2648 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2021 / Notices 

obtained incidental to commercial 

fisheries, animals taken for subsistence 

purposes, biopsies, and animals from 

unusual mortality events through two 

projects, the Marine Mammal Health 

and Stranding Response Program 

(MMHSRP) and the Alaska Marine 

Mammal Tissue Archival Project 

(AMMTAP). 

The purposes of this collection of 

information are: (1) To enable NOAA to 

allow the scientific community the 

opportunity to request tissue specimen 

samples from the NMMTB and, (2) to 

enable the Marine Mammal Health and 

Stranding Response Program 

(MMHSRP) of NOAA to assemble 

information on all specimens submitted 

to the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology’s Biorepository (NIST 

Biorepository), which includes the 

NMMTB. 

This request is for revision and 

extension of a current information 

collection. Most revisions were 

grammatical. However, two changes 

were made to data fields in order to 

streamline data collection. Specifically, 

instead of relying on a ‘‘please specify’’ 

text field, more checkbox options have 

been added to the ‘‘collection type’’ 

field, and the ‘‘method used to age’’ 

field on the National Marine Mammal 

Tissue Bank Form. No changes have 

been made to the National Marine 

Mammal Tissue Bank Tissue Request 

Form. 

II. Method of Collection 

Respondents must complete a 

specimen banking information sheet for 

every sample submitted to the Bank. 

Methods of submitting reports include 

internet, mail and facsimile 

transmission of paper forms. Those 

requesting samples send the 

information, and their research findings, 

mainly via email. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0468. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(Revision and extension of a current 

information collection). 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; Business or other for-profit 

organizations; Not-for-profit 

institutions; State, Local, or Tribal 

government; Federal government. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

100 specimen submission forms (from 

∼20 different organizations); 5 requests 

for tissue samples. 

Estimated Time Per Response: 

Request for tissue sample, 2 hours. 

Specimen submission form, 45 minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 85. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $152. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. 

Legal Authority: Under 16 U.S.C. 

1421f section 407(d)(1) of the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act, the NMFS 

must establish criteria for access to 

marine mammal tissues in the NMMTB 

and make those available for public 

comment and review. 

IV. Request for Comments 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) 

Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper functions of the Department, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the 

accuracy of our estimate of the time and 

cost burden for this proposed collection, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; and (d) Minimize the 

reporting burden on those who are to 

respond, including the use of automated 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. We will include or 

summarize each comment in our request 

to OMB to approve this ICR. Before 

including your address, phone number, 

email address, or other personal 

identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you may ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Sheleen Dumas, 

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of 

the Chief Information Officer, Commerce 

Department. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00554 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA747] 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Initiation of a 5-Year Review for the 

Beringia and Okhotsk Distinct 

Population Segments of the Bearded 

Seal 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year 

review; request for information. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces its intent to 

conduct a 5-year review of the 

threatened Beringia and Okhotsk 

distinct population segments (DPSs) of 

the Pacific bearded seal subspecies 

Erignathus barbatus nauticus. NMFS is 

required by the Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) to conduct 5-year reviews to 

ensure that listing classifications of 

species are accurate. The 5-year review 

must be based on the best scientific and 

commercial data available at the time of 

the review. We request submission of 

any such information on these bearded 

seal DPSs, particularly information on 

their status, threats, and recovery, that 

has become available since their listing 

on December 28, 2012. 

DATES: To allow us adequate time to 

conduct this review, we must receive 

your information no later than March 

26, 2021. However, we will continue to 

accept new information about any listed 

species at any time. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your information, 

identified by docket number NOAA– 

NMFS–2020–0030, by either of the 

following methods: 

• Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, 

enter the above docket number for this 

notice. Then, click on the Search icon. 

On the resulting web page, click the 

‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the 

required fields, and enter or attach your 

comments. 

• Mail: Submit written information to 

Jon Kurland, Assistant Regional 

Administrator for Protected Resources, 

Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Records 

Office. Mail comments to P.O. Box 

21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668. 

Instructions: NMFS may not consider 

comments if they are sent by any other 

method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the 

comment period ends. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and NMFS will post the comments for 

public viewing on www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender is 

publicly accessible. NMFS will accept 

anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in 

the required fields if you wish to remain 

anonymous). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Tammy Olson, NMFS Alaska Region, 

907–271–2373, tammy.olson@noaa.gov. 

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2021 / Notices 2649 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires that we 

conduct a review of listed species at 

least once every 5 years. The regulations 

in 50 CFR 424.21 require that we 

publish a notice in the Federal Register 

announcing species currently under 

active review. On the basis of such 

reviews, under section 4(c)(2)(B) we 

determine whether a listed species 

should be delisted, or reclassified from 

endangered to threatened or from 

threatened to endangered (16 U.S.C. 

1533(c)(2)(B)). As described by the 

regulations in 50 CFR 424.11(e), the 

Secretary shall delist a species if the 

Secretary finds that, after conducting a 

status review based on the best 

scientific and commercial data 

available: (1) The species is extinct; (2) 

the species does not meet the definition 

of an endangered species or a threatened 

species; or (3) the listed entity does not 

meet the statutory definition of a 

species. Any change in Federal 

classification would require a separate 

rulemaking process. 

The Beringia and Okhotsk DPSs of the 

bearded seal were listed as threatened 

under the ESA on December 28, 2012 

(77 FR 76740). Background information 

on these bearded seal DPSs is available 

on the NMFS website at: http://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/ 

bearded-seal. 

Determining if a Species Is Threatened 

or Endangered 

Section 4(a)(1) of the ESA requires 

that we determine whether a species is 

endangered or threatened based on one 

or more of the five following factors: (1) 

The present or threatened destruction, 

modification, or curtailment of its 

habitat or range; (2) overutilization for 

commercial, recreational, scientific, or 

educational purposes; (3) disease or 

predation; (4) the inadequacy of existing 

regulatory mechanisms; or (5) other 

natural or manmade factors affecting its 

continued existence. Section 4(b) also 

requires that our determination be made 

on the basis of the best scientific and 

commercial data available after 

conducting a review of the status of the 

species and after taking into account 

those efforts, if any, being made by any 

State or foreign nation to protect such 

species. 

Public Solicitation of New Relevant 

Information 

To ensure that the 5-year review is 

complete and based on the best 

scientific and commercial data 

available, we are soliciting new 

information from the public, 

governmental agencies, Tribes, the 

scientific community, industry, 

environmental entities, and any other 

interested parties concerning the status 

of the listed bearded seal DPSs. 

Categories of requested information 

include: (1) Species biology including, 

but not limited to, population trends, 

distribution, abundance, demographics, 

and genetics; (2) habitat conditions 

including, but not limited to, amount, 

distribution, and important features for 

conservation; (3) status and trends of 

threats; (4) conservation measures that 

have been implemented that benefit the 

species, including monitoring data 

demonstrating effectiveness of such 

measures; (5) need for additional 

conservation measures; and (6) other 

new information, data, or corrections 

including, but not limited to, taxonomic 

or nomenclatural changes and improved 

analytical methods for evaluating 

extinction risk. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. 

Dated: January 7, 2021. 

Angela Somma, 

Chief, Endangered Species Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00500 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XA792] 

Fisheries of the U.S. Caribbean; 

Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 80 Life History 

Topical Working Group Data Scoping 

webinar for U.S. Caribbean Queen 

Triggerfish. 

SUMMARY: The SEDAR 80 stock 

assessment of U.S. Caribbean queen 

triggerfish will consist of a series of data 

webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

DATES: The SEDAR 80 Life History 

Topical Working Group Data Scoping 

webinar will be held on February 10, 

2021, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting address: The 

meeting will be held via webinar. The 

webinar is open to members of the 

public. Those interested in participating 

should contact Julie A. Neer at SEDAR 

(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) 

to request an invitation providing 

webinar access information. Please 

request webinar invitations at least 24 

hours in advance of each webinar. 

SEDAR address: 4055 Faber Place 

Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 

29405. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator; (843) 571– 

4366; email: Julie.neer@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 multistep process including: (1) Data 

Workshop; (2) Assessment Process 

utilizing webinars; and (3) Review 

Workshop. The product of the Data 

Workshop is a data report that 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 that 

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, 

HMS 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 

NGO’s; International experts; and staff 

of Councils, Commissions, and state and 

federal agencies. 

The items of discussion in the Data 

Scoping webinar are as follows: 

• Participants will discuss what life 

history data may be available for use in 

the assessment of U.S. Caribbean Queen 

Triggerfish. 

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