Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 174 / Monday, September 11, 2023 / Notices 62343 

Thursday, September 28, 2023; 8:30 

a.m.–5 p.m., EDT 

The Committees will review and 

discuss the Gulf of Mexico Gag Health 

Check, Vermilion Snapper Interim 

Analysis, Southeast Region Best 

Scientific Information Available 

Framework, Incorporating Social 

Science Theory and Methods into 

Ecosystem Assessments, and the Lane 

Snapper Updated Catch Analysis, 

including presentations and background 

materials for SSC discussions. 

The Committees will receive public 

comment, if any, before addressing any 

items under Other Business. 

—Meeting Adjourns 

The meeting will also be broadcast via 

webinar. You may register for the 

webinar by visiting www.gulfcouncil.org 

and clicking on the SSC meeting on the 

calendar. 

The agenda is subject to change, and 

the latest version along with other 

meeting materials will be posted on 

www.gulfcouncil.org as they become 

available. 

Although other non-emergency issues 

not on the agenda may come before the 

Scientific and Statistical Committees for 

discussion, in accordance with the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

those issues may not be the subject of 

formal action during this meeting. 

Actions of the Scientific and Statistical 

Committee will be restricted to those 

issues specifically identified in the 

agenda 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-action to 

address the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aid 

should be directed to Kathy Pereira, 

(813) 348–1630, at least 5 days prior to 

the meeting date. 

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

Dated: September 6, 2023. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19512 Filed 9–8–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Review of Nomination for Mariana 

Trench National Marine Sanctuary 

AGENCY: Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 

Service (NOS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: On January 21, 2022, NOAA 

requested written comments to facilitate 

the Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries’ (ONMS) five-year review of 

the nomination for a proposed Mariana 

Trench National Marine Sanctuary 

(NMS). On March 10, 2022, NOAA 

reopened the public comment period for 

an additional 45 days, ending on April 

25, 2022. In those notices, NOAA 

requested relevant information as it 

pertains to its 11 evaluation criteria for 

inclusion in the inventory of sites 

eligible to be considered for designation 

as national marine sanctuaries. NOAA 

has synthesized the information 

gathered through the public process, 

completed an internal analysis, and the 

ONMS Director has made the 

determination that the Mariana Trench 

NMS nomination will be removed from 

the inventory. 

DATES: This determination took effect on 

September 7, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Kristina Kekuewa, Pacific 

Islands Regional Director, NOAA Office 

of National Marine Sanctuaries, 1845 

Wasp Blvd., Honolulu, Hawaii 96818, or 

at kristina.kekuewa@noaa.gov, or at 

808–725–5252. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kristina Kekuewa, Pacific Islands 

Regional Director, NOAA Office of 

National Marine Sanctuaries, 1845 

Wasp Blvd., Honolulu, Hawaii 96818, or 

at kristina.kekuewa@noaa.gov, or at 

808–725–5252. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background Information 

In 2014, NOAA issued a final rule reestablishing the sanctuary nomination 

process (SNP), which details how 

communities may submit nominations 

of areas of the marine and Great Lakes 

environment for NOAA to consider for 

designation as national marine 

sanctuaries (79 FR 33851). NOAA 

moves successful nominations to an 

inventory of areas that could be 

considered for national marine 

sanctuary designation. The final rule reestablishing the SNP included a fiveyear limit on any nomination added to 

the inventory that NOAA does not 

advance for designation. The 

nomination for Mariana Trench NMS 

was accepted to the national inventory 

on March 13, 2017, and was therefore 

scheduled to expire in March 2022. 

In November 2019, NOAA issued a 

notice (84 FR 61546) to clarify 

procedures for evaluating and updating 

a nomination as it approaches the fiveyear mark on the inventory of areas that 

could be considered for national marine 

sanctuary designation. This notice 

explained that if a nomination remains 

responsive to the 11 evaluation criteria 

for inclusion on the inventory, it may be 

appropriate to allow the nomination to 

remain on the inventory for another five 

years. The notice also established a 

process for NOAA to consider the 

continuing viability of nominations 

nearing the five-year expiration mark. 

The 11 evaluation criteria can be found 

at https://nominate.noaa.gov. 

On January 21, 2022, NOAA 

published a notice in the Federal 

Register to request written comments to 

facilitate ONMS’ five-year review of the 

nomination of the Mariana Trench NMS 

(87 FR 3284). On March 10, 2022, 

following requests from the public for 

additional time to comment on the fiveyear review, NOAA reopened the public 

comment period for an additional 45 

days, ending on April 25, 2022 (87 FR 

13709). NOAA requested relevant 

information pertaining to the 11 

evaluation criteria that NOAA applied 

to evaluate the Mariana Trench NMS 

nomination for inclusion in the national 

inventory of areas that NOAA may 

consider for future designation as a 

national marine sanctuary. During the 

two comment periods, 62 online 

comments were received, and the 

nominator provided additional 

information, which NOAA has 

considered in evaluating the nomination 

against the criteria. Submitted 

comments can be found at 

www.regulations.gov (search for Docket 

Number NOAA–NOS–2022–0005). 

Additionally, the nominating 

organization subsequently submitted a 

letter to NOAA requesting that the 

nomination be withdrawn and removed 

from the inventory. 

In analyzing this material, particular 

attention was given to new scientific 

information about the national 

significance of natural and cultural 

resources, increases or decreases in the 

threats to resources proposed for 

protection, and changes to the 

management framework of the area. 

NOAA also assessed the level of 

community-based support for the 

nomination from a broad range of 

interests. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
62344 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 174 / Monday, September 11, 2023 / Notices 

Following NOAA’s review of the 

relevant information, it was determined 

that there are still significant threats to 

the area, and it is still an area of national 

significance. However, there is not 

currently demonstrated broad 

community support for the nomination 

remaining on the inventory of possible 

designations. ONMS has also 

determined that it is not clear, at this 

time, how a sanctuary designation 

would supplement or complement 

existing management and regulatory 

authorities for the Marianas Trench. 

Therefore, and in consideration of the 

nominating organization’s request to 

withdraw the nomination, the ONMS 

Director has determined the nomination 

for the Mariana Trench NMS should not 

remain on the inventory of successful 

nominations. 

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

John Armor, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19380 Filed 9–8–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD335] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 27426 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Oregon State University, Marine 

Mammal Institute, 2030 Marine Science 

Drive, Newport, OR 97365 (Responsible 

Party: Lisa Ballance, Ph.D.), has applied 

in due form for a permit to conduct 

research on marine mammals. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before October 11, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on 

the Applications and Permits for 

Protected Species (APPS) home page, 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then 

selecting File No. 27426 from the list of 

available applications. These documents 

are also 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. 27426 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: 

Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., or Amy 

Hapeman, (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 and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216), the Endangered Species Act of 

1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.), the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226), and the Fur Seal 

Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 

et seq.). 

The applicant requests a 5-year 

research permit to study abundance, 

density, distribution, movements, 

behavior, ecology, health, and stock 

structure of marine mammals in the 

Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. 

Research may occur in U.S. and 

international waters on 72 species of 

marine mammals, including the 

following ESA-listed cetaceans: blue 

(Balaenoptera musculus), bowhead 

(Balaena mysticetes), fin (Balaenoptera 

physalus), gray (Eschrichtius robustus; 

Western North Pacific distinct 

population segment [DPS]), humpback 

(Megaptera novaeangliae; Central 

America, Mexico, Western North 

Pacific, and Cape Verde DPSs), killer 

(Orcinus orca; Southern Resident DPS), 

North Pacific right (Eubalaena 

japonica), Rice’s (Balaenoptera ricei), 

sei (Balaenoptera borealis), Southern 

right (E. australis), and sperm (Physeter 

macrocephalus) whales. Research for 

cetaceans would include vessel and 

aerial surveys (manned and unmanned) 

for observations, photography, video 

recordings, thermal imaging, 

photogrammetry, passive acoustics, 

echosounders for prey mapping, 

biological sampling (exhaled air, 

sloughed skin, feces, and skin and 

blubber biopsy), and tagging (suctioncup, dart, and deep-implant). Eleven 

species of pinnipeds may be harassed 

and opportunistically studied during 

research including the following ESAlisted species: Steller sea lions 

(Eumetopias jubatus; Western DPS), and 

bearded (Erignathus barbatus), 

Guadalupe fur (Arctocephalus 

townsendi), Hawaiian monk 

(Neomonachus schauinslandi), ringed 

(Phoca hispida), and spotted (P. largha) 

seals. Parts from all species of cetaceans 

and pinnipeds (excluding walrus) 

collected under separate authorizations 

may be imported, exported, and 

received annually for scientific research, 

and secondarily used for curation and 

education. See the application for 

complete numbers of animals requested 

by species and procedure. 

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: September 5, 2023. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19455 Filed 9–8–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD328] 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public virtual 

meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery 

Management Council’s (Council) 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

(SSC) will hold a public virtual meeting 

to address the items contained in the 

tentative agenda included in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

DATES: The SSC public virtual meeting 

will be held on September 27, 2023, 

from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Standard 

Time. 

ADDRESSES: You may join the SSC 

public virtual meeting (via Zoom) from 

a computer, tablet or smartphone by 

entering the following address: https:// 

us02web.zoom.us/j/81086075177?pwd=

TlBLb0NjWmZaR2h0b2NEbmpOTWti

QT09. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1