Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2023 / Notices 73827 

of origin. The applicable section 301 

decisions require subject merchandise 

to be admitted to FTZs in privileged 

foreign status (19 CFR 146.41). 

Public comment is invited from 

interested parties. Submissions shall be 

addressed to the Board’s Executive 

Secretary and sent to: ftz@trade.gov. The 

closing period for their receipt is 

December 6, 2023. 

A copy of the notification will be 

available for public inspection in the 

‘‘Online FTZ Information System’’ 

section of the Board’s website. 

For further information, contact 

Christopher Wedderburn at 

Chris.Wedderburn@trade.gov. 

Dated: October 23, 2023. 

Elizabeth Whiteman, 

Executive Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23735 Filed 10–26–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD385] 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 

Atlantic Shark Management Measures; 

2024 Research Fishery 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for 

applications. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces its request 

for applications for the 2024 shark 

research fishery from commercial shark 

fishermen with directed or incidental 

shark limited access permits. The shark 

research fishery allows for the collection 

of fishery-dependent and biological data 

for future stock assessments and to meet 

the research objectives of the Agency. 

The only commercial vessels authorized 

to land sandbar sharks are those 

participating in the shark research 

fishery. Shark research fishery 

permittees may also land other large 

coastal sharks (LCS), small coastal 

sharks (SCS), smoothhound, and pelagic 

sharks. Commercial shark fishermen 

who are interested in participating in 

the shark research fishery need to 

submit a completed Shark Research 

Fishery Permit Application to be 

considered. 

DATES: Shark Research Fishery Permit 

Applications must be received no later 

than November 27, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Please submit completed 

applications via email to 

NMFS.Research.Fishery@noaa.gov. 

For copies of the Shark Research 

Fishery Permit Application, please 

email a request to 

NMFS.Research.Fishery@noaa.gov. 

Copies of the Shark Research Fishery 

Permit Application are also available at 

the highly migratory species (HMS) 

website at https://www.fisheries.

noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratoryspecies/atlantic-highly-migratoryspecies-exempted-fishing-permits. 

Please be advised that your application 

may be released under the Freedom of 

Information Act. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Delisse Ortiz at 

301–427–8503, or email 

NMFS.Research.Fishery@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic 

HMS fisheries (tunas, billfish, 

swordfish, and sharks) are managed 

under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) 

and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act 

(16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). The 2006 

Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP) and its 

amendments are implemented by 

regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Specifics 

regarding the commercial shark quotas 

and the shark research fishery can be 

found at §§ 635.27(b) and 635.32(f). 

The shark research fishery was 

established, in part, to maintain time 

series data for stock assessments and to 

meet NMFS’ research objectives. Since 

the shark research fishery was 

established in 2008, it has allowed for: 

the collection of fishery-dependent data 

for current and future stock 

assessments; the operation of 

cooperative research to meet NMFS’ 

ongoing research objectives; the 

collection of updated life-history 

information used in the sandbar shark 

(and other species) stock assessment; 

the collection of data on habitat 

preferences that might help reduce 

fishery interactions through bycatch 

mitigation; evaluation of the utility of 

the mid-Atlantic closed area on the 

recovery of dusky sharks and collection 

of hook-timer and pop-up satellite 

archival tag information to determine atvessel and post-release mortality of 

dusky sharks; and collection of sharks to 

determine the weight conversion factor 

from dressed weight to whole weight. 

The shark research fishery allows 

selected commercial fishermen the 

opportunity to earn revenue from selling 

additional sharks, including sandbar 

sharks. Only the commercial shark 

fishermen selected to participate in the 

shark research fishery are authorized to 

land sandbar sharks subject to the 

sandbar quota available each year. The 

base quota for sandbar sharks is 90.7 

metric tons (mt) dressed weight (dw) per 

year, although this number may be 

reduced in the event of overharvests. 

The selected shark research fishery 

permittees will also be allowed to land 

other LCS, SCS, smoothhound, and 

pelagic sharks consistent with any 

restrictions established on their shark 

research fishery permit. Generally, the 

shark research fishery permits are valid 

only for the calendar year for which 

they are issued. 

One hundred-percent observer 

coverage is required on shark research 

fishery trips. The specific 2024 trip 

limits and number of trips per month 

will depend on the availability of 

funding, number of selected vessels, the 

availability of observers, the available 

quota, and the objectives of the research 

fishery, and will be included in the 

permit terms at time of issuance. The 

number of participants in the research 

fishery changes each year. In 2023, three 

fishermen were chosen to participate. 

From 2008 through 2023, there has been 

an average of 6 participants each year 

with the range from 3 to 11. Overall, the 

timing of trips and the number of the 

trips participants taken has varied yearto-year based on seasonal availability of 

certain species and available quota. 

Specifically, the number of trips taken 

per month are limited by the scientific 

and research needs of the Agency and 

the number of NMFS-approved 

observers available; in the last few years 

participating vessels on average have 

been able to take one trip per month. 

Participants may also be limited in the 

amount of gear they can deploy on a 

given set (e.g., number of hooks and 

sets, soak times, length of longline). 

These limits have changed both between 

years and during the year depending on 

research goals and bycatch limits. 

In 2023, NMFS split 90 percent of the 

sandbar and LCS research fishery quotas 

equally among selected participants, 

with 16.3 mt dw (35,935 pounds (lb) 

dw) of sandbar shark research fishery 

quota and 9.0 mt dw (19,841 lb dw) of 

other LCS research fishery quota 

available to each vessel. The remaining 

quota was held in reserve to ensure the 

overall sandbar and LCS research 

fishery quotas were not exceeded. 

NMFS may use this process again for 

the quotas in 2024 or may consider 

other methods of distributing the 

available quotas. 

In 2023, NMFS continued to 

implement a regional dusky bycatch 

limit, which was first established in 

2013, in the shark research fishery, 


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73828 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2023 / Notices 

applicable to four regions across the 

Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic. Under this 

limit, when four or more dusky sharks 

have been brought to the vessel dead in 

a region, shark research fishery permit 

holders in that region were prohibited 

from soaking their gear for longer than 

3 hours. If, after the change in soak time, 

three additional dusky shark 

interactions (alive or dead) were 

observed, shark research fishery permit 

holders were prohibited from making a 

trip in that region for the remainder of 

the year, unless otherwise permitted by 

NMFS. Slightly different measures were 

established for shark research fishery 

participants in the mid-Atlantic shark 

closed area in order to allow NMFS 

observers to place satellite archival tags 

on dusky sharks and collect other 

scientific information on dusky sharks 

while also minimizing any dusky shark 

mortality. 

To participate in the shark research 

fishery, commercial shark fishermen 

need to submit a completed Shark 

Research Fishery Permit Application by 

the deadline noted above (see DATES) 

showing that the vessel and owner(s) 

meet the specific criteria outlined 

below. 

Research Objectives 

Each year, the research objectives are 

developed by a shark board, which is 

comprised of NMFS representatives 

from the Southeast Fisheries Science 

Center (SEFSC) Panama City Laboratory, 

the Southeast Regional Office Protected 

Resources Division, and the HMS 

Management Division. The research 

objectives for 2024 are based on various 

documents, including the May 2020 

Biological Opinion on the Operation of 

the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 

Fisheries Excluding Pelagic Longline, as 

well as recent stock assessments for the 

U.S. South Atlantic blacknose, U.S Gulf 

of Mexico blacknose, U.S. Gulf of 

Mexico blacktip, sandbar, and dusky 

sharks (all these stock assessments can 

be found at http://sedarweb.org/). The 

2024 research objectives are: 

• Collect reproductive, length, sex, 

and age data from sandbar and other 

sharks throughout the calendar year for 

species-specific stock assessments; 

• Monitor the size distribution of 

sandbar sharks and other species 

captured in the fishery; 

• Collect information regarding 

depredation events; 

• Continue ongoing shark tagging 

programs for identification of migration 

corridors and stock structure using dart 

and/or spaghetti tags; 

• Maintain time-series of abundance 

from previously derived indices for the 

shark bottom longline observer program; 

• Acquire fin-clip samples of all 

shark and other species for genetic 

analysis; 

• Attach satellite archival tags to 

endangered smalltooth sawfish to 

provide information on critical habitat, 

preferred depth and post-release 

mortality, consistent with the 

requirements listed in the take permit 

issued under section 10 of the 

Endangered Species Act to the SEFSC 

Observer Program; 

• Attach satellite archival tags to 

prohibited dusky and other sharks, as 

needed, to provide information on daily 

and seasonal movement patterns, and 

preferred depth; 

• Evaluate hooking mortality and 

post-release survivorship of dusky, 

hammerhead, blacktip, and other sharks 

using hook-timers and temperaturedepth recorders; 

• Evaluate the effects of controlled 

gear experiments to determine the 

effects of potential hook changes to 

prohibited species interactions and 

fishery yields; 

• Examine the size distribution of 

sandbar and other sharks captured 

including in the Mid-Atlantic shark 

time/area closure off the coast of North 

Carolina from January 1 through July 31; 

• Develop allometric and weight 

relationships of selected species of 

sharks (e.g., hammerhead, sandbar, 

blacktip shark); 

• Collect samples such as liver and 

muscle plugs for stable isotope analysis 

as a part of a trophic level-based 

ecosystem study; and 

• Examine the feasibility of using 

electronic monitoring (EM) to accurately 

measure soak times of bottom longline 

sets. This specific research objective 

may require participating vessels to 

have an EM system sensors installed for 

the duration of the 2024 research 

fishery. During each research trip, the 

EM sensors must be operating. The 

sensors will be removed after the end of 

the 2024 research fishery. 

Selection Criteria 

Shark Research Fishery Permit 

Applications will only be accepted from 

commercial shark fishermen who hold a 

current directed or incidental shark 

limited access permit. If a large number 

of applications are received, NMFS will 

give priority to directed permit holders 

to ensure that an appropriate number of 

sharks are landed to meet the research 

objectives. 

The Shark Research Fishery Permit 

Application includes, but is not limited 

to, a request for the following 

information: type of commercial shark 

permit possessed; past participation and 

availability in the commercial shark 

fishery (not including sharks caught for 

display); past involvement and 

compliance with HMS observer 

programs per § 635.7; past compliance 

with HMS regulations at 50 CFR part 

635; past and present availability to 

participate in the shark research fishery 

year-round; ability to fish in the regions 

and seasons requested; ability to attend 

necessary meetings regarding the 

objectives and research protocols of the 

shark research fishery; and ability to 

carry out the research objectives of the 

Agency. Preference will be given to 

those applicants who are willing and 

available to fish year-round and who 

affirmatively state that they intend to do 

so, to ensure the timely and accurate 

data collection NMFS needs to meet this 

year’s research objectives. An applicant 

who has been charged criminally or 

civilly (e.g., issued a Notice of Violation 

and Assessment (NOVA) or Notice of 

Permit Sanction) for any HMS-related 

violation will not be considered for 

participation in the shark research 

fishery. In addition, applicants who 

were selected to carry an observer in the 

previous 2 years for any HMS fishery, 

but failed to contact NMFS to arrange 

the placement of an observer as required 

per § 635.7, will not be considered for 

participation in the 2024 shark research 

fishery. Applicants who were selected 

to carry an observer in the previous 2 

years for any HMS fishery and failed to 

comply with all the observer regulations 

per § 635.7 will also not be considered. 

Exceptions will be made for vessels that 

were selected for HMS observer 

coverage but did not fish in the quarter 

when selected and thus did not require 

an observer. Applicants who do not 

possess a valid U.S. Coast Guard safety 

inspection decal when the application is 

submitted will not be considered. 

Applicants who have been noncompliant with any of the HMS observer 

program regulations in the previous 2 

years, as described above, may be 

eligible for future participation in shark 

research fishery activities by 

demonstrating 2 subsequent years of 

compliance with observer regulations at 

§ 635.7. 

Selection Process 

The HMS Management Division will 

review all submitted applications and 

develop a list of qualified applicants 

from those applications that are deemed 

complete. A qualified applicant is an 

applicant that has submitted a complete 

application by the deadline (see DATES) 

and has met the selection criteria listed 

above. Qualified applicants are eligible 

to be selected to participate in the 2024 

shark research fishery. The HMS 

Management Division will provide the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2023 / Notices 73829 

list of qualified applicants without 

identifying information to the SEFSC. 

The SEFSC will then evaluate the list of 

qualified applicants and, based on the 

temporal and spatial needs of the 

research objectives, the availability of 

observers, the availability of qualified 

applicants, and the available quota for a 

given year, will randomly select 

qualified applicants to conduct the 

prescribed research. Where there are 

multiple qualified applicants that meet 

the criteria, permittees will be randomly 

selected through a lottery system. If a 

public meeting is deemed necessary, 

NMFS will announce details of a public 

selection meeting in a subsequent 

Federal Register notice. 

Once the selection process is 

complete, NMFS will notify the selected 

applicants and issue the shark research 

fishery permits. The shark research 

fishery permits will be valid through 

December 31, 2024, unless otherwise 

specified. If needed, NMFS will 

communicate with the shark research 

fishery permit holders to arrange a 

captain’s meeting to discuss the 

research objectives and protocols. 

NMFS usually holds mandatory 

captain’s meetings before observers are 

placed on vessels and may hold one for 

the 2024 shark research fishery in early 

2024. Once the fishery starts, the shark 

research fishery permit holders must 

contact NMFS or the NMFS-designee to 

arrange the placement of a NMFSapproved observer for each shark 

research trip, and in the beginning, if 

required, to arrange the installation of 

the specific EM sensor. Selected 

applicants are required to allow 

observers the opportunity to perform 

their duties and assist observers as 

necessary. At the end of the shark 

fishery, shark research fishery permit 

holders must contact NMFS or a 

designee to arrange for the removal of 

the EM sensors. 

A shark research fishery permit will 

only be valid for the vessel and owner(s) 

and terms and conditions listed on the 

permit, and, thus, cannot be transferred 

to another vessel or owner(s). Shark 

research fishery permit holders must 

carry a NMFS-approved observer on 

shark research fishery trips. Issuance of 

a shark research permit does not 

guarantee that the permit holder will be 

assigned a NMFS-approved observer on 

any particular trip. Rather, issuance 

indicates that a vessel may be issued a 

NMFS-approved observer for a 

particular trip, and on such trips, may 

be allowed to harvest Atlantic sharks, 

including sandbar sharks, in excess of 

the retention limits described in 

§ 635.24(a). Applicable retention limits 

will be based on available quota, 

number of vessels participating in the 

2024 shark research fishery, the research 

objectives set forth by the shark board, 

the extent of other restrictions placed on 

the vessel, and may vary by vessel and/ 

or location. When not operating under 

the auspices of the shark research 

fishery, the vessel would still be able to 

land LCS, SCS, and pelagic sharks 

subject to existing retention limits on 

trips without a NMFS-approved 

observer. Additionally, during those 

times, the vessel would not need to 

operate the EM sensors. 

NMFS annually invites commercial 

shark permit holders (directed and 

incidental) to submit an application to 

participate in the shark research fishery. 

Permit applications can be found on the 

HMS Management Division’s website at 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantichighly-migratory-species/atlantichighly-migratory-species-exemptedfishing-permits#shark-research-fishery, 

by calling 301–427–8503, or by emailing 

NMFS.Research.Fishery@noaa.gov. 

Final decisions on the issuance of a 

shark research fishery permit will 

depend on the submission of all 

required information by the deadline 

(see DATES), and NMFS’ review of 

applicant information as outlined above. 

The 2024 shark research fishery will 

start after the opening of the shark 

fishery and under available quotas as 

published in a separate Federal Register 

final rule. 

Dated: October 23, 2023. 

Jennifer M. Wallace, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23715 Filed 10–26–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Office of the Secretary 

[Req No. OS–2024–00022–FR] 

Defense Health Board; Notice of 

Federal Advisory Committee Meeting 

AGENCY: Under Secretary of Defense for 

Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)). 

Department of Defense (DoD). 

ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory 

Committee meeting. 

SUMMARY: The DoD is publishing this 

notice to announce that the following 

Federal Advisory Committee meeting of 

the Defense Health Board (DHB) will 

take place. 

DATES: Open to the public Wednesday, 

November 29, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 5 

p.m. (EST). 

ADDRESSES: The address of the open 

meeting is 8111 Gatehouse Rd, Room 

345, Falls Church, VA 22042. The 

meeting will be held both in-person and 

virtually. To participate in the meeting, 

see the Meeting Accessibility section for 

instructions. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

CAPT Shawn Clausen, 703–275–6060 

(voice), shawn.s.clausen.mil@health.mil 

(email). Mailing address is 7700 

Arlington Boulevard, Suite 5101, Falls 

Church, Virginia 22042. Website: http:// 

www.health.mil/dhb. The most up-todate changes to the meeting agenda can 

be found on the website. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

meeting is being held under the 

provisions of chapter 10 of title 5, 

United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly 

known as the ‘‘Federal Advisory 

Committee Act’’ or ‘‘FACA’’), 5 U.S.C. 

552b (commonly known as the 

‘‘Government in the Sunshine Act’’), 

and 41 CFR 102–3.140 and 102–3.150. 

Availability of Materials for the 

Meeting: Additional information, 

including the agenda, is available on the 

DHB website, http://www.health.mil/ 

dhb. A copy of the agenda or any 

updates to the agenda for the November 

29, 2023, meeting will be available on 

the DHB website. Any other materials 

presented in the meeting may also be 

obtained at the meeting. 

Purpose of the Meeting: The DHB 

provides independent advice and 

recommendations to maximize the 

safety and quality of, as well as access 

to, health care for DoD health care 

beneficiaries. The purpose of the 

meeting is to provide progress updates 

on specific tasks before the DHB. In 

addition, the DHB will receive 

information briefings on current issues 

related to military medicine. 

Agenda: The DHB anticipates 

receiving a decision briefing on 

Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Health 

Disparities in the Military Health 

System. The DHB also expects an 

update from the DHB Public Health 

Subcommittee’s tasking on Effective 

Public Health Communication Strategies 

with DoD personnel. 

Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5 

U.S.C. 552b and 41 CFR 102–3.140 

through 102–3.165 and subject to the 

availability of space, this meeting will 

be held in-person and virtually and is 

open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Seating and virtual participation is 

limited and is on a first-come basis. All 

members of the public who wish to 

participate must register by emailing 

their name, rank/title, and organization/ 

company to dha.dhb@health.mil or by 

contacting Mr. Rubens Lacerda at (703) 


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