Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 230 / Monday, November 30, 2020 / Notices 76535 

shark research fishery. The HMS 

Management Division will provide the 

list of qualified applicants without 

identifying information to the SEFSC. 

The SEFSC will then evaluate the list of 

qualified applicants and, based on the 

temporal and spatial needs of the 

research objectives, the availability of 

observers, the availability of qualified 

applicants, and the available quota for a 

given year, will randomly select 

qualified applicants to conduct the 

prescribed research. Where there are 

multiple qualified applicants that meet 

the criteria, permittees will be randomly 

selected through a lottery system. If a 

public meeting is deemed necessary, 

NMFS will announce details of a public 

selection meeting in a subsequent 

Federal Register notice. 

Once the selection process is 

complete, NMFS will notify the selected 

applicants and issue the shark research 

fishery permits. The shark research 

fishery permits will be valid through 

December 31, 2021, unless otherwise 

specified. If needed, NMFS will 

communicate with the shark research 

fishery permit holders to arrange a 

captain’s meeting to discuss the 

research objectives and protocols. 

NMFS usually holds mandatory 

captain’s meetings before observers are 

placed on vessels and may hold one for 

the 2021 shark research fishery in early 

2021. Once the fishery starts, the shark 

research fishery permit holders must 

contact the NMFS or designee to arrange 

the placement of a NMFS-approved 

observer for each shark research trip, 

and in the beginning, to arrange the 

installation of the specific EM sensors. 

Additionally, selected applicants are 

expected to allow observers the 

opportunity to perform their duties as 

required and assist observers as 

necessary. At the end of the fishery, 

shark research fishery permit holders 

must contact NMFS or a designee to 

arrange for the removal of the EM 

sensors. 

A shark research fishery permit will 

only be valid for the vessel and owner(s) 

and terms and conditions listed on the 

permit, and, thus, cannot be transferred 

to another vessel or owner(s). Shark 

research fishery permit holders must 

carry a NMFS-approved observer in 

order to land sandbar sharks. Issuance 

of a shark research permit does not 

guarantee that the permit holder will be 

assigned a NMFS-approved observer on 

any particular trip. Rather, issuance 

indicates that a vessel may be issued a 

NMFS-approved observer for a 

particular trip, and on such trips, may 

be allowed to harvest Atlantic sharks, 

including sandbar sharks, in excess of 

the retention limits described in 50 CFR 

635.24(a). These retention limits will be 

based on available quota, number of 

vessels participating in the 2021 shark 

research fishery, the research objectives 

set forth by the shark board, the extent 

of other restrictions placed on the 

vessel, and may vary by vessel and/or 

location. When not operating under the 

auspices of the shark research fishery, 

the vessel would still be able to land 

LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks subject to 

existing retention limits on trips 

without a NMFS-approved observer. 

Additionally, during those times, the 

vessel would not need to operate the EM 

sensors. 

NMFS annually invites commercial 

shark permit holders (directed and 

incidental) to submit an application to 

participate in the shark research fishery. 

Permit applications can be found on the 

HMS Management Division’s website at 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantichighly-migratory-species/atlantichighly-migratory-species-permits-andreporting-forms or by calling (301) 427– 

8503. Final decisions on the issuance of 

a shark research fishery permit will 

depend on the submission of all 

required information by the deadline 

(see DATES), and NMFS’ review of 

applicant information as outlined above. 

The 2021 shark research fishery will 

start after the opening of the shark 

fishery and under available quotas as 

published in a separate Federal Register 

final rule. 

Dated: November 24, 2020. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2020–26325 Filed 11–27–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA678] 

Western Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Pacific Island Fisheries; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: NMFS and the Western 

Pacific Fishery Management Council 

(Council) will convene a Western 

Pacific Stock Assessment Review 

(WPSAR) of a 2020 stock assessment 

update for seven deep-water bottomfish 

species (‘‘Deep 7’’ bottomfish complex) 

in the Main Hawaiian Islands. 

DATES: The WPSAR panel will meet on 

December 16–17, 2020. For specific 

times and agenda, see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held by 

web conference via WebEx. Audio and 

visual portions for all of the web 

conferences can be accessed at: https:// 

wprfmc.webex.com/join/ 

info.wpcouncilnoaa.gov. Web 

conference access information and 

instructions for providing public 

comments will be posted on the Council 

website at www.wpcouncil.org. For 

assistance with the web conference 

connection, contact the Council office at 

(808) 552–8220. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kitty Simonds, Executive Director, 

Western Pacific Regional Fishery 

Management Council; telephone: (808) 

522–8220. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science 

Center (PIFSC) conducted a stock 

assessment update for the Main 

Hawaiian Island Deep 7 bottomfish 

complex. PIFSC previously conducted a 

Benchmark stock assessment for the 

Deep 7 bottomfish in 2018 using a 

Bayesian surplus production model fit 

to commercial catch and effort data and 

independent survey biomass estimates. 

This assessment update used the 

methodology of the 2018 benchmark 

assessment and updated it with data 

through 2019. 

PIFSC used this assessment update to 

estimate biomass and stock status of the 

Deep 7 bottomfish complex through 

time, and evaluated stock status against 

the maximum sustainable yield based 

reference points described in the 

Council’s Fishery Ecosystem Plan for 

the Hawaii Archipelago. The 2020 

assessment update provides projections 

to inform setting of acceptable biological 

catch and annual catch limits for 2021– 

24. 

The WPSAR panel will meet virtually 

beginning at 9 a.m., Hawaii Standard 

Time (HST), each day. A public 

comment period will be provided at the 

end of the first day. The agenda order 

may change and the meeting will run as 

late as necessary to complete scheduled 

business. 

Meeting Agenda 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 9 a.m. to 

2 p.m. HST 

1. Introduction 

2. Review objectives and terms of reference 

3. Review of stock assessment updates 

4. Summary of comments and analysis 

during desktop phase 

5. Questions to presenters 

6. Public comment 


TKELLEY on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with NOTICES
76536 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 230 / Monday, November 30, 2020 / Notices 

Thursday, December 17, 2020, 9 a.m. to 

11 a.m. HST 

7. Panel presentation on the review results 

and recommendations 

8. Questions to reviewers 

9. Adjourn 

Special Accommodations 

This virtual meeting will be accessible 

to people with disabilities. Please direct 

request for accommodations to the 

Council Office (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 5 days 

prior to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: November 24, 2020. 

Diane M. DeJames-Daly, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2020–26317 Filed 11–27–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA684] 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) Bering 

Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Climate 

Change Taskforce will meet December 

14, 2020 and December 16, 2020, via 

webconference. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Monday, December 14, 2020, and 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020, from 

12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Alaska Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be a 

webconference. Join online through the 

link at https://meetings.npfmc.org/ 

Meeting/Details/1804. 

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 1007 W 

3rd Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501–2252; 

telephone: (907) 271–2809. Instructions 

for attending the meeting are given 

under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, 

below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Diana Stram, Council staff; phone: (907) 

271–2809 and email: diana.stram@

noaa.gov. For technical support please 

contact our administrative staff; email: 

npfmc.admin@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

Monday, December 14, 2020 and 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 

The agenda will include (a) draft 

Climate Change Taskforce workplan; (b) 

planning for future meetings and 

activities; and (c) other business. The 

agenda is subject to change, and the 

latest version will be posted at https:// 

meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/ 

1804 prior to the meeting, along with 

meeting materials. 

Connection Information 

You can attend the meeting online 

using a computer, tablet, or smart 

phone; or by phone only. Connection 

information will be posted online at: 

https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/ 

Details/1804. 

Public Comment 

Public comment letters will be 

accepted and should be submitted 

electronically to https://

meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/ 

1804. 

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

Dated: November 24, 2020. 

Diane M. DeJames-Daly, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2020–26318 Filed 11–27–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Alaska Region Permit Family 

of Forms 

AGENCY: National Oceanic & 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection, 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to comment on 

proposed, and continuing information 

collections, which helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow for 60 days of public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before January 29, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments to 

Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, 

at Adrienne.thomas@noaa.gov. Please 

reference OMB Control Number 0648– 

0206 in the subject line of your 

comments. Do not submit Confidential 

Business Information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

specific questions related to collection 

activities should be directed to Gabrielle 

Aberle 586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

The National Marine Fisheries 

Services (NMFS), Alaska Region, is 

requesting extension of a currently 

approved information collection for the 

applications for the Federal Fisheries 

Permit, the Federal Processor Permit, 

and the Exempted Fishing Permit. 

NMFS requires a Federal Fisheries 

Permit (FFP) or Federal Processor 

Permit (FPP) for participation in the 

groundfish fisheries of the exclusive 

economic zone off Alaska. NMFS issues 

an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) to 

allow groundfish fishing activities that 

would otherwise be prohibited under 

regulations for groundfish fishing. EFPs 

are issued to support projects that could 

benefit the groundfish fisheries and the 

environment and result in gathering 

information not otherwise available 

through research or commercial fishing 

operations. Regulations governing these 

permits are at 50 CFR 600.745, 679.4, 

and 679.6. 

Operators of vessels and managers of 

processors must have a permit on board 

or on site when fishing, receiving, 

buying, or processing groundfish and 

non-groundfish species. The permit 

information provides harvest gear types; 

descriptions of vessels, shoreside 

processors, and stationary floating 

processors; and expected fishery activity 

levels. The information requested on the 

permit applications is used for fisheries 

management and regulatory compliance 

by NMFS Sustainable Fisheries 

Division, NMFS Restricted Access 

Management Program, NMFS Observer 

Program, NOAA Office of Law 

Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and 

the North Pacific Fisheries Management 

Council. 

Section 303(b)(1) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act specifically recognizes 

the need for permit issuance. Requiring 


TKELLEY on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with NOTICES