83898 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 23, 2020 / Notices 

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 71 South 

Atlantic Gag Grouper Assessment 

Webinar III. 

SUMMARY: The SEDAR 71 assessment of 

the South Atlantic stock of gag grouper 

will consist of a data webinar and a 

series assessment webinars. 

DATES: The SEDAR 71 Gag Grouper 

Assessment Webinar III has been 

scheduled for Thursday, January 14, 

2021, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., EDT. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. The webinar is open to 

members of the public. Registration is 

available online at: https://

attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/ 

3102956364955419152. 

SEDAR address: South Atlantic 

Fishery Management Council, 4055 

Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. 

Charleston, SC 29405; 

www.sedarweb.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathleen Howington, SEDAR 

Coordinator, 4055 Faber Place Drive, 

Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; 

phone: (843) 571–4371; email: 

Kathleen.Howington@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf 

of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Councils, in conjunction with NOAA 

Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf 

States Marine Fisheries Commissions, 

have implemented the Southeast Data, 

Assessment and Review (SEDAR) 

process, a multi-step method for 

determining the status of fish stocks in 

the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a threestep process including: (1) Data 

Workshop; (2) Assessment Process 

utilizing webinars; and (3) Review 

Workshop. The product of the Data 

Workshop is a data report which 

compiles and evaluates potential 

datasets and recommends which 

datasets are appropriate for assessment 

analyses. The product of the Assessment 

Process is a stock assessment report 

which describes the fisheries, evaluates 

the status of the stock, estimates 

biological benchmarks, projects future 

population conditions, and recommends 

research and monitoring needs. The 

assessment is independently peer 

reviewed at the Review Workshop. The 

product of the Review Workshop is a 

Summary documenting panel opinions 

regarding the strengths and weaknesses 

of the stock assessment and input data. 

Participants for SEDAR Workshops are 

appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South 

Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery 

Management Councils and NOAA 

Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Division, and Southeast Fisheries 

Science Center. Participants include: 

Data collectors and database managers; 

stock assessment scientists, biologists, 

and researchers; constituency 

representatives including fishermen, 

environmentalists, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); 

international experts; and staff of 

Councils, Commissions, and state and 

federal agencies. 

The items of discussion at the SEDAR 

71 Gag Grouper Assessment Webinar III 

are as follows: 

• Discuss data issues as needed 

• Discuss modeling issues as needed 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before this group for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Action will 

be restricted to those issues specifically 

identified in this notice and any issues 

arising after publication of this notice 

that require emergency action under 

section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the intent to take final action 

to address the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is accessible to people 

with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary 

aids should be directed to the South 

Atlantic Fishery Management Council 

office (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 

business days prior to the meeting. 

Note: The times and sequence specified in 

this agenda are subject to change. 

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

Dated: December 17, 2020. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2020–28297 Filed 12–22–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA633] 

Fishing Capacity Reduction Program 

for the Longline Catcher Processor 

Subsector of the Bering Sea and 

Aleutian Islands Non Pollock 

Groundfish Fishery 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of fee rate adjustment. 

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice to 

inform the public that there will be an 

increase of the fee rate required to repay 

the $35,000,000 reduction loan 

financing the non-pollock groundfish 

fishing capacity reduction program. 

Effective January 1, 2021, NMFS is 

increasing the Loan A fee rate to $0.024 

per pound to ensure timely repayment 

of the loan. The fee rate for Loan B will 

remain unchanged at $0.001 per pound. 

The increased Loan A fee rate is due to 

the 20 percent decrease in non-pollock 

groundfish Total Allowable Catch (TAC) 

for 2021. 

DATES: The non-pollock groundfish 

program fee rate increase will begin 

with landings on January 1, 2021. The 

first due date for fee payments with the 

increased rate will be February 15, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Send questions about this 

notice to Elaine Saiz, Chief, Financial 

Services Division, National Marine 

Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910– 

3282. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elaine Saiz, (301) 427–8752. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 312(b)–(e) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.) 

generally authorizes fishing capacity 

reduction programs. In particular, 

section 312(d) authorizes industry fee 

systems for repaying reduction loans 

which finance reduction program costs. 

Subpart L of 50 CFR part 600 is the 

framework rule generally implementing 

section 312(b)–(e). Sections 1111 and 

1112 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 

(46 App. U.S.C. 1279f and 1279g) 

generally authorize reduction loans. 

Enacted on December 8, 2004, section 

219, Title II, of FY 2005 Appropriations 

Act, Public Law 104–447 (Act) 

authorizes a fishing capacity reduction 

program implementing capacity 

reduction plans submitted to NMFS by 

catcher processor subsectors of the 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) 

non-pollock groundfish fishery 

(reduction fishery) as set forth in the 

Act. 

The longline catcher processor 

subsector (Longline Subsector) is among 

the catcher processor subsectors eligible 

to submit to NMFS a capacity reduction 

plan under the terms of the Act. The 

longline subsector non-pollock 

groundfish reduction program’s 

objective was to reduce the number of 

vessels and permits endorsed for 

longline subsector of the non-pollock 

groundfish fishery. All post-reduction 

fish landings from the reduction fishery 

are subject to the longline subsector 

non-pollock groundfish program’s fee. 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 23, 2020 / Notices 83899 

NMFS proposed the implementing 

notice on August 11, 2006 (71 FR 

46364), and published the final notice 

on September 29, 2006 (71 FR 57696). 

NMFS allocated the $35,000,000 

reduction loan (A Loan) to the reduction 

fishery and this loan is repayable by fees 

from the fishery. 

On September 24, 2007, NMFS 

published in the Federal Register (72 

FR 54219), the final rule to implement 

the industry fee system for repaying the 

non-pollock groundfish program’s 

reduction loan and established October 

24, 2007, as the effective date when fee 

collection and loan repayment began. 

The regulations implementing the 

program are located at § 600.1012. 

NMFS published a final rule to 

implement a second $2,700,000 

reduction loan (B Loan) for this fishery 

in the Federal Register on September 

24, 2012 (77 FR 58775). The loan was 

disbursed December 18, 2012 with fee 

collection of $0.001 per pound to begin 

January 1, 2013. This fee is in addition 

to the A Loan fee. 

Purpose 

The purpose of this notice is to adjust 

the fee rate for the reduction fishery in 

accordance with the framework rule’s 

§ 600.1013(b). Section 600.1013(b) 

directs NMFS to recalculate the fee rate 

that will be reasonably necessary to 

ensure reduction loan repayment within 

the specified 30 year term. 

NMFS has determined for the 

reduction fishery that the current fee 

rate of $0.021 per pound is less than 

that needed to service the A Loan. 

Therefore, NMFS is increasing the Loan 

A fee rate to $0.024 per pound which 

NMFS has determined is sufficient to 

ensure timely loan repayment. The fee 

rate for Loan B will remain $0.001 per 

pound. 

Subsector members may continue to 

use Pay.gov to disburse collected fee 

deposits at: http://www.pay.gov/paygov/ 

. 

Please visit the NMFS website for 

additional information at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

funding-and-financial-services/longlinecatcher-processor-subsector-bering-seaand-aleutian-islands-non-pollock. 

Notice 

The new fee rate for the non-pollock 

groundfish fishery will begin on January 

1, 2021. 

From and after this date, all subsector 

members paying fees on the non-pollock 

groundfish fishery shall begin paying 

non-pollock groundfish fishery program 

fees at the revised rate. 

Fee collection and submission shall 

follow previously established methods 

in § 600.1013 of the framework rule and 

in the final fee rule published in the 

Federal Register on September 24, 2007 

(72 FR 54219). 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.; Pub. L. 

108–447. 

Dated: December 17, 2020. 

