Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 68109 

mammal-stock-assessment-reportsspecies-stock) and model-predicted 

abundance information (https://

seamap.env.duke.edu/models/Duke/ 

GOM/). For the latter, for taxa where a 

density surface model could be 

produced, we use the maximum mean 

seasonal (i.e., 3-month) abundance 

prediction for purposes of comparison 

as a precautionary smoothing of monthto-month fluctuations and in 

consideration of a corresponding lack of 

data in the literature regarding seasonal 

distribution of marine mammals in the 

GOM. Information supporting the small 

numbers determinations is provided in 

Table 1. 

TABLE 1—TAKE ANALYSIS

Species Authorized 

take 

Scaled 

take 1 Abundance 2 Percent abundance 

Rice’s whale ..................................................................................................... 2 n/a 51 3.9 

Sperm whale .................................................................................................... 1,683 705.6 2,207 32.0 

Kogia spp ......................................................................................................... 3 636 193.4 4,373 5.2 

Beaked whales ................................................................................................ 7,430 750.4 3,768 19.9 

Rough-toothed dolphin .................................................................................... 1,293 2,197.3 4,853 1.2 

Bottlenose dolphin ........................................................................................... 7,656 562.7 176,108 0.3 

Clymene dolphin .............................................................................................. 3,595 1,031.7 11,895 8.7 

Atlantic spotted dolphin ................................................................................... 2,664 764.6 74,785 1.0 

Pantropical spotted dolphin ............................................................................. 16,313 4,681.8 102,361 4.6 

Spinner dolphin ................................................................................................ 4,371 1,254.5 25,114 5.0 

Striped dolphin ................................................................................................. 1,404 403.0 5,229 7.7 

Fraser’s dolphin ............................................................................................... 404 116.0 1,665 7.0 

Risso’s dolphin ................................................................................................. 1,056 311.6 3,764 8.3 

Melon-headed whale ....................................................................................... 2,362 696.7 7,003 9.9 

Pygmy killer whale ........................................................................................... 556 164.0 2,126 7.7 

False killer whale ............................................................................................. 885 261.2 3,204 8.2 

Killer whale ...................................................................................................... 7 n/a 267 2.6

Short-finned pilot whale ................................................................................... 683 201.5 1,981 10.2

1Scalar ratios were applied to ‘‘Authorized Take’’ values as described at 86 FR 5322 and 86 FR 5404 (January 19, 2021) to derive scaled take 

numbers shown here. 2Best abundance estimate. For most taxa, the best abundance estimate for purposes of comparison with take estimates is considered here to 

be the model-predicted abundance (Roberts et al., 2016). For those taxa where a density surface model predicting abundance by month was 

produced, the maximum mean seasonal abundance was used. For those taxa where abundance is not predicted by month, only mean annual 

abundance is available. For Rice’s whale and the killer whale, the larger estimated SAR abundance estimate is used. 3 Includes 34 takes by Level A harassment and 602 takes by Level B harassment. Scalar ratio is applied to takes by Level B harassment only; 

small numbers determination made on basis of scaled Level B harassment take plus authorized Level A harassment take. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of TGS’s proposed survey 

activity described in its LOA 

application and the anticipated take of 

marine mammals, NMFS finds that 

small numbers of marine mammals will 

be taken relative to the affected species 

or stock sizes (i.e., less than one-third of 

the best available abundance estimate) 

and therefore the taking is of no more 

than small numbers. 

Authorization 

NMFS has determined that the level 

of taking for this LOA request is 

consistent with the findings made for 

the total taking allowable under the 

incidental take regulations and that the 

amount of take authorized under the 

LOA is of no more than small numbers. 

Accordingly, we have issued an LOA to 

TGS authorizing the take of marine 

mammals incidental to its geophysical 

survey activity, as described above. 

Dated: September 27, 2023. 

Catherine Marzin, 

Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21760 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD433] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP), 

Groundfish Management Team (GMT), 

Ecosystem Working Group (EWG), 

Salmon Technical Team (STT), Habitat 

Committee (HC), and Salmon Advisory 

Subpanel (SAS) will hold online 

meetings to discuss items on the Pacific 

Council’s November Council meeting 

agenda as detailed in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below. 

These meetings are open to the public. 

DATES: The GAP meeting, including a 

joint session with the GMT and EWG, 

will be held Monday, October 23, 2023, 

from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Pacific daylight 

time (PDT), or until business is 

completed. 

The STT meeting will be held 

Tuesday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 

p.m., PDT, or until business is 

completed. 

The HC meeting will be held Tuesday, 

October 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

and Wednesday, October 25, from 1:30 

p.m. to 4:30 p.m., until business is 

completed each day. 

