Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 36 / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / Notices 8309 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.) and in 

a biological opinion prepared pursuant 

to the ESA in October 2009 on this 

modification. The proposed permit 

would have no additional impact to the 

human environment or effects on 

threatened or endangered species 

beyond those analyzed in these 

documents. NMFS now reviews the 

remaining requirements to issue a 

permit to take CNP humpback whales 

incidental to the Hawaii-based longline 

fisheries. 

Recovery Plan. The recovery plan for 

humpback whales was completed and 

in place in 1991. This plan has guided 

ESA recovery efforts for humpback 

whales globally since that time. 

Accordingly, the requirement to have a 

recovery plan in place or being 

developed is satisfied. 

Vessel Registration. MMPA section 

118(c)(5)(A) provides that registration of 

vessels in fisheries should, after 

appropriate consultations, be integrated 

and coordinated to the maximum extent 

feasible with existing fisher licenses, 

registrations, and related programs. 

Participants in the Hawaii-based 

longline fisheries are required to hold a 

permit under 50 CFR 665.21. The 

MMPA registration program has been 

integrated in this permitting system for 

the Hawaii-based longline fisheries. 

Accordingly, vessels in the fisheries are 

registered in accordance with MMPA 

section 118. 

Monitoring Program. As noted above, 

the Hawaii-based longline fisheries have 

been observed since the early 1990s. 

Current levels of observer coverage in 

the deep-set fishery (20 percent or 

higher) are adequate to produce reliable 

estimates; mandatory observer coverage 

in the shallow-set fishery is 100%. 

Accordingly, as required by MMPA 

section 118, a monitoring program is in 

place. 

Take Reduction Plan (TRP). Subject to 

available funding, MMPA section 118 

requires a TRP in cases where a strategic 

stock interacts with a Category I or II 

fishery. The CNP stock of humpback 

whales is considered a strategic stock 

under the MMPA because humpback 

whales are listed under the ESA. This 

strategic stock interacts with the 

Category I and II Hawaii-based longline 

fisheries. Currently, there is no TRP for 

the CNP stock of humpback whales. The 

short- and long-term goals of a TRP are 

to reduce mortality and serious injury of 

marine mammals incidental to 

commercial fishing. However, the 

obligations to develop and implement a 

TRP are subject to the availability of 

funding. MMPA section 118(f)(3) (16 

U.S.C. 1387(f)(3)) contains specific 

priorities for developing TRPs. 

NMFS has insufficient funding 

available to simultaneously develop and 

implement a TRP for all stocks that 

interact with Category I or Category II 

fisheries. Most recently in March of 

2009, NMFS considered multiple 

quantitative and qualitative factors to 

indentify its priorities for establishing 

take reduction teams (TRTs) and 

collecting data. As provided in MMPA 

section 118(f)(6)(A) and (f)(7), NMFS 

used the most recent stock assessment 

reports (SARs) and List of Fisheries 

(LOF) as the basis to determine its 

priorities for establishing TRTs and 

developing TRPs. Through this 

evaluative process, the CNP stock of 

humpback whale was rated as ‘‘low’’ 

priority for establishing a TRT. Indeed, 

observer reports since 1994 indicate that 

there have been zero serious injuries or 

mortalities of a CNP humpback whale in 

the Hawaii-based deep-set longline 

fishery, and only one serious injury (and 

no mortalities) of a CNP humpback 

whale in the Hawaii-based shallow-set 

longline fishery. Accordingly, given 

these factors and NMFS’ prioritization 

process, a TRP will be deferred under 

section 118 as other stocks have a higher 

priority for any available funding for 

establishing new TRPs . 

As noted in the summary above, all of 

the requirements to issue a permit to the 

Hawaii-based longline fisheries have 

been satisfied. Accordingly, NMFS 

proposes to issue a permit to the 

Hawaii-based deep- and shallow-set 

longline fisheries for the taking CNP 

humpback whales incidental to the 

fisheries’ operations. Taking of these 

whales in the deep-set fishery would be 

limited to non-lethal taking only 

(harassment and injury). Taking of these 

whales in the shallow-set fishery would 

include non-lethal taking and up to one 

lethal (serious injury or mortality) take 

per year in the shallow-set fishery. 

NMFS solicits public comments on the 

proposed permit and the preliminary 

determinations supporting the permit. 

References 

Allen, B.M. and R.P. Angliss, R.P. 

2009. Draft Alaska Marine Mammal 

Stock Assessments, 2009. U.S. 

Department of Commerce, National 

Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska 

Fisheries Science Center. 

Barlow, J., S. Swartz, T. Eagle and P. 

Wade. 1995. U.S. Marine Mammal Stock 

Assessments: Guidelines for 

Preparation, Background, and a 

Summary of the 1995 Assessments. U.S. 

Department of Commerce, NOAA-TMNMFS-SWFSC–219. 

Carretta, J.V., K.A. Forney, Lowry, 

M.S., Barlow, J., Baker, J., Johnston, D., 

Hanson, B., Brownell Jr., R.L., Robbins, 

J., Mattila, D.K., Ralls, K., Muto, 

M.M.,Lynch, D., and L. Carswell. 2009. 

Draft U.S. Pacific Marine Mammal Stock 

Assessments: 2009. Department of 

Commerce, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, Southwest Fisheries Science 

Center. 

Forney, K.A. 2009. Draft Serious 

injury determinations for cetaceans 

caught in Hawaii longline fisheries 

during 1994–2008. Working paper 

reviewed by the Pacific Scientific 

Review Group (PSRG–2009–9). 

Wade, P. R. 1998. Calculating limits to 

the allowable human-caused mortality 

of cetaceans and pinnipeds. Mar. 

Mamm. Sci., 14(1): 1–37. 

Wade, P.R. and R. P. Angliss. 1997. 

Guidelines for assessing marine 

mammal stocks: report of the GAMMS 

workshop, April 3–5, 1996, Seattle, 

Washington. NOAA-TM-NMFS-OPR– 

12. 

Western Pacific Regional Fishery 

Management Council (WPFMC), 2008. 

Management Modifications for 

theHawaii-based Shallow-set Longline 

Swordfish Fishery: Proposal to Remove 

Effort Limit, Eliminate Set Certificate 

Program, and Implement New Sea 

Turtle Interaction Caps. Draft 

Amendment 18 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Pelagic Fisheries 

of the Western Pacific Region Including 

a Draft Supplemental Environmental 

Impact Statement. August 12, 2008. 

Dated: February 19, 2010. 

Helen M. Golde, 

Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–3746 Filed 2–23–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

TIME AND DATE: Wednesday, February 24, 

2010, 2 p.m.–4 p.m. 

PLACE: Hearing Room 420, Bethesda 

Towers, 4330 East West Highway, 

Bethesda, Maryland. 

STATUS: Closed to the Public. 

MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: 

Compliance Weekly/Monthly Report— 

Commission Briefing 

The staff will brief the Commission on 

various compliance matters. 

For a recorded message containing the 

latest agenda information, call (301) 

504–7948. 


pwalker on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES
8310 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 36 / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / Notices 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Todd A. Stevenson, Office of the 

Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product 

Safety Commission, 4330 East West 

Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. (301) 

504–7923. 

Dated: February 16, 2010. 

Todd A. Stevenson, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2010–3515 Filed 2–23–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6355–01–M 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Office of the Secretary 

Defense Acquisition University (DAU) 

Board of Visitors (BoV) Meeting 

AGENCY: Defense Acquisition 

University, DoD. 

ACTION: Meeting notice. 

SUMMARY: The next meeting of the 

Defense Acquisition University (DAU) 

Board of Visitors (BoV) will be held at 

DAU Headquarters at Fort Belvoir, 

Virginia. The purpose of this meeting is 

to report back to the BoV on continuing 

items of interest. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

February 24, 2010, from 1100 to 1300. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

9820 Belvoir Road, Fort Belvoir, 

Virginia 22060. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christen Goulding at 703–805–5134. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Due to the 

inclement weather in Washington, DC, 

the Government was unable to process 

the Federal Register notice for the 

Defense Acquisition University Board of 

Visitors’ February 24, 2010, meeting as 

required by 41 CFR 102–3.150(a). 

Accordingly, the Committee 

Management Officer for the Department 

of Defense, pursuant to 41 CFR 102– 

3.150(b), waives the 15-calendar day 

notification requirement. 

The meeting is open to the public; 

however, because of space limitations, 

allocation of seating will be made on a 

first-come, first served basis. Persons 

desiring to attend the meeting should 

contact Ms. Christen Goulding (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 

Dated: February 16, 2010. 

Mitchell S. Bryman, 

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison 

Officer, Department of Defense. 

[FR Doc. 2010–3378 Filed 2–23–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 5001–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Office of the Secretary 

Federal Advisory Committee; 

Transformation Advisory Group; 

Closed Meeting 

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). 

ACTION: Notice of advisory committee 

closed meeting. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 

U.S.C. App 2, Section 1), the Sunshine 

in the Government Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 

552b), and 41 CFR 102–3.150, the 

Department of Defense announces that 

the Transformation Advisory Group will 

hold a closed meeting on March 11, 

2010. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

March 11, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Admiral Gooding Center, 

Washington Navy Yard, 1244 Patterson 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20374. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Steven D. Behel, Designated Federal 

Officer, (757) 836–5365, 1562 Mitscher 

Ave., Suite 200, Norfolk, VA 23551– 

2488, steven.behel@jfcom.mil or Mr. 

Floyd March, Joint Staff, (703) 697– 

0610. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose of the Meeting 

The purpose of the meeting is to 

inform a strategic concept that links 

ends, ways, and means in a manner that 

will allow the US military to operate 

effectively in a future operating 

environment that is potentially resource 

constrained. 

Agenda 

Meeting topics include: Joint 

Operating Environment, Quadrennial 

Defense Review, and challenges related 

to a resourced-constrained future 

operating environment. 

Meeting Accessibility 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, and 41 CFR 

102–3.155, the Department of Defense 

has determined that the meeting shall be 

closed to the public. Per delegated 

authority by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs 

of Staff, LTG Keith M. Huber, Deputy 

Commander, U.S. Joint Forces 

Command in consultation with his legal 

advisor, has determined in writing that 

the public interest requires that all 

sessions of this meeting be closed to the 

public because they will be concerned 

with matters listed in section 552b(c)(1) 

of Title 5, U.S.C. 

Written Statements 

Pursuant to 41 CFR 102–3.105(j) and 

102–3.140, the public or interested 

organizations may submit written 

statements to the membership of the 

Transformation Advisory Group at any 

time or in response to the stated agenda 

of a planned meeting. Written 

statements should be submitted to the 

Transformation Advisory Group’s 

Designated Federal Officer; the 

Designated Federal Officer’s contact 

information can be obtained from the 

GSA’s FACA Database—https:// 

www.fido.gov/facadatabase/public.asp. 

Written statements that do not pertain 

to a scheduled meeting of the 

Transformation Advisory Group may be 

submitted at any time. However, if 

individual comments pertain to a 

specific topic being discussed at a 

planned meeting then these statements 

must be submitted no later than 14 

business days prior to the meeting in 

question. The Designated Federal 

Officer will review all submitted written 

statements and provide copies to all the 

committee members. 

Dated: February 16, 2010. 

Mitchell S. Bryman, 

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison 

Officer, Department of Defense. 

[FR Doc. 2010–3668 Filed 2–23–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 5001–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Office of the Secretary 

Federal Advisory Committee; Military 

Leadership Diversity Commission 

(MLDC); Meetings 

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary of 

Defense for Personnel and Readiness, 

DoD. 

ACTION: Meeting notice. 

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act of 

1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), 

the Government in the Sunshine Act of 

1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 

41 CFR 102–3.150, the Department of 

Defense announces that the Military 

Leadership Diversity Commission 

(MLDC) will meet March 16 to 18, 2010. 

Subject to the availability of space, the 

March 17 and 18 meetings are open to 

the public. The March 16 meeting is 

closed to the public. 

DATES: The meetings will be held: 

March 16, 2010, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

(closed Administrative Working 

Meeting); March 17, 2010, from 8 a.m. 

to 5:30 p.m. (open); and March 18, 2010, 

from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (open). 


pwalker on DSK8KYBLC1PROD with NOTICES