Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2021 / Notices 1481 

Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; 

phone: (843) 571–4366; 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 

66 South Atlantic Tilefish Assessment 

Webinar II are as follows: 

• Finalize any data discussions if 

needed 

• Continue discussion on base model 

configuration 

• Discuss proposed changes to model, 

sensitivity runs, and projections 

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 SAFMC 

office (see ADDRESSES) at least 10 

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: January 5, 2021. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00159 Filed 1–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA786] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 25417 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Ed 

Charles, Silverback Films, 1 St. 

Augustine’s Yard, Gaunts Lane, Bristol, 

BS1 5DE, United Kingdom, has applied 

in due form for a permit to conduct 

commercial or educational photography 

on marine mammals. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

February 8, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: These documents are 

available upon written request via email 

to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 25417 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jordan Rutland or Shasta McClenahan, 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested under the 

authority of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended 

(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the 

regulations governing the taking of 

marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), and 

the Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended 

(16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.). 

The applicant proposes to film marine 

mammals in California to obtain footage 

for a Netflix documentary series on the 

migration of gray whales (Eschrichtius 

robustus). Up to 600 gray whales, 672 

killer whales (Orcinus orca), 200 harbor 

seals (Phoca vitulina), 1,000 California 

sea lions (Zalophus californianus), 

1,000 Pacific white-sided dolphins 

(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), 2,000 

common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops 

truncatus), 10 northern fur seals 

(Callorhinus ursinus), 150 Dall’s 

porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli), 2,000 

short-beaked common dolphins 

(Delphinus delphis), 1,000 long-beaked 

common dolphins (D. capensis), 1,000 

northern right whale dolphins 

(Lissodelphis borealis), 1,000 Risso’s 

dolphins (Grampus griseus), and 30 

Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus; 

Eastern distinct population segment) 

may be filmed annually from vessels, 

unmanned aircraft systems, or 

underwater divers. The permit would 

expire on May 20, 2022. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: January 5, 2021. 

Julia Marie Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00177 Filed 1–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA776] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with NOTICES
1482 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2021 / Notices 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council, NEFMC) 

will hold a three-day meeting to 

consider actions affecting New England 

fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 

(EEZ). Due to federal and state travel 

restrictions and updated guidance from 

the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention related to COVID–19, this 

meeting will be conducted entirely by 

webinar. 

DATES: The webinar meeting will be 

held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and 

Thursday, January 26, January 27, and 

January 28, 2021, beginning at 9 a.m. 

each day. The first day will start off 

with a meeting of the Council’s 

Groundfish Committee. When the 

committee concludes its business and 

adjourns, the full Council will convene 

its January 2021 meeting. 

ADDRESSES: All meeting participants 

and interested parties can register to 

join the webinar at https://

attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/ 

2437948643327117067. The Council 

will use this same webinar link for both 

the Groundfish Committee meeting and 

the full Council meeting. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492; 

www.nefmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492, ext. 

113. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 

The day will begin with a meeting of 

the Council’s Groundfish Committee, 

which will: (1) Receive the Groundfish 

Advisory Panel’s latest report; (2) 

discuss and vote on the last component 

of Framework Adjustment 61—a 

proposed universal sector exemption to 

allow fishing for redfish; (3) receive the 

Recreational Advisory Panel’s latest 

report; (4) discuss and develop 

recommendations on fishing year 2021 

recreational measures for Gulf of Maine 

cod and Gulf of Maine haddock; (5) 

receive a summary of public feedback 

on developing a strawman proposal for 

a potential limited entry program for 

party/charter vessels in the recreational 

groundfish fishery plus discuss the 

proposal and next steps; (6) receive an 

update on work to revise acceptable 

biological catch (ABC) control rules for 

groundfish stocks; (7) receive an update 

on Cod Stock Structure Working 

Groups; and (8) discuss other business 

as needed. 

Following the lunch break, the 

Groundfish Committee will continue to 

work through its agenda. Immediately 

after the committee adjourns, the full 

Council will convene to discuss the 

Groundfish Committee Report and: (1) 

Take final action on a universal sector 

exemption to allow fishing for redfish, 

which is part of Framework Adjustment 

61 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP), and vote to 

submit the framework to NMFS; and (2) 

take action on any other issues resulting 

from Groundfish Committee 

recommendations. After this discussion, 

the Council will adjourn for the day. 

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 

After introductions and brief 

announcements, the Council will 

receive reports on recent activities from 

its Chairman and Executive Director, 

NMFS’s Greater Atlantic Regional 

Fisheries Office (GARFO) Regional 

Administrator, the Northeast Fisheries 

Science Center (NEFSC) Director, the 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council liaison, staff from the Atlantic 

States Marine Fisheries Commission 

(ASMFC), and representatives from 

NOAA General Counsel, NOAA’s Office 

of Law Enforcement, the U.S. Coast 

Guard, and NMFS’s Highly Migratory 

Species Advisory Panel. Next, the 

Council will hear from the Scallop 

Committee and receive a brief overview 

of 2020 Gulf of Maine scallop survey 

results. Then, the Council will take final 

action on Framework Adjustment 33 to 

the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP, which 

contains 2021 fishery specifications, 

2020 default specifications, measures to 

mitigate impacts on Georges Bank 

yellowtail flounder and northern 

windowpane flounder, plus other 

measures. Finally, the Council may 

discuss adding listening or scoping 

sessions for a limited access leasing 

program to its list of 2021 scallop 

priorities. If it does so, the Council also 

may consider deleting a previously 

approved scallop priority in exchange. 

Following the lunch break, the 

Council will receive a brief EcosystemBased Fishery Management (EBFM) 

progress report on steps needed to 

conduct informational workshops about 

EBFM using public outreach materials, 

focusing on potential application to a 

Georges Bank example Fishery 

Ecosystem Plan (eFEP). The Council 

then will hear from NEFSC’s Northeast 

Fishery Monitoring and Research 

Division, which will provide an 

overview of (1) current division 

organization; (2) the status of ongoing 

responsibilities; (3) at-sea monitoring 

and observer program activities, funding 

status, and impacts due to COVID–19; 

and (4) a cooperative research update. 

Next, the Council will receive a 

presentation on the Science Center’s 

cost survey for commercial fishing 

businesses, including: (1) An overview 

of survey methods and data collected to 

date; (2) a discussion on challenges and 

opportunities; and (3) efforts to solicit 

industry feedback while planning for 

next cost survey. The Council will close 

out the day with a report on the 

Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel’s 

January 14, 2021 meeting. 

Thursday, January 28, 2021 

The Council will begin the third day 

of its meeting with a NEFSC 

presentation on the peer reviewed 

results of the Index-Based Methods and 

Control Rules 2020 Research Track 

Assessment. Next, the Council will 

discuss small-mesh Northeast 

multispecies (whiting). First, the 

Council will take final action on smallmesh multispecies specifications for the 

2021–23 fishing years. Second, the 

Council may discuss adding a 2021 

whiting priority to (1) analyze factors for 

why the northern whiting fishery is not 

achieving optimum yield (OY), and (2) 

recommend measures to allow greater 

resource utilization. The Council also 

may consider deleting a previously 

approved whiting priority in exchange 

for adding a new one if it takes action. 

Following this discussion, members of 

the public will have the opportunity to 

speak during an open comment period 

on issues that relate to Council business 

but are not included on the published 

agenda for this meeting. The Council 

asks the public to limit remarks to 3–5 

minutes. These comments will be 

received through the webinar. A guide 

for how to publicly comment through 

the webinar is available on the Council 

website at https://s3.amazonaws.com/ 

nefmc.org/NEFMC-meeting-remoteparticipation_generic.pdf. Next, the 

Council will receive a brief update on 

offshore energy development and 

ongoing/future habitat-related work and 

priorities. This will be followed by a 

presentation from NOAA’s Greater 

Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office on 

North Atlantic right whales. The 

presentation will cover: (1) The Atlantic 

Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 

and proposed rule; and (2) the Draft 

Batched Biological Opinion for right 

whales covering 10 fisheries. The 

Council will have an opportunity to ask 

questions and offer comments on these 

items. The Council then will take up 

other business, which is when it will 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2021 / Notices 1483 

briefly discuss and approve a draft letter 

to NMFS supporting the investigation of 

using vessel monitoring system (VMS) 

notifications rather than Federal 

Register notices to announce area 

closures for the Atlantic herring fishery. 

The Council also will discuss other 

business as needed. Finally, the Council 

will close out the open portion of its 

meeting and go into closed session to 

discuss 2021–23 appointments to the 

Scientific and Statistical Committee. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained on this agenda may come 

before the Council for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Council 

action will be restricted to those issues 

specifically listed in this notice and any 

issues arising after publication of this 

notice that require emergency action 

under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act, provided the public 

has been notified of the Council’s intent 

to take final action to address the 

emergency. The public also should be 

aware that the meeting will be recorded. 

Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy 

of the recording is available upon 

request. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is being conducted 

entirely by webinar. Requests for 

auxiliary aids should be directed to 

Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least 

5 days prior to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: January 5, 2021. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00160 Filed 1–7–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA735] 

Taking and Importing Marine 

Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 

Incidental to Training Activities in the 

Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime 

Activities Area 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for 

a Letter of Authorization; request for 

comments and information. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request 

from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for 

authorization to take marine mammals 

incidental to training activities in the 

Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Temporary 

Maritime Activities Area (TMAA) Study 

Area for a period of seven years, from 

April 2022 through April 2029. 

Pursuant to regulations implementing 

the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt 

of the Navy’s request for the 

development and implementation of 

regulations governing the incidental 

taking of marine mammals. NMFS 

invites the public to provide 

information, suggestions, and comments 

on the Navy’s application and request. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received no later than January 29, 

2021. 

ADDRESSES: Comments on the 

applications should be addressed to 

Jolie Harrison, Chief, Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. Comments should be 

sent to ITP.Davis@noaa.gov. 

Instructions: NMFS is not responsible 

for comments sent by any other method, 

to any other address or individual, or 

received after the end of the comment 

period. Comments received 

electronically, including all 

attachments, must not exceed a 25- 

megabyte file size. Attachments to 

electronic comments will be accepted in 

Microsoft Word or Excel or Adobe PDF 

file formats only. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted online at 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ 

national/marine-mammal-protection/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-militaryreadiness-activities without change. All 

personal identifying information (e.g., 

name, address) voluntarily submitted by 

the commenter may be publicly 

accessible. Do not submit confidential 

business information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Leah Davis, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. An 

electronic copy of the Navy’s 

application may be obtained online at: 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ 

national/marine-mammal-protection/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-militaryreadiness-activities. In case of problems 

accessing these documents, please call 

the contact listed above. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the 

MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct 

the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated 

to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the 

incidental, but not intentional, taking of 

marine mammals by U.S. citizens who 

engage in a specified activity (other than 

commercial fishing) within a specified 

geographical region if certain findings 

are made and either regulations are 

issued or, if the taking is limited to 

harassment, a notice of a proposed 

authorization is provided to the public 

for review. 

An authorization for incidental 

takings shall be granted if NMFS finds 

that the taking will have a negligible 

impact on the species or stock(s), will 

not have an unmitigable adverse impact 

on the availability of the species or 

stock(s) for subsistence uses (where 

relevant), and if the permissible 

methods of taking and requirements 

pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring 

and reporting of such takings are set 

forth. 

NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible 

impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as ‘‘. . . an 

impact resulting from the specified 

activity that cannot be reasonably 

expected to, and is not reasonably likely 

to, adversely affect the species or stock 

through effects on annual rates of 

recruitment or survival.’’ 

The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ 

means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or 

attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill 

any marine mammal. 

Except with respect to certain 

activities not pertinent here, the MMPA 

defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: Any act of 

pursuit, torment, or annoyance, which 

(i) has the potential to injure a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has 

the potential to disturb a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild by causing disruption of behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering (Level B 

harassment). 

The National Defense Authorization 

Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2004 (Pub. 

L. 108–136) removed the ‘‘small 

numbers’’ and ‘‘specified geographical 

region’’ limitations and amended the 

definition of ‘‘harassment’’ as it applies 

to a ‘‘military readiness activity’’ to read 

as follows (Section 3(18)(B) of the 

MMPA): (i) Any act that injures or has 

the significant potential to injure a 

marine mammal or marine mammal 

stock in the wild (Level A Harassment); 

or (ii) Any act that disturbs or is likely 

to disturb a marine mammal or marine 

mammal stock in the wild by causing 

disruption of natural behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, surfacing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering, to a point where 

such behavioral patterns are abandoned 

or significantly altered (Level B 

Harassment). On August 13, 2018, the 


tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with NOTICES