The SAS meeting will be held 

Tuesday, October 31, 2023, from 9 a.m. 

to 3 p.m., PDT, or until business is 

completed. 

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held 

online. Specific meeting information, 

including directions on how to join the 

meeting and system requirements, will 

be provided in the meeting 

announcement on the Pacific Council’s 

website (see www.pcouncil.org). You 

may send an email to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov) or contact him at (503) 820– 

2412 for technical assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 


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68110 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 3, 2023 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessi 

Doerpinghaus, Staff Officer, Pacific 

Council; telephone: (503) 820–2415. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

primary purpose of these meetings is for 

the GAP, STT, HC, and SAS to prepare 

for the November 2023 Pacific Council 

meeting. The GAP, STT, HC, and SAS 

will discuss items related to the 

advisory body’s particular management 

items and other matters on the Pacific 

Council’s November agenda. The GAP, 

GMT, and EWG will meet during the 

GAP webinar to discuss matters related 

to the Council’s fishery ecosystem plan 

initiative. No management actions will 

be decided by the GAP, GMT, EWG, 

STT, HC, or SAS. The GAP, GMT, EWG, 

STT, HC, and SAS recommendations 

will be considered by the Council at 

their November or March Council 

(ecosystem matters) meetings. A 

detailed agenda for each of the GAP, 

STT, HC, and SAS webinars will be 

available on the Pacific Council’s 

website prior to the meeting. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may be 

discussed, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during this 

meeting. 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 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov; (503) 820–2412) at least 10 

days prior to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: September 28, 2023. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–21843 Filed 10–2–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Alaska Region Permit Family 

of Forms 

AGENCY: National Oceanic & 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection, 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to comment on 

proposed, and continuing information 

collections, which helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow for 60 days of public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before December 4, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments to 

Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, 

at NOAA.PRA@noaa.gov. Please 

reference OMB Control Number 0648– 

0206 in the subject line of your 

comments. Do not submit Confidential 

Business Information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

specific questions related to collection 

activities should be directed to Gabrielle 

Aberle, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 

99802–1668. Telephone 907–586–7356. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

The National Marine Fisheries 

Services (NMFS), Alaska Region, is 

requesting extension of a currently 

approved information collection for the 

applications for the Federal Fisheries 

Permit (FFP), the Federal Processor 

Permit (FPP), and the Exempted Fishing 

Permit (EFP). 

NMFS requires an FFP for U.S. 

vessels that are used to fish for 

groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska or 

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. An 

FFP is also required for vessels used to 

fish for any non-groundfish species and 

that are required to retain any bycatch 

of groundfish under 50 CFR 679.4(b). 

An FPP is required for stationary 

floating processors (processing vessels 

that operate solely within Alaska State 

waters) and is required for shoreside 

processors that receive and/or process 

groundfish harvested from Federal 

waters or from any federally permitted 

vessels. NMFS issues an EFP to allow 

groundfish fishing activities that would 

otherwise be prohibited under 

regulations for groundfish fishing. EFPs 

are issued to support projects that could 

benefit the groundfish fisheries and the 

environment and result in gathering 

information not otherwise available 

through research or commercial fishing 

operations. Regulations governing these 

permits are at 50 CFR 600.745, 679.4, 

and 679.6. 

Section 303(b)(1) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act specifically recognizes 

the need for permit issuance. Requiring 

a permit for marine resource users— 

mandated by 50 CFR 679.4(b), 679.4(f); 

679.6; and 600.745(b)—is one of the 

regulatory steps taken to carry out 

conservation and management 

objectives. Permit issuance is essential 

in fishery resources management for 

identification of the participants and 

expected activity levels and for 

regulatory compliance. The information 

requested on the FFP, FPP, and EFP 

applications is used for fisheries 

management and regulatory compliance 

by NMFS Sustainable Fisheries 

Division, NMFS Restricted Access 

Management Program, NMFS Observer 

Program, NOAA Office of Law 

Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and 

the North Pacific Fisheries Management 

Council. 

The type of information collected on 

the FFP application includes permit 

holder identification information, vessel 

information, permit information, and 

species endorsements. Information 

collected on the FPP application 

includes processor identification 

information, stationary floating 

processor or community quota entity 

vessel information, and vessel 

ownership information. An EFP 

application includes information on the 

applicant and a description of the 

project design including how it will 

vary from current fishing regulations, 

the species affected and targeted, when 

and where the fishing will take place, 

the vessel that will be used, and a 

provision for public release of all 

obtained information. 

II. Method of Collection 

The FFP and FPP application forms 

are available as fillable pdfs on the 

NMFS Alaska Region website and are 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1