Brian T. Pawlak, 

Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative 

Officer, Director, Office of Management and 

Budget, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2020–28361 Filed 12–22–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[Docket No.: 200918–0249] 

RIN 0648–BJ52 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Critical Habitat for the Threatened 

Indo-Pacific Corals, Public Hearings 

and Extension of Public Comment 

Period 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public hearings, 

extension of comment period. 

SUMMARY: We, NMFS, will hold two 

public hearings related to our proposed 

rule to designate critical habitat for 

seven threatened corals in U.S. waters 

in the Indo-Pacific (Acropora globiceps, 

Acropora jacquelineae, Acropora retusa, 

Acropora speciosa, Euphyllia 

paradivisa, Isopora crateriformis, and 

Seriatopora aculeata) under the 

Endangered Species Act (ESA). We are 

also extending the public comment 

period for this proposed rule by 30 days 

to February 25, 2021. 

DATES: Public hearings on the proposed 

rule to designate critical habitat for the 

seven threatened Indo-Pacific corals 

will be held online on the following 

dates, during the early evening hours of 

the affected jurisdictions (Guam, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, American Samoa). Times are 

given in Chamorro Standard Time 

(GMT+10:00), Samoa Standard Time 

(GMT–11:00), and Hawaii Standard 

Time (GMT–10:00). 

• The first hearing is scheduled for 

the early evening in Guam and the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, from 4 to 7 p.m. Chamorro 

Standard Time on Wednesday, January 

20, 2021 (7 to 10 p.m. Samoa Standard 

Time on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, and 

8 to 11 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time on 

Tuesday, January 19, 2021). 

• The second hearing is scheduled for 

the early evening in American Samoa, 

from 4 to 7 p.m. Samoa Standard Time 

on Thursday, January 21, 2021 (1 to 4 

p.m. Chamorro Standard Time on 

Friday, January 22, 2021, and 5 to 8 p.m. 

Hawaii Standard Time on Thursday, 

January 21, 2021). 

Since the hearings will be held 

online, any member of the public can 

join by internet or phone regardless of 

location. Instructions for joining the 

hearings are provided under ADDRESSES

below. 

The proposed rule to designate 

critical habitat for the seven ESA-listed 

corals was issued on November 27, 2020 

(85 FR 76262), and provided for a public 

comment period to end on January 26, 

2021. The comment period is now 

extended 30 days and will close on 

February 25, 2021. Comments must be 

received by February 25, 2021, as 

specified under ADDRESSES. Comments 

received after this date may not be 

accepted. 

ADDRESSES: Both public hearings will be 

conducted as Webex meetings. You may 

join the Webex meetings using a web 

browser, the Webex desktop app (app 

installation required), a mobile app on 

a phone (app installation required), or 

audio-only using just a phone call, as 

specified below. 

• To join the first hearing, click on 

the link https://noaanmfs-meets.webex.

com/noaanmfs-meets/onstage/ 

g.php?MTID=ecfe01efe62d246f

452d3bf93c907008a Password: ‘‘coral’’. 

If you do not have internet access, you 

may join by phone: US Toll +1–415– 

527–5035 Access code: 199 477 7805 

• To join the second hearing, click on 

link https://noaanmfs-meets.webex.

com/noaanmfs-meets/onstage/ 

g.php?MTID=e616fdb7791f

ad92917495cd0002b23bd Password: 

‘‘coral’’. If you do not have internet 

access, you may join by phone: US Toll 

+1–415–527–5035 Access code: 199 394 

4864 

More information about the public 

hearings is provided under 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. You may 

submit comments verbally or in writing 

at the public hearings, or in writing by 

any of the following methods. 

Comments must be received by 

February 25, 2021: 

• Electronic Submissions: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=

NOAA-NMFS-2016-0131 click the 

‘‘Comment Now’’ icon, complete the 

required fields, and enter or attach your 

comments. 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES