Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 89 / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / Notices 25667 

TABLE 1. SUMMARY TABLE OF BIOMASS AND FISHING MORTALITY FOR SMALL COASTAL SHARKS SCS). 

Source: SEDAR 13 Stock Assessment Panel, July 9, 2007. Age-structured State-Space Age-Structured Production Models (SPASMs) were used 

for bonnethead, Atlantic sharpnose, and blacknose sharks. Surplus production Bayesian Surplus Production (BSP) models were used for the 

SCS complex and finetooth sharks. 

Species Current Relative Biomass 

Level*

Current Biomass 

(N2005) 

Stock Abundance 

(NMSY) 

Minimum 

Stock Size 

Threshold 

(MSST) 

Current Relative Fishing 

Mortality Rate 

(F2005/FMSY) 

Maximum 

Fishing Mortality Threshold 

(FMSY) 

Outlook 

Atlantic Sharpnose 

Sharks 

1.47 

(SSF2005/ 

SSFMSY) 

5.96E+06 4.45E+06 4.09E+06 0.74 0.19 Not overfished; overfishing is not 

occurring 

Blacknose Sharks 0.48 

(SSF2005/ 

SSFMSY) 

3.49E+05 5.7E+05 4.3E+05 3.77 0.07 Overfished; 

Overfishing is 

occurring 

Bonnethead Sharks 1.13 

(SSF2005/ 

SSFMSY) 

1.59E+06 1.92E+06 1.4E+06 0.61 0.31 Not overfished; overfishing is not 

occurring 

Finetooth Sharks 1.80 

(N2005/NMSY) 

6.00E+06 3.20E+06 2.4E+06 0.17 0.03 Not overfished; Overfishing is not 

occurring 

*

Spawning stock fecundity (SSF) or spawning stock number (SSN) was used as a proxy of biomass when biomass (B) does not influence pup 

production in sharks. For finetooth stocks, N was used to estimate biomass levels due to data limitations; therefore, only surplus production models were run. 

Request for Comments 

Currently, both commercial and 

recreational fishermen may target 

Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, 

finetooth, and bonnethead sharks. 

Commercial regulations for SCS species 

include, but are not limited to, no 

retention limit for directed permit 

holders, 16 pelagic and SCS species 

combined per vessel per trip for 

incidental permit holders, and annual 

quota of 454 mt dw split between three 

regions (North Atlantic, South Atlantic, 

and Gulf of Mexico). Amendment 2 to 

the Consolidated HMS FMP proposed 

combining the SCS regions into one (71 

FR 41392). Recreational regulations for 

SCS species include, but are not limited 

to, retention limit of 1 shark per vessel 

per trip with a 4.5–ft (54–in) fork length 

minimum size, plus 1 Atlantic 

sharpnose and 1 bonnethead per person 

per trip (no minimum size). 

NMFS anticipates changes to shark 

management as a result of the latest SCS 

stock assessment and requests 

comments on a variety of management 

options for this action. Specifically, 

NMFS requests comments on 

commercial management options 

including, but not limited to, quota 

levels, regional and seasonal quotas, trip 

limits, minimum sizes, quota 

monitoring, authorized gears, permit 

structure, and prohibited species. In 

addition, NMFS is seeking comments on 

recreational management options 

including, but not limited to, retention 

limits, minimum sizes, authorized gears, 

and landing requirements. NMFS also 

seeks comments on display quotas and 

collection of sharks through exempted 

fishing permits, display permits, and 

scientific research permits. Comments 

received on this action will assist NMFS 

in determining the options for 

rulemaking to conserve and manage 

shark resources and shark fisheries, 

consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act and the Consolidated HMS FMP. 

Specifically, comments are requested on 

management measures to reduce fishing 

mortality on blacknose sharks in shrimp 

trawl fisheries because a significant 

proportion of fishing mortality is 

occurring in these fisheries as bycatch. 

NMFS will hold scoping meetings to 

gather public comment on the 

implementation of new management 

measures for SCS (time and location 

details of which will be announced in 

a subsequent Federal Register 

notification). 

Based on the 2007 stock assessment, 

NMFS believes the implementation of 

new management measures via an 

amendment to the Consolidated HMS 

FMP is necessary to rebuild blacknose 

sharks. NMFS anticipates completing 

this amendment and any related 

documents by January 1, 2010. 

Dated: May 1, 2008. 

Emily H. Menashes 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 08–1225 Filed 5–2–08; 2:04 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Federal Consistency Appeals by 

Weaver’s Cove Energy, LLC, and Mill 

River Pipeline, LLC 

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (Commerce). 

ACTION: Notice of closure—

administrative appeal decision records. 

SUMMARY: This announcement provides 

notice that the decision records for two 

administrative appeals filed with the 

Department of Commerce by Weaver’s 

Cove Energy, LLC, and Mill River 

Pipeline, LLC, have been closed. 

DATES: The decision records for these 

two administrative appeals were closed 

on May 5, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Materials from the appeal 

records are available at the Internet site 

http://www.ogc.doc.gov/czma.htm and 

at the Office of General Counsel for 

Ocean Services, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, U.S. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
25668 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 89 / Wednesday, May 7, 2008 / Notices 

Department of Commerce, 1305 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 

20910. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brett Grosko, Attorney-Advisor, Office 

of General Counsel for Ocean Services, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Commerce, via e-mail at 

Brett.Grosko@noaa.gov, or 301–713–

7384. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 

27, 2007, Weaver’s Cove Energy, LLC, 

and Mill River Pipeline, LLC, separately 

filed notices of appeal with the 

Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) 

pursuant to section 307(c)(3)(A) of the 

Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 

(CZMA), as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1451 et 

seq., and the Department of Commerce’s 

implementing regulations, 15 CFR part 

930, subpart H. These appeals were 

taken from objections by the 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the 

issuance of certain federal licenses 

necessary to construct and operate a 

liquefied natural gas terminal and two 

associated natural gas pipelines, to be 

located in Fall River, Massachusetts. 

Both appeals request the Secretary 

override the State’s objections on 

grounds the proposed project allegedly 

is consistent with the objectives of the 

CZMA, and necessary in the interest of 

national security. Decisions for CZMA 

administrative appeals are based on 

information contained in the decision 

record for the appeal. These two appeals 

have been consolidated for decision. 

Under the CZMA, the decision record 

for an appeal must close no later than 

220 days after notice of the appeal was 

first published in the Federal Register. 

16 U.S.C. 1465. Notice of closure must 

be published in the Federal Register. 

Consistent with this requirement, notice 

is hereby provided that the decision 

records for these appeals were closed on 

May 5, 2008. No further information, 

briefs or comments will be considered 

in deciding these appeals. 

A final decision on these appeals 

must be issued no later than 60 days 

after the date of the publication of this 

notice. 16 U.S.C. 1465(c)(1). The 

deadline may be extended by publishing 

(within the 60-day period) a subsequent 

notice explaining why a decision cannot 

be issued within that time frame. 16 

U.S.C. 1465(c)(1). In this event, a final 

decision must be issued no later than 15 

days after the date of publication of the 

subsequent notice. 16 U.S.C. 1465(c)(2). 

Additional information about these 

appeals and the CZMA appeals process 

is available from the Department of 

Commerce CZMA appeals Web site: 

http://www.ogc.doc.gov/czma.htm. 

[Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog No. 

11.419 Coastal Zone Management Program 

Assistance.] 

Dated: May 1, 2008. 

Joel La Bissonniere, 

Assistant General Counsel for Ocean Services. 

[FR Doc. E8–10012 Filed 5–6–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–08–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XH64 

Endangered Species; File No. 1614–01 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit 

modification. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region 

Protected Resources Division 

(Responsible Party: Mary Colligan), One 

Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, 

has been issued a modification to 

scientific research Permit No. 1614. 

ADDRESSES: The modification and 

related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the following offices: 

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521; 

Northeast Region, NMFS, One 

Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 

01930–2298; phone (978)281–9300; fax 

(978)281–9394; and 

Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th 

Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; 

phone (727)824–5312; fax (727)824–

5309. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brandy Belmas or Jennifer Skidmore, 

(301)713–2289. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 

25, 2008, notice was published in the 

Federal Register (73 FR 15741) that a 

modification of Permit No. 1614, issued 

February 28, 2008 (73 FR 11873), had 

been requested by the above-named 

organization. The requested 

modification has been granted under the 

authority of the Endangered Species Act 

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

1531 et seq.) and the regulations 

governing the taking, importing, and 

exporting of endangered and threatened 

species (50 CFR 222–226). 

In addition to all activities authorized 

under Permit No. 1614, this 

modification increases the number of 

dead, captive bred shortnose sturgeon 

(Acipenser brevirostrum) received from 

authorized U.S. facilities up to 350 

individuals each year. Obtaining these 

additional sturgeon will aid researchers 

in meeting their research objectives, 

which include reviewing shortnose 

sturgeon research procedures and 

developing necropsy protocols. 

Issuance of this modification, as 

required by the ESA was based on a 

finding that such permit (1) was applied 

for in good faith, (2) will not operate to 

the disadvantage of such endangered or 

threatened species, and (3) is consistent 

with the purposes and policies set forth 

in section 2 of the ESA. 

Dated: May 2, 2008. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–10108 Filed 5–6–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XH71 

Marine Mammals; File No. 540–1811 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for 

amendment. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Mr. John Calambokidis, Cascadia 

Research Collective, Waterstreet 

Building, 218 1/2 West Fourth Avenue, 

Olympia, WA 89501, has requested an 

amendment to scientific research Permit 

No. 540–1811. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail 

comments must be received on or before 

June 6, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: The amendment request 

and related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment: (See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION). 

Written comments or requests for a 

public hearing on this request should be 

submitted to the Chief, Permits, 

Conservation and Education Division, 

F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those 

individuals requesting a hearing should 

set forth the specific reasons why a 

hearing on this particular amendment 

request would be appropriate. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES