10710 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 46 / Friday, March 9, 2007 / Notices 

markets. Companies can choose the 

stops they wish to visit. However, 

preference will be given to participants 

selecting two or more stops. 

II. Mission Objective 

This U.S. Department of Commerce 

trade mission is the ideal way for small 

and mid-sized companies to evaluate 

these markets and make important 

business contacts. 

During the trade mission participants 

will receive: 

(A) Briefings on local medical 

markets; 

(B) Introductions to potential 

distributors, facility administrators, and 

purchasing managers through group 

events; 

(C) Hospital and other site visits, if 

applicable; 

(D) One-on-one meetings tailored to 

each firm’s interests; and 

(E) Meetings with local business 

representatives and government 

officials, as suitable. 

The precise schedule will depend on 

the availability of local government and 

business officials, specific goals of 

mission participants, and air travel 

schedules. 

Applications for this Mission are 

available, and may be obtained by 

contacting: Lisa Huot, USDOC/CS—

Room 2118, 1401 Constitution Ave., 

NW., Washington, DC 20230. Tel: 202–

482–2796; Fax 202–482–0115. E-mail: 

lisa.huot@mail.doc.gov. 

Lisa Huot, 

International Trade Specialist, Global Trade 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. E7–4316 Filed 3–8–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–25–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[I.D. 022307A] 

Endangered and Threatened Species; 

Initiation of a Status Review under the 

Endangered Species Act for Cusk 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of initiation of a status 

review under the Endangered Species 

Act (ESA); request for information. 

SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce the 

initiation of a status review for the cusk 

and solicit information on the status of, 

and threats to, the species. 

DATES: Information regarding the status 

of, and threats to, the cusk must be 

received by April 1, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit 

information by any one of the following 

methods: 

• Fax: 978–281–9394, Attention: Kim 

Damon-Randall-Damon 

• Mail: Information on paper, disk, or 

CD-ROM should be addressed to the 

Assistant Regional Administrator for 

Protected Resources, NMFS, Protected 

Resources Division, One Blackburn 

Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. 

• E-mail: cuskinfo@noaa.gov. Include 

in the subject line the following 

identifier: cusk status review. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim 

Damon-Randall, NMFS Northeast 

Region, 978–281–9300 ext. 6535; or 

Marta Nammack, NMFS-HQ, Office of 

Protected Resources, 301–713–1401 ext. 

180. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Because of concern over declines in 

abundance, we identified cusk (Brosme 

brosme) as a species of concern on April 

15, 2004 (69 FR 19975). In May 2003, 

the Committee on the Status of 

Endangered Wildlife in Canada 

(COSEWIC) completed a status report 

for cusk in Canada and assessed the 

species status as threatened. In April 

2006, the Minister of the Environment 

referred the assessment back to 

COSEWIC for further information and 

consideration. It is, therefore, unclear 

whether cusk will be listed in Canada 

under the Species at Risk Act. 

Our Northeast Fisheries Science 

Center (NEFSC) autumn bottom trawl 

survey biomass index for cusk has 

fluctuated considerably, but a declining 

trend has been evident since the late 

1960s, with all indices remaining at or 

close to record-low levels from 1985 

through 2002 (Sosebee and Cadrin, 

2006). The 1998 biomass index is near 

zero and is the record low. Cusk have 

been found to be distributed primarily 

in deeper waters in the central portion 

of the Gulf of Maine where a declining 

trend is also apparent on the 

distribution maps, and where very few 

fish were caught in 1993–1997 and 

1998–2002 (Sosebee and Cadrin, 2006). 

Mean length has also declined from 24 

inches (62 cm) during 1964 to 1987 to 

19 inches (50 cm) during the period of 

1988 to 1998. In the early 1970s, 

individual fish weight averaged 3 kg but 

was reduced by 50 percent to 1.5 kg in 

the late 1990s. Landings and survey 

indices have dropped considerably from 

1984 to 2004 (NMFS, 2004). The ratio of 

landings to survey biomass estimates 

has been increasing since 1986, which 

implies increased exploitation over that 

time period. 

In the United States, the cusk fishery 

is not presently managed. Fishing was 

unrestricted in Canada until 1999 when 

limitations were established for 

landings in the Scotia-Fundy region. 

Despite these limitations, fishing 

continues to be a source of mortality. 

Fishing mortality is one of the prime 

factors for the observed decline. This 

appears to be a transboundary species, 

and, as such, conservation measures 

may be needed both in the United States 

and Canada. 

Our notice establishing the species of 

concern list states that as resources 

permit, we intend to conduct status 

reviews, collect documentation, and 

make appropriate amendments relevant 

to species on the list (69 FR 19975; 

April 15, 2004). As such, we are 

initiating a status review for cusk. We 

will use the status review report and 

any other information that we obtain 

during this process to determine if 

listing this species under the ESA is 

warranted or if this species should be 

retained or removed from the species of 

concern list. 

Request for Information 

To support this status review, we are 

soliciting information relevant to the 

status of and threats to the species, 

including, but not limited to, 

information on the following topics: (1) 

Historical and current abundance and 

distribution of the species; (2) potential 

factors for the species’ decline 

throughout its range; (3) rates of capture 

and release of the species from both 

recreational and commercial fisheries; 

(4) post-release mortality; (5) life history 

information (size/age at maturity, 

growth rates, fecundity, reproductive 

rate/success, etc.); (6) morphological 

and molecular information to assist in 

determining stock structure; (7) threats 

to the species, particularly: (a) Present 

or threatened destruction, modification, 

or curtailment of habitat or range; (b) 

over-utilization for commercial, 

recreational, scientific, or educational 

purposes; (c) disease or predation; (d) 

inadequacy of existing regulatory 

mechanisms; or (e) other natural or 

manmade factors affecting its continued 

existence; and (8) any ongoing 

conservation efforts for the species. See 

DATES and ADDRESSES for guidance on 

and deadlines for submitting 

information. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 46 / Friday, March 9, 2007 / Notices 10711 

Dated: March 5, 2007. 

James H. Lecky, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–4260 Filed 3–8–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[I.D. 030107G] 

Fisheries in the Western Pacific; 

Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; 

American Samoa Longline Limited 

Entry Program 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; availability of permit 

upgrades. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting 

applications for American Samoa 

longline limited entry permit upgrades. 

Fourteen (14) permit upgrades will be 

available in 2007 for Class A vessel 

permit holders to upgrade to larger 

vessel size classes (B–1, C–1, or D–1) in 

the American Samoa pelagic longline 

fishery. The permit upgrades are 

available only to Class A permit holders 

who participated in the fishery before 

March 22, 2002, and the highest priority 

for receiving a permit upgrade will be 

given to the person with the earliest 

date of documented participation. 

DATES: Completed permit upgrade 

applications must be received by NMFS 

by May 8, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Applicants should send 

completed applications to NMFS Pacific 

Islands Region (PIR), ATTN: ASLE 

Permit Upgrade, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., 

Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814–4700. 

Application forms may be obtained 

from NMFS PIR, ATTN: ASLE Permit 

Upgrade, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 

1110, Honolulu, HI 96814–4700, or from 

the NMFS PIR Web site: http:// 

www.fpir.noaa.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Walter Ikehara, NMFS PIR (808)944–

2275. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 

25, 2005, NMFS published a final rule 

(70 FR 29646) that established a limited 

entry program for the pelagic longline 

fishery based in American Samoa, under 

Amendment 11 to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Pelagic Fisheries 

in the Western Pacific Region. American 

Samoa longline limited entry permits 

were established for four vessel size 

classes, based on length: 

• Class A: less than or equal to 40 ft 

(12.2 m), 

• Class B and B–1: over 40 ft (12.2 m) 

to 50 ft (15.2 m) inclusive, 

• Class C and C–1: over 50 ft (15.2 m) 

to 70 ft (21.3 m) inclusive, and 

• Class D and D–1: over 70 ft (21.3 

m). 

A total of 60 initial American Samoa 

longline limited entry permits were 

issued, 22 in Class A, five in Class B, 12 

in Class C, and 21 in Class D. These 

numbers are the vessel size class limits 

on the number of allowed American 

Samoa longline limited entry permits, as 

defined by the regulations setting the 

maximum limit on permits under the 

limited entry program. 

The limited entry program allows for 

a total of 26 permit upgrades to be made 

available for the exclusive use of permit 

holders in Class A, distributed over a 

four-year period following the issuance 

of initial limited entry permits. In 2006, 

eight permit upgrades were available 

(four in Class B–1, two in Class C–1, and 

two in Class D–1), but only one Class B–

1 upgrade and one Class D–1 upgrade 

were issued, leaving six unissued. In 

2007, 14 permit upgrades will be 

available (four new and three unissued 

in Class B–1, two new and two unissued 

in Class C–1, and two new and one 

unissued in Class D–1). The Regional 

Administrator may initially issue Class 

B–1, C–1 and D–1 permit upgrades only 

to persons who hold a Class A permit 

and who participated in the American 

Samoa pelagic longline fishery before 

March 22, 2002. The highest priority 

will be given to those with the earliest 

date of documented participation. Those 

receiving upgraded permits must 

surrender their Class A permits and the 

surrendered permits are deducted from 

the allowed Class A permit total. 

This notice announces the availability 

of permit upgrades and solicits 

applications for the upgrades. Complete 

applications must include the 

completed and signed application form 

(available from NMFS), legible copies of 

documents supporting historical 

participation in the American Samoa 

pelagic longline fishery, and payment 

for the non-refundable application 

processing fee. Documents supporting 

fishery participation should show that 

fishing was conducted using longline 

gear. Properly completed applications 

must be received by NMFS (see 

ADDRESSES) by May 8, 2007 to be 

considered for eligibility for the 2007 

permit upgrades. 

Authoritative additional information 

on the American Samoa longline limited 

entry program may be found at 50 CFR 

part 665. 

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

Dated: March 5, 2007. 

James P. Burgess, 

Acting Director Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–4258 Filed 3–8–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[I.D. 030507F] 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council’s Scientific and 

Statistical Committee will hold a 

Population Dynamics Sub-group public 

meeting. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Friday, March 30, 2007, from 10 a.m. to 

4 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Courtyard by Marriott, BaltimoreWashington Airport, 1671 Nursery Rd., 

Linthicum, MD 21090; telephone: (410) 

859–8855. 

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council; 300 S. New 

Street, Room 2115, Dover, DE 19904; 

telephone: (302) 674–2331. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council; 300 S. New Street, Room 2115, 

Dover, DE 19904; telephone: (302) 674–

2331, extension 19. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of this meeting is to address 

issues related to recruitment dynamics 

and stock rebuilding for the Atlantic 

butterfish stock. Additional technical 

issues concerning standards defining 

best available scientific data may also be 

discussed. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to M. 

Jan Bryan at the Mid-Atlantic Council 

Office, (302) 674–2331 extension 18, at 

least 5 days prior to the meeting date. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES