82 FR 31949 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Stock Assessment of Eastern Bering Sea Tanner Crab; Center for Independent Experts Peer Review Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 131 (July 11, 2017)

NMFS has requested the Center for Independent Experts (CIE) to conduct a peer review of the agency's stock assessment of eastern Bering Sea Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi). 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, shellfish and marine mammals. The eastern Bering Sea Tanner crab stock assessment is reviewed annually by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) Crab Plan Team, and the NPFMC Scientific and Statistical Committee. The CIE review will examine whether the assessment incorporates the best scientific information available for making management decisions and provides a reasonable approach to understanding the population dynamics and stock status of eastern Bering Sea Tanner crab. 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 82, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31949-31950]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14442]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF526


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Stock 
Assessment of Eastern Bering Sea Tanner Crab; Center for Independent 
Experts Peer Review Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi). 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, shellfish and marine mammals. The eastern Bering 
Sea Tanner crab stock assessment is reviewed annually by the Alaska 
Fisheries Science Center, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(NPFMC) Crab Plan Team, and the NPFMC Scientific and Statistical 
Committee. The CIE review will examine whether the assessment 
incorporates the best scientific information available for making 
management decisions and provides a reasonable approach to 
understanding the population dynamics and stock status of eastern 
Bering Sea Tanner crab. 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 July 31 through August 3, 
2017, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

ADDRESSES: The review will be held at the Alaska Fisheries Science 
Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., Seattle, WA 98115-6349. Visitors will 
need to provide proper ID and sign in at the front desk.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Stockhausen, 206-526-4241.

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

[[Page 31950]]

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 on July 31 through August 2, 2017. 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 2017 NPFMC Crab 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 Jennifer Ferdinand, 206-526-4076, 
at least 10 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: July 5, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-14442 Filed 7-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P