Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 29, 2010 / Notices 81971 

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.), and the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216). 

On April 27, 2010 notice (80 FR 

22119) was published that NMML 

requests a 5-year permit to conduct 

research on marine mammals in the 

Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Southern 

Oceans to monitor cetaceans for 

scientific and management purposes. 

NMFS is in the midst of processing this 

request. Due to recent changes in 

narwhal distribution NMML now 

requests as part of this application to 

take narwhals during aerial and vessel 

surveys to document sightings in North 

Pacific and Arctic waters and monitor 

their status and trends. Up to 1,000 

animals would be taken annually by 

each survey platform for observation, 

monitoring, counts, photo-identification 

and photogrammetry. During vessel 

surveys researchers would 

opportunistically collect sloughed skin, 

fecal samples, and carcass remains. 

An environmental assessment is being 

prepared in compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) to examine 

whether significant environmental 

impacts could result from issuance of 

the proposed scientific research permit. 

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: December 22, 2010. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–32847 Filed 12–28–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA115 

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 Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Council) Highly 

Migratory Species Management Team 

(HMSMT) will hold a work session, 

which is open to the public. 

DATES: The HMSMT work session will 

begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 

January 19, 2011 and continue on 

Thursday, January 20, 2011, again 

beginning at 8:30 a.m. On both days the 

meeting will continue until business is 

completed. 

ADDRESSES: The work sessions will be 

held at the Large Conference Room, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Offices, 6010 Hidden 

Valley Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92011; 

telephone: (760) 431–9440. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Kit Dahl, Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (503) 820–2280. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

HMSMT will discuss two topics. First, 

they will discuss characterization of 

fisheries catching North Pacific albacore 

tuna in preparation for developing 

potential management responses to a 

new stock assessment due to be 

completed in 2011. Second, the 

HMSMT will discuss potential 

improvements for categorizing and 

reporting landings data for west coast 

fisheries catching HMS. Informational 

topics, such as an update on Marine 

Recreational Information Program 

funded projects on the west coast, may 

also be discussed, time permitting. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may be 

discussed, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during these 

meetings. Action will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

document and any issues arising after 

publication of this document 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 

The meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Ms. Carolyn Porter 

at (503) 820–2280 at least 5 days prior 

to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: December 22, 2010. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–32690 Filed 12–28–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA117 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Council to convene a public 

meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council will convene a 

meeting of the Standing, Special Spiny 

Lobster and Special Reef Fish Scientific 

and Statistical Committees. 

DATES: The meeting will convene at 1 

p.m. on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 and 

conclude by noon on Friday, January 21, 

2011. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite 

1100, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone: 

(813) 348–1630. 

Council address: Gulf of Mexico 

Fishery Management Council, 2203 N. 

Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 

33607. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 

Statistician; Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council; telephone: (813) 

348–1630. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Committee will meet to review several 

recently completed stock assessments 

and supplemental assessment analyses, 

and to recommend levels of acceptable 

biological catch. During the first day of 

the meeting, the Standing and Special 

Spiny Lobster Scientific and Statistical 

Committees will meet jointly to review 

a spiny lobster update assessment and 

make recommendations to the Council. 

The remainder of the meeting will be a 

joint meeting of the Standing and 

Special Reef Fish Scientific and 

Statistical Committee, which will begin 

upon completion of the spiny lobster 

portion of the meeting. The Committee 

will review draft terms of reference for 

a gray triggerfish update assessment and 

a vermilion snapper update assessment 

to be conducted in 2011. The Committee 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES