks--a prohibited species since 2000--are overfished and still
experiencing overfishing. Draft Amendment 5b could affect any
commercial fishermen with HMS permits, any recreational fishermen who
catch sharks of any species, and any dealers who buy or sell sharks or
shark products.
Additional information on the meeting and a copy of the draft
agenda will be posted prior to the meeting at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/advisory_panels/hms_ap/meetings/ap_meetings.html.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to

[[Page 80644]]

Peter Cooper at (301) 427-8503 at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

Dated: November 9, 2016.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-27473 Filed 11-15-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

80644 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 221 / Wednesday, November 16, 2016 / Notices

Peter Cooper at (301) 427–8503 at least regulations are issued. Under the stopped or not initiated until the animal
7 days prior to the meeting. MMPA, the term ‘‘take’’ means to left the Level A harassment zone. Six
Dated: November 9, 2016. harass, hunt, capture, or kill marine killer whales were observed in the Level
Jennifer M. Wallace,
mammals. Authorization for incidental A harassment zone during the third year
takings shall be granted if NMFS finds of the project (2015–2016 LOA), but pile
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
that the taking will have a negligible activity was not occurring at the time.
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
impact on the identified species or Low-frequency cetaceans (e.g.,
[FR Doc. 2016–27473 Filed 11–15–16; 8:45 am]
stock(s), will not have an unmitigable humpback whales, gray whales) have
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
adverse impact on the availability of the rarely been observed during the past
species or stock(s) for subsistence uses three years of this project (one
(where relevant), and if the permissible humpback in the 2015–2016 LOA and
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
methods of taking and requirements the 2014–2015 LOA). No gray whales
National Oceanic and Atmospheric pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring, have been observed. Low numbers of
Administration and reporting of such takings are set high- and mid-frequency cetaceans (e.g.,
forth in the regulations. NMFS has harbor porpoise and killer whales,
RIN 0648–BC69 defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR respectively) have been observed within
216.103 as ‘‘. . . an impact resulting the Level A harassment zone, but only
Taking and Importing Marine from the specified activity that cannot one animal of each species was
Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals be reasonably expected to, and is not documented as take (Level B
Incidental to the Elliot Bay Seawall reasonably likely to, adversely affect the harassment) during the 2015–2016 LOA,
Project in Seattle, Washington species or stock through effects on significantly below the maximum
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’ number of takes authorized per year (40
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Regulations governing the taking of and 315, respectively). There were no
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii), observed takes of harbor porpoises or
Commerce. California sea lions (Zalophus killer whales in the 2014–2015 LOA or
californianus), Steller sea lions the 2013–2014 LOA.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of a Letter of
(Eumetopias jubatus monteriensis),
Authorization. Pinnipeds are more likely to be
harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena
present in the construction area and to
SUMMARY: In accordance with vomerina), Dall’s porpoise
approach more closely. However,
regulations implementing the Marine (Phocoenoides dalli dalli), southern
California sea lions (the pinniped
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as resident and transient killer whales
species with the most documented
amended, notification is hereby given (Orcinus orca), gray whales
takes), rested on the mooring buoys
that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has (Eschrichtius robustus), and humpback
during construction and throughout the
been issued to the City of Seattle’s whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), by
harassment, incidental to pile driving entire monitoring period on most days.
Department of Transportation (SDOT) These mooring buoys are well outside
for the take of eight species of marine activities in Elliot Bay for the EBSP,
were issued on October 21, 2013, and the SDOT’s Level A harassment zones
mammals incidental to pile driving (under NMFS’ then-current thresholds)
activities associated with the Elliot Bay remain in effect until October 21, 2018.
The regulations include mitigation, for all pinnipeds and occur
Seawall Project (EBSP). approximately two miles from these
DATES: Effective for a period of one year
monitoring, and reporting requirements
for the incidental take of marine zones. The total number of potentially
from November 16, 2016. harassed marine mammals was well
mammals during pile driving activities
ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting below the authorized limits, with the
associated with the EBSP. For detailed
documentation are available for review information on this action, please refer exception of the California sea lion in
online at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/ to the Federal Register Notice for the the 2014–2015 LOA (Year 2 LOA). The
permits/incidental/construction.htm. regulations at 78 FR 63396 (October 24, reported take for California sea lions for
Documents cited in this notice may also 2013). the Year 2 LOA by Level B harassment
be viewed, by appointment, during Pursuant to those regulations, NMFS only, exceeded the annually authorized
regular business hours at the Office of issued an LOA, effective from October level, and slightly exceeded the
Protected Resources, National Marine 22, 2013, through October 21, 2014, a authorized level in the Year 1 LOA, but
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West second LOA, effective from October 22, not in the 2015–2016 LOA (Year 3
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910– 2014, through October 21, 2015, and a LOA). Please see the monitoring reports
3225, by telephoning the contact listed third LOA, effective October 22, 2015, at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/
below. through August 31, 2016. SDOT permits/incidental/construction.htm for
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: conducted activities as described, more detail. The exceeded take in the
Stephanie Egger, Office of Protected implemented the required mitigation Year 2 LOA resulted in part because of
Resources, NMFS, 301–427–8401. methods, and conducted the required an error in our assumptions relating to
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: monitoring. NMFS announces here that the proposed take estimates in the rule,
it has issued a fourth LOA, effective for i.e., the number of California sea lions
Background regularly hauling out on buoys in Elliot
one year, beginning November 16, 2016.
Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 Bay.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs the Secretary Monitoring Reports
Analysis
of Commerce to allow, upon request, the According to prior monitoring reports,
incidental, but not intentional, taking of no marine mammals entered the Level Based on our review of monitoring to
small numbers of marine mammals by A harassment zone during the first year date, we revised take estimates by
U.S. citizens who engage in a specified of the project (2013–2014 LOA). Two assuming an estimated daily exposure of
activity (other than commercial fishing) marine mammals entered the Level A up to seven California sea lions (as
within a specified geographical region if harassment zone during the second year compared with five assumed in
certain findings are made and (2014–2015 LOA), but work was regulations).

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Document Created: 2016-11-16 00:57:29
Document Modified: 2016-11-16 00:57:29

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 public meeting and webinar/conference call.
Dates		The AP meeting and webinar will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 1, 2016, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 2, 2016.
Contact		Peter Cooper or Margo Schulze-Haugen at (301) 427-8503.
FR Citation		81 FR 80643
RIN Number		0648-XF00

81 FR 80643 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 221 (November 16, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration