5642 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 19 / Friday, January 30, 2009 / Notices 

resources to effectively inform 

management. FBNMS, in conjunction 

with Territorial and Federal agencies as 

well as other entities, will work to 

resolve these needs. 

Spill Prevention, Contingency 

Planning and Response—The risk from 

vessel traffic and other hazards is a 

significant threat to marine resources. 

The potential for a catastrophic oil spill 

remains a primary concern and while 

advances in maritime safety have been 

made since the sanctuary was 

designated, better coordination is 

needed for response to these threats. Oil 

spills cause immediate and potentially 

long term harm to marine resources as 

well as socioeconomic impacts to 

coastal communities. 

Climate Change—Climate change is 

widely acknowledged, yet there is 

considerable uncertainty about current 

and future consequences at local, 

ecosystem, and oceanic scales. 

Increased coordination and cooperation 

among resource management agencies is 

required to improve planning, 

monitoring, and adaptive management 

to address this phenomenon. 

Ocean Literacy—Enhancing the 

public’s awareness and appreciation of 

marine, socio-economic, and cultural 

resources is a cornerstone of the 

Sanctuary’s mission. Management Plan 

Review could offer opportunities for the 

Sanctuary, in conjunction with the 

American Samoa Community College 

and other entities, to expand 

educational contributions and reach a 

larger audience. 

Marine Debris—Coastal marine debris 

is a persistent and poorly diagnosed 

problem within the sanctuary that 

negatively impacts natural and 

socioeconomic resources and qualities. 

Site Expansion—The Office of 

National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), 

under the authority of the National 

Marine Sanctuaries Act, has the ability 

to develop protections for special areas 

of the marine environment, including 

those found in federal waters. Any 

possible expansion of the ONMS 

activities, such as the expansion of the 

Sanctuary to include the newly 

designated Rose Atoll Marine National 

Monument, could supplement and 

compliment existing MPA initiatives in 

the Territory. Working cooperatively 

with partner agencies, will allow all 

parties to leverage resources and find 

the best solutions to protecting the 

marine resources of the Territory. 

Condition Report 

In preparation for management plan 

review, NOAA produced a Fagatele Bay 

National Marine Sanctuary Condition 

Report in 2007. The Condition Report 

provides a summary of resources in 

FBNMS, pressures on those resources, 

the current condition and trends, and 

management responses to the pressures 

that threaten the integrity of the marine 

environment. Specifically, the 

Condition Report includes information 

on the status and trends of water 

quality, habitat, living resources, and 

maritime archaeological resources and 

the human activities that affect them. 

The report serves as a supporting 

document for the Management Plan 

Review Process to inform constituents 

who desire to participate in that 

process. 

In addition, a State of the Sanctuary 

Report was completed for 2002–2003. 

This report outlines major 

accomplishments and highlights 

specific management plan activities. An 

update covering accomplishments from 

2003–2008 has also been created. The 

condition report, State of the Sanctuary 

Report and the 2003–2008 Update are 

available to the general public in 

advance of scoping meetings and on the 

internet at: http://fagatelebay.noaa.gov/ 

html/management_plan.html. 

Scoping Comments 

Scoping meetings provide an 

opportunity to make direct comments to 

NOAA on the management of the 

sanctuary’s natural and cultural 

resources, including administrative 

programs. We encourage the public to 

participate and welcome any comments 

related to the sanctuary. In particular, 

we are interested in hearing about the 

public’s view on: 

• The Sanctuary’s potential 

management priorities for the next five 

to ten years; 

• Effectiveness of the existing 

management plan in protecting 

sanctuary resources; 

• Sanctuary programs, activities and 

needs, including but not limited to 

resource protection programs, research 

and monitoring programs, education, 

volunteer, and outreach programs; 

• Implementation of regulations and 

permits; 

• Adequacy of existing boundaries to 

protect sanctuary resources; 

• Assessment of the existing 

operational and administrative 

framework (staffing, offices, vessels, 

etc.). 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. Section 1431 et seq. 

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 

Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program) 

Dated: January 26, 2009. 

Daniel J. Basta, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries. 

[FR Doc. E9–2092 Filed 1–29–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XM63 

Magnuson–Stevens Act Provisions; 

General Provisions for Domestic 

Fisheries; Application for Exempted 

Fishing Permit 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notification of a proposal to 

conduct exempted fishing; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Regional 

Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 

Northeast Region, NMFS (Assistant 

Regional Administrator), has made a 

preliminary determination that the 

subject exempted fishing permit (EFP) 

application submitted by the Gulf of 

Maine Research Institute (GMRI), which 

would exempt participating vessels 

from Scallop gear restrictions, 

possession restrictions, Great South 

Channel (GSC) Southern New England 

(SNE)/Georges Bank (GB) Yellowtail 

Flounder Peak Spawning Closure 

restrictions, and GSC Cape Cod (CC)/ 

Gulf of Maine (GOM) Yellowtail 

Flounder Peak Spawning Closure 

restrictions, should be issued for public 

comment. The Assistant Regional 

Administrator has also made a 

preliminary determination that the 

activities authorized under the EFP 

would be consistent with the goals and 

objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop 

Fishery Management Plan (FMP), the 

Northeast Multispecies FMP, and other 

Northeast Regional FMPs. However, 

further review and consultation may be 

necessary before a final determination is 

made. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 17, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted by e–mail. The mailbox 

address for providing e–mail comments 

is scallop.efp.gmri@noaa.gov. Include in 

the subject line of the e–mail comment 

the following document identifier: 

‘‘Comments on twine–top EFP.’’ Written 

comments may also be mailed to 

Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional 

Administrator, NMFS, Northeast 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 19 / Friday, January 30, 2009 / Notices 5643 

Regional Office, 55 Great Republic 

Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the 

outside of the envelope, ‘‘Comments on 

twine–top EFP.’’ Comments may also be 

sent via facsimile (fax) to (978) 281– 

9135. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cheryl McGarrity, Fishery Management 

Specialist, phone: 978–281–9174, fax: 

978–281–9135. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

response to the 2008 Atlantic Sea 

Scallop Research Set Aside (RSA) 

Program request for proposals, NMFS 

received a proposal from GMRI entitled, 

‘‘An evaluation of hanging ratio and 

mesh orientation of twine–tops on 

selectivity and bycatch in the general 

category scallop dredge fishery in 

scallop limited access areas.’’ The grant 

was approved by NOAA Grants on July 

27, 2008, as NOAA Award No. 

NA08NMF4540667. GMRI proposes to 

determine if changes to the dredge 

twine–top configuration on a 10.5–ft 

(3.2 m) general category scallop dredge 

will affect species selectivity and reduce 

finfish bycatch. 

Comparisons of catches will be made 

between panels with twine–top 

configurations of 2:1 hanging ratio, 3:1 

hanging ratio with meshes elongated in 

the fore/aft direction, and 3:1 hanging 

ratio with meshes elongated laterally 

(perpendicular to the fore/aft direction). 

Research is to be conducted within the 

Elephant Trunk Access Areas (March/ 

April 2009) and the Great South 

Channel Scallop Dredge Exemption 

Area (GSCDEA) (May/June 2009). Three 

general category scallop vessels using 

New Bedford style scallop dredges will 

be given a set of the three twine–top 

configurations, and will use one 

configuration per day for 12 days. It is 

expected that three tows per day will be 

completed, and vessels will spend 12 

days in each of the two scallop access 

areas. The grant authorizes GMRI to 

land 14,400 lb (6,531.73 kg) of scallops 

each from the Elephant Trunk Access 

Area and GSCDEA (total of 28,800 lb 

(13,063.46 kg)), with the proceeds from 

landed scallops compensating 

participating vessel owners and 

defraying research costs. Vessels will 

stay within the daily landing limit of 

400 lb (181.4 kg). 

This EFP would exempt participating 

vessels from Scallop gear restrictions 

specified at 50 CFR 648.51(b)(2), 

possession restrictions found 

throughout part 648, Great South 

Channel (GSC) Southern New England 

(SNE)/Georges Bank (GB) Yellowtail 

Flounder Peak Spawning Closure 

restrictions at § 648.80(a)(18)(ii)(C), and 

GSC Cape Cod (CC)/Gulf of Maine 

(GOM) Yellowtail Flounder Peak 

Spawning Closure restrictions at 

§ 648.80(a)(18)(ii)(D). 

Regulations under the Magnuson– 

Stevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act require publication of 

this notification to provide interested 

parties the opportunity to comment on 

applications for proposed EFPs. The 

applicant may place requests for minor 

modifications and extensions to the EFP 

throughout the year. EFP modifications 

and extensions may be granted without 

further notice if they are deemed 

essential to facilitate completion of the 

proposed research and minimal so as 

not to change the scope or impact of the 

initially approved EFP request. 

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

Dated: January 26, 2009. 

Emily H. Menashes 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–1999 Filed 1–29–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN: 0648–XM97 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting of the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council’s Scallop Plan Team. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) Scallop 

Plan Team will meet February 20–21, 

2009, in Anchorage, AK. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

February 20, 2009, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m. and February 21, 2009, from 9 a.m. 

to 12 noon. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 West 

3rd Avenue, Fireweed Room, 

Anchorage, AK. 

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99501–2252. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Diana Stram, Council staff, telephone: 

(907) 271–2809. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda: 

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) description 

plan for revisions; Final Rule on Annual 

Catch Limits (ACLs) discussion of plans 

to revise Scallop FMP for ACL 

compliance; Review current regulations 

on VMS requirements; Review update 

on Scallop Observer Program; Review 

any pending BOF actions or regulatory 

changes; Status of Statewide Scallop 

Stocks and preparation of the SAFE 

report; Review ageing techniques and 

protocol issues and update; Review and 

revise research priorities. 

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 

listed 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 Council’s intent to take 

final action to address the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Gail Bendixen, at 

(907) 271–2809, at least 7 working days 

prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: February 27, 2009. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–2057 Filed 1–29–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Telecommunications and 

Information Administration 

Docket No. 0812021556–9052–02 

Public Telecommunications Facilities 

Program: Closing Date 

AGENCY: National Telecommunications 

and Information Administration (NTIA), 

U.S. Department of Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of Amended Solicitation 

of Applications. 

SUMMARY: The National 

Telecommunications and Information 

Administration (NTIA) announces that 

it is extending the solicitation period for 

applications for the Public 

Telecommunications Facilities Program 

(PTFP) replacement digital television 

translator projects. NTIA will accept 

applications for these projects until 

Monday, May 18, 2009. 

DATES: Applications for replacement 

digital television translator projects 

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES