Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 131 / Monday, July 9, 2018 / Notices 31737 

NMFS GARFO is requesting authority 

to collect, receive, export, transport, and 

archive 100 dead Atlantic and 50 dead 

shortnose sturgeon, or parts thereof, 

annually. The applicant requests 

authorization to receive and export 

3,000 Atlantic and 1,500 shortnose 

sturgeon parts annually for the NMFS 

Sturgeon Tissue Repository. In addition, 

the applicant also requests the one-time 

transfer of 22,000 Atlantic and 8,100 

shortnose sturgeon parts currently 

archived at the NMFS Sturgeon Tissue 

Repository under Permit No. 17557. 

Sturgeon samples would be obtained 

from individuals authorized to collect 

them in the course of scientific research, 

salvage activities, or taken during other 

authorized activities. Sturgeon parts and 

samples would be used to support law 

enforcement actions, research studies 

(primarily genetics), and incidental 

education. The permit would be valid 

for up to ten years from the date of 

issuance. 

Dated: July 3, 2018. 

Julia Marie Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14677 Filed 7–6–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG313 

Marine Mammals; File No. 21585 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Oregon State University, Marine 

Mammal Institute, 2030 Southeast 

Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 

97365 (Responsible Party: Bruce Mate, 

Ph.D.), has applied in due form for a 

permit to conduct research on 67 

species of marine mammals. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

August 8, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on 

the Applications and Permits for 

Protected Species (APPS) home page, 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then 

selecting File No. 21585 from the list of 

available applications. 

These documents are also available 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the Permits and Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted to the Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, at 

the address listed above. Comments may 

also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 

713–0376, or by email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 21585 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits and Conservation 

Division at the address listed above. The 

request should set forth the specific 

reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shasta McClenahan or Amy Hapeman, 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested under the 

authority of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended 

(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216), the Endangered Species Act of 

1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.), the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226), and the Fur Seal 

Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 

et seq.). 

The applicant requests a five-year 

research permit to: (1) Characterize the 

spatial and temporal distribution of 

cetaceans throughout their range, (2) 

identify migration routes, home ranges, 

habitats, and core areas of use, (3) 

characterize foraging behavior, (4) 

characterize ecological relationships to 

help explain movement patterns, and (5) 

opportunistically study pinnipeds 

encountered during cetacean studies to 

contribute knowledge of the species and 

document health concerns including 

human interactions. Research may occur 

in U.S. and international waters worldwide. Up to 67 species of marine 

mammals may be targeted including the 

following endangered or threatened 

species and stocks of cetaceans: Blue 

(Balaenoptera musculus), bowhead 

(Balaena mysticetes), Cook Inlet beluga 

(Delphinapterus leucas), fin (B. 

physalus), gray (Eschrichtius robustus), 

humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), 

Main Hawaiian Islands insular false 

killer (Pseudorca crassidens), North 

Pacific right (Eubalaena japonica), sei 

(B. borealis), Southern Resident killer 

(Orcinus orca), Southern right (E. 

australis), and sperm (Physeter 

macrocephalus) whales. Targeted 

cetaceans may be taken during vessel 

and manned aerial surveys for 

observation, photography, passive 

acoustic recording, echosounders for 

prey mapping, biological sampling 

(sloughed skin or skin and blubber 

biopsy), and fully-implantable tagging. 

See the application for complete 

numbers of animals requested by 

species and procedure. 

The following endangered or 

threatened species of pinnipeds may be 

harassed and opportunistically observed 

and photographed during surveys: 

Western Steller sea lions (Eumetopias 

jubatus), and bearded (Erignathus 

barbatus), Guadalupe fur 

(Arctocephalus townsendi), Hawaiian 

monk (Neomonachus schauinslandi), 

ringed (Phoca hispida) and spotted (P. 

largha) seals. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: July 3, 2018. 

Julia Marie Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14676 Filed 7–6–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG335 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting 

(webinar). 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

is sponsoring a meeting via webinar to 

review a new method proposed to 

improve catch estimation methods in 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
31738 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 131 / Monday, July 9, 2018 / Notices 

sparsely sampled mixed stock fisheries. 

The Methodology Review webinar is a 

follow-up to a March 28–29, 2018 

Methodology Review. The webinar 

meeting is open to the public. 

DATES: The Catch Estimation 

Methodology Review webinar will be 

held Tuesday, July 31, 2018, from 8:30 

a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time or 

until business for the day has been 

completed. 

ADDRESSES: The Catch Estimation 

Methodology Review meeting will be 

held by webinar. To attend the webinar, 

(1) join the meeting by visiting this link 

https://www.gotomeeting.com/webinar, 

(2) enter the webinar ID: 531–002–459, 

and (3) enter your name and email 

address (required). After logging into the 

webinar, please (1) dial this TOLL 

number: 1–914–614–3221 (not a toll-free 

number); (2) enter the attendee phone 

audio access code: 953–706–939; and (3) 

then enter your audio phone pin (shown 

after joining the webinar). Note: We 

have disabled mic/speakers as an option 

and require all participants to use a 

telephone or cell phone to participate. 

Technical Information and System 

Requirements: PC-based attendees are 

required to use Windows® 7, Vista, or 

XP; Mac®-based attendees are required 

to use Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer; Mobile 

attendees are required to use iPhone®, 

iPad®, AndroidTM phone or Android 

tablet (see the https://

www.gotomeeting.com/webinar/ipadiphone-android-webinar-apps). You 

may send an email to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt at Kris.Kleinschmidt@

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

2280, extension 411 for technical 

assistance. A public listening station 

will also be available at the Pacific 

Council office. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

John DeVore, Staff Officer, Pacific 

Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (503) 820–2413. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the Catch Estimation 

Methodology Review meeting is to 

review and evaluate a new methodology 

under development by the National 

Marine Fisheries Service Southwest 

Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) for 

partitioning landings reported as 

aggregated categories of fish into 

species-level estimates of landed catch. 

The review will focus on short-term 

requests to the SWFSC team from the 

March Methodology Review panel. 

No management actions will be 

decided by the Methodology Review 

panel. The Methodology Review panel’s 

role will be development of 

recommendations and a report for 

consideration by the Pacific Council’s 

Scientific and Statistical Committee and 

the Pacific Council at their September 

meeting in Seattle, WA. 

Although nonemergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agendas 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 

notice and any issues arising after 

publication of this notice 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 of the Methodology Review 

panel to take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. 

Kris Kleinschmidt (503) 820–2411 at 

least 10 days prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: July 3, 2018. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14628 Filed 7–6–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG312 

Fisheries of the South Atlantic; 

Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR); Stock Identification 

Joint Cooperator Technical Review 

Webinar for Atlantic Cobia 

(Rachycentron canadum) 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR 58 Atlantic 

Cobia Stock Identification Joint 

Cooperator Technical Review Webinar. 

SUMMARY: The SEDAR 58 assessment(s) 

of the Atlantic stock(s) of cobia will 

consist of a series of workshops and 

webinars: Stock ID Workshop; Stock ID 

Review Workshop; Stock ID Joint 

Cooperator Technical Review; Data 

Workshop; Assessment Workshop and/ 

or Webinars; and a Review Workshop. 

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

DATES: The SEDAR 58 Stock ID Joint 

Cooperator Technical Review Webinar 

will be held on July 30, 2018, from 12 

p.m. until 2 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. The webinar is open to 

members of the public. Those interested 

in participating should contact Julia 

Byrd at SEDAR (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) to request an 

invitation providing webinar access 

information. Please request webinar 

invitations at least 24 hours in advance 

of each webinar. 

SEDAR address: South Atlantic 

Fishery Management Council, 4055 

Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N 

Charleston, SC 29405; 

www.sedarweb.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julia 

Byrd, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 Faber 

Place Drive, Suite 201, North 

Charleston, SC 29405; phone: (843) 571– 

4366; email: julia.byrd@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf 

of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Councils, in conjunction with NOAA 

Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf 

States Marine Fisheries Commissions, 

have implemented the Southeast Data, 

Assessment and Review (SEDAR) 

process, a multi-step method for 

determining the status of fish stocks in 

the Southeast Region. SEDAR is 

typically a three-step process including: 

(1) Data Workshop; (2) Assessment 

Process utilizing workshop and/or 

webinars; and (3) Review Workshop. 

The product of the Data Workshop is a 

data report which compiles and 

evaluates potential datasets and 

recommends which datasets are 

appropriate for assessment analyses. 

The product of the Assessment Process 

is a stock assessment report which 

describes the fisheries, evaluates the 

status of the stock, estimates biological 

benchmarks, projects future population 

conditions, and recommends research 

and monitoring needs. The assessment 

is independently peer reviewed at the 

Review Workshop. The product of the 

Review Workshop is a Summary 

documenting panel opinions regarding 

the strengths and weaknesses of the 

stock assessment and input data. 

Participants for SEDAR Workshops are 

appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South 

Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery 

Management Councils and NOAA 

Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Division, and Southeast Fisheries 

Science Center. Participants include: 

Data collectors and database managers; 

stock assessment scientists, biologists, 

and researchers; constituency 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES