Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 21, 2023 / Notices 81061 

acoustic source if a marine mammal is 

detected within the applicable 

exclusion zone. The operator must also 

establish and maintain clear lines of 

communication directly between PSOs 

on duty and crew controlling the 

acoustic source to ensure that shutdown 

commands are conveyed swiftly while 

allowing PSOs to maintain watch. When 

the airgun array is active (i.e., anytime 

one or more airguns is active, including 

during ramp-up) and a marine mammal 

appears within or enters the applicable 

exclusion zone, the acoustic source will 

be shut down. When shutdown is called 

for by a PSO, the acoustic source will 

be immediately deactivated and any 

dispute resolved only following 

deactivation; 

• Following a shutdown, airgun 

activity would not resume until the 

marine mammal has cleared the EZ. The 

animal would be considered to have 

cleared the EZ if it is visually observed 

to have departed the EZ, or it has not 

been seen within the EZ for 15 minutes 

in the case of small odontocetes and 

pinnipeds, and 30 minutes for 

mysticetes and all other odontocetes, 

including sperm and beaked whales, 

with no further observation of the 

marine mammal(s); 

• The NSF must deploy vessel strike 

avoidance measures; 

• The NSF must submit a draft report 

detailing all activities and monitoring 

results within 90 calendar days of the 

completion of the survey or expiration 

of the IHA, whichever comes sooner; 

• The NSF must submit a final report 

within 30 days following resolution of 

comments on the draft report from 

NMFS; and 

• The NSF must report injured or 

dead marine mammals. 

Comments and Responses 

A notice of NMFS’ proposal to issue 

a renewal IHA to NSF was published in 

the Federal Register on October 18, 

2023 (88 FR 71840). That notice either 

described, or referenced descriptions of, 

NSF’s activity, the marine mammal 

species that may be affected by the 

activity, the anticipated effects on 

marine mammals and their habitat, 

estimated amount and manner of take, 

and proposed mitigation, monitoring 

and reporting measures. NMFS received 

no public comments. 

Determinations 

NSF’s activities consist of a subset of 

activities analyzed in the initial IHA. In 

analyzing the effects of the activities for 

the initial IHA, NMFS determined that 

NSF’s activities would have a negligible 

impact on the affected species or stocks 

and that authorized take numbers of 

each species or stock were small relative 

to the relevant stocks (e.g., less than 

one-third the abundance of all stocks). 

The mitigation measures and 

monitoring and reporting requirements 

as described above are identical to the 

initial IHA. 

NMFS has concluded that there is no 

new information suggesting that our 

analysis or findings should change from 

those reached for the initial IHA. Based 

on the information and analysis 

contained here and in the referenced 

documents, NMFS has determined the 

following: (1) the required mitigation 

measures will effect the least practicable 

impact on marine mammal species or 

stocks and their habitat; (2) the 

authorized takes will have a negligible 

impact on the affected marine mammal 

species or stocks; (3) the authorized 

takes represent small numbers of marine 

mammals relative to the affected stock 

abundances; (4) NSF’s activities will not 

have an unmitigable adverse impact on 

taking for subsistence purposes as no 

relevant subsistence uses of marine 

mammals are implicated by this action, 

and; (5) appropriate monitoring and 

reporting requirements are included. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

To comply with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 

NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 

216–6A, NMFS must review our action 

(i.e., the issuance of an IHA renewal) 

with respect to potential impacts on the 

human environment. 

This action is consistent with 

categories of activities identified in 

Categorical Exclusion B4 (incidental 

take authorizations with no anticipated 

serious injury or mortality) of the 

Companion Manual for NOAA 

Administrative Order 216–6A, which do 

not individually or cumulatively have 

the potential for significant impacts on 

the quality of the human environment 

and for which we have not identified 

any extraordinary circumstances that 

would preclude this categorical 

exclusion. Accordingly, NMFS 

determined that the issuance of the 

initial IHA qualified to be categorically 

excluded from further NEPA review. 

NMFS has determined that the 

application of this categorical exclusion 

remains appropriate for this renewal 

IHA. 

Endangered Species Act 

The NMFS Office of Protected 

Resources (OPR) Endangered Species 

Act (ESA) Interagency Cooperation 

Division issued a Biological Opinion 

under section 7 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.) on the issuance of an IHA 

and potential renewal IHA to NSF under 

section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA by the 

NMFS OPR Permits and Conservation 

Division. The Biological Opinion 

concluded that the action is not likely 

to jeopardize the continued existence of 

ESA-listed blue whales, fin whales, sei 

whales, and sperm whales. 

Renewal 

NMFS has issued a renewal IHA to 

NSF for the take of marine mammals 

incidental to conducting a geophysical 

survey in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, from 

December 15, 2023 through December 

14, 2024. 

Dated: November 16, 2023. 

Catherine Marzin, 

Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25716 Filed 11–20–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD545] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public online meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

ad-hoc Klamath River Fall Chinook 

Workgroup will hold an online meeting. 

DATES: The online meeting will be held 

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 from 9 a.m. 

until 3 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, or 

until business for the day concludes. If 

needed, the meeting will resume on 

Thursday, December 14, 2023, from 9 

a.m. until 3 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, 

or until for the day business concludes. 

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– 

2280, extension 412 for technical 

assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 


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81062 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 21, 2023 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robin Ehlke, Staff Officer, Pacific 

Council; telephone: (503) 820–2410. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

primary purpose of the meeting is to 

discuss and develop preliminary 

recommendations to inform Pacific 

Council decision making at the March 

and April 2024 Pacific Council meetings 

for the 2024 salmon pre-season 

management process as it relates to 

Klamath River Fall Chinook 

management. Additional discussion on 

Klamath River Dam removal, 

monitoring, hatchery production, etc. 

and workload planning may also occur. 

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: November 16, 2023. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25725 Filed 11–20–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD549] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Groundfish 

and Halibut Seabird Working Group; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: NMFS Alaska Groundfish and 

Halibut Seabird Working Group will 

meet to discuss seabird-fisheries 

interactions (vessel collisions), 

development of an Alaska coordinated 

strategic plan for reporting and 

monitoring fisheries interactions with 

seabirds listed under the Endangered 

Species Act, and an update on whether 

or not the short-tailed albatross is 

actually two distinct species. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

December 6, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 

p.m., and on December 7, 2023, from 9 

a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Alaska Daylight Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

virtually. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh 

Moffi, 907–586–7072. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Alaska Groundfish and Halibut Seabird 

Working Group formed as a result of the 

2015 biological opinion on effects of the 

Fishery Management Plans for the Gulf 

of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian 

Islands groundfish fisheries on shorttailed albatross. The working group is 

tasked with reviewing information for 

mitigating effects of the groundfish and 

halibut fisheries on short-tailed 

albatross and other seabirds. The 

workgroup will hold a virtual meeting 

December 6 and 7, 2023. Meeting topics 

include seabird/fisheries interactions 

(vessel collisions), development of an 

Alaska coordinated strategic plan for 

reporting and monitoring fisheries 

interactions with birds listed under the 

Endangered Species Act, and update on 

the short-tailed albatross population. 

For participation information and 

meeting agenda, please contact Josh 

Moffi (joshua.moffi@noaa.gov). 

NMFS will keep the North Pacific 

Fisheries Management Council 

(Council) apprised of the working 

group’s activities and any resulting 

recommendations for methods to reduce 

seabird bycatch. Any changes to seabird 

avoidance regulations are expected to 

follow the standard Council process. 

Special Accommodations 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Josh Moffi, 907– 

586–7072, at least 5 working days prior 

to the meeting date. 

Dated: November 16, 2023. 

Kelly Denit, 

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25695 Filed 11–20–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Sanctuary System Business Advisory 

Council: Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 

Service (NOS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice of open public meeting. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of a 

meeting of the Sanctuary System 

Business Advisory Council (council). 

The meeting is open to the public, and 

an opportunity for oral and written 

comments will be provided. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Wednesday, December 6, 2023 from 12 

p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), and 

an opportunity for public comment will 

be provided around 1:15 p.m. ET. Both 

times and agenda topics are subject to 

change. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

virtually using Google Meet. To 

participate, please use the weblink 

provided below. If you are unable to 

participate online, you can also connect 

to the public meeting using the phone 

number provided. 

• Weblink: meet.google.com/eqwwnkm-dab 

• Phone: +1 347–486–7095 PIN: 606 

316 454# 

To provide an oral public comment 

during the virtual meeting, please sign 

up prior to or during the meeting by 

contacting Sage Riddick by phone (240– 

560–3365) or email (sage.riddick@

noaa.gov). To provide written public 

comment, please send the comment to 

Sage Riddick prior to or during the 

meeting via email (sage.riddick@

noaa.gov). Please note, the meeting will 

not be recorded. However, public 

comments, including any associated 

names, will be captured in the minutes 

of the meeting, will be maintained by 

the Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS) as part of its 

administrative record, and may be 

subject to release pursuant to the 

Freedom of Information Act. The 

entirety of the comment, including the 

name of the commenter, email address, 

attachments, and other supporting 

materials, will be publicly accessible. 

Sensitive personally identifiable 

information, such as account numbers 

and Social Security numbers, should 

not be included with the comment. By 

signing up to provide a public comment, 

you agree that these communications, 


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