Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 151 / Monday, August 6, 2018 / Notices 38293 

Sacramento River fall-run Chinook 

salmon are now overfished. Upper 

Columbia River summer-run Chinook 

salmon is now subject to overfishing. 

Thorny skate and the Atlantic and Gulf 

of Mexico stock of sandbar shark are 

still overfished. The Gulf of Maine/Cape 

Hatteras Atlantic mackerel stock is now 

both overfished and subject to 

overfishing. NMFS, on behalf of the 

Secretary, notifies the appropriate 

fishery management council (Council) 

whenever it determines that overfishing 

is occurring, a stock is in an overfished 

condition or a stock is approaching an 

overfished condition. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Regina Spallone, (301) 427–8568. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 304(e)(2) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens 

Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2), NMFS, on 

behalf of the Secretary, must notify 

Councils, and publish in the Federal 

Register, whenever it determines that a 

stock or stock complex is subject to 

overfishing, overfished, or approaching 

an overfished condition. 

NMFS has determined that Klamath 

River fall-run Chinook salmon, Queets 

coho salmon, Juan de Fuca coho 

salmon, Snohomish coho salmon, and 

Sacramento River fall-run Chinook 

salmon are now overfished. Pacific 

salmon stocks are overfished when the 

3-year geometric mean of annual 

spawning escapement falls below the 

stock’s minimum stock size threshold 

(MSST). MSST for Pacific salmon is 

generally defined as 0.5*SMSY or 

0.75*SMSY, although there are some 

exceptions including Juan de Fuca and 

Snohomish coho, where MSST is 

0.636*SMSY and 0.62 SMSY, respectively. 

SMSY is the number of spawners 

corresponding to maximum sustainable 

yield (MSY). The determinations for the 

two Chinook stocks are based on 2018 

assessments—using data from 2017— 

produced by the Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Salmon Technical Team (STT) using 

methodologies that have been reviewed 

by the Pacific Council’s Science and 

Statistical Committee (SSC). The 

determinations for the three coho stocks 

are based on 2018 assessments—using 

data from 2016—produced by the 

Pacific Council’s STT, using 

methodologies that have been reviewed 

by the Pacific Council’s SSC. 

NMFS has further determined that 

Upper Columbia River summer-run 

Chinook salmon is now subject to 

overfishing. This stock is subject to 

overfishing when the Fyear exceeds the 

maximum fishing mortality threshold 

(MFMT), where the MFMT is generally 

defined as less than or equal to FMSY. 

This determination is based on a 2018 

assessment—using data from 2015— 

produced by the Pacific Salmon 

Commission’s Chinook Technical 

Committee. Consistent with the 

requirements in the Salmon FMP, the 

Pacific Council has directed the STT to 

develop rebuilding plans for each 

overfished stock for the Council’s 

consideration. Of the six salmon stocks, 

only the two Chinook stocks are not 

internationally managed stocks. For all 

other stocks, the Council has limited 

ability to control ocean fisheries in 

waters outside its jurisdiction. 

Thorny skate and the Atlantic and 

Gulf of Mexico stock of sandbar shark 

are still overfished. Thorny skate is 

overfished if the three-year moving 

average of the autumn survey mean 

weight per tow (B) is less than 

BTHRESHOLD, which is one-half of the 

75th percentile of the mean weight per 

tow observed in the autumn trawl 

survey from the selected reference time 

series. A stock assessment was 

completed in 2017—using data through 

2016—which supported the 

determination that thorny skate remains 

overfished. NMFS is working with the 

New England Fishery Management 

Council (New England Council) to 

implement conservation and 

management measures to rebuild thorny 

skate. The sandbar shark stock is 

overfished when current biomass (B) 

proxy is less than the minimum stock 

size threshold (MSST) (B < BMSST). The 

B proxy for sandbar shark is spawning 

stock fecundity. The sandbar shark 

determination is based on a stock 

assessment completed in 2018—using 

data through 2015—following the 

Southeast Data Assessment and Review 

process. NMFS manages sandbar shark 

under the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic 

Highly Migratory Species Fishery 

Management Plan and its amendments. 

The Gulf of Maine/Cape Hatteras 

Atlantic mackerel stock is now both 

overfished and subject to overfishing. 

Atlantic mackerel is subject to 

overfishing if the fishing mortality rate 

(F) exceeds F40%. The stock is overfished 

if spawning stock biomass (SSB) is less 

than 1⁄2 SSBMSY, the SSB associated 

with fishing at FMSY. This determination 

is based on a benchmark assessment, 

finalized in 2018 and using data through 

2016. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council has been notified 

of its requirement to adopt measures to 

end overfishing and approve a 

rebuilding plan for Atlantic mackerel. 

Dated: August 1, 2018. 

Margo Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16764 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG368 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a public meeting of its 

Whiting Advisory Panel and Committee 

on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 to 

consider actions affecting New England 

fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 

(EEZ). Recommendations from this 

group will be brought to the full Council 

for formal consideration and action, if 

appropriate. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at 9:30 

a.m. 

ADDRESSES: Meeting address: The 

meeting will be held at the Hotel 

Providence, 139 Mathewson Street, 

Providence, RI 02903; telephone: (401) 

861–8000. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

The Whiting Advisory Panel and 

Committee will evaluate Amendment 22 

(limited access alternatives) public 

hearing comments and impact analyses 

to recommend final action to the 

Council at its September meeting. The 

will also receive the Annual Monitoring 

Report for Fishing Year 2017 from the 

Whiting Plan Development Team. The 

Advisory Panel and Committee will 

review recommendations to streamline 

small-mesh multispecies fishery 

regulations and make final 

recommendations to the Council. Other 

business will be discussed as necessary. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
38294 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 151 / Monday, August 6, 2018 / Notices 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before this group for discussion, 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 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the Council’s intent to take 

final action to address the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. This meeting 

will be recorded. Consistent with 16 

U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is 

available upon request. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at 

(978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to 

the meeting date. 

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

Dated: July 31, 2018. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16704 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG389 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) Trawl 

Electronic Monitoring Committee will 

hold a public meeting on August 23, 

2018 through August 24, 2018. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Thursday, August 23, 2018, from 9 a.m. 

to 5:30 p.m. and on Friday, August 24, 

2018, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (or as 

necessary). 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

the Husky Room, Purple and Gold at the 

Silver Cloud Hotel, 5036 25th Ave. NE, 

Seattle, WA 98105. Teleconference 

number: (907) 271–2896. 

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 605 W 

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99501–2252; telephone: (907) 271–2809. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elizabeth Figus, Council staff; 

telephone: (907) 271–2801. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Thursday, August 23, 2018 through 

Friday, August 24, 2018 

This two-day meeting is expected to 

focus on: (a) A presentation on uses of 

EM for recording interactions with 

seabirds; (b) an update about the Alaska 

Region Electronic Technologies 

Implementation Plan; (c) updates for 

ongoing research, funding, and 

regulatory comparisons relevant to trawl 

EM; (d) a review of the EM Workgroup 

cooperative approach; (e) drafting of a 

cooperative workplan for trawl EM; and, 

(f) a discussion of scheduling and other 

issues. The Agenda is subject to change, 

and the latest version will be posted at 

http://www.npfmc.org/observerprogram/. 

Public Comment 

Public comment letters will be 

accepted and should be submitted either 

electronically to Elizabeth Figus, 

Council staff: Elizabeth.figus@noaa.gov 

or through the mail: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 605 W 

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99501–2252. In-person oral public 

testimony will be accepted at the 

discretion of the chair. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Shannon Gleason 

at (907) 271–2809 at least 7 working 

days prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: July 31, 2018. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16703 Filed 8–3–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG384 

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; 

General Provisions for Domestic 

Fisheries; Application for Exempted 

Fishing Permits 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Acting Assistant Regional 

Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, 

Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has 

made a preliminary determination that 

an Exempted Fishing Permit application 

contains all of the required information 

and warrants further consideration. The 

Exempted Fishing Permit would allow 

commercial fishing vessels to fish 

outside of scallop regulations in support 

of research conducted by the 

Coonamessett Farm Foundation. These 

exemptions would support research 

conducted on trips to test gear 

modifications for bycatch reduction in 

the scallop dredge fishery. 

Regulations under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act require publication of 

this notification to provide interested 

parties the opportunity to comment on 

applications for proposed Exempted 

Fishing Permits. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before August 21, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit written 

comments by any of the following 

methods: 

• Email: nmfs.gar.efp@noaa.gov. 

Include in the subject line ‘‘CFF 

Compensation Fishing Gear Research 

EFP.’’ 

• Mail: Michael Pentony, Regional 

Administrator, NMFS, Greater Atlantic 

Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great 

Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. 

Mark the outside of the envelope 

‘‘Comments on CFF Compensation 

Fishing Gear Research EFP.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shannah Jaburek, Fisheries Management 

Specialist, 978–282–8456. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) 

submitted a complete application for an 

Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) on July 

6, 2018, that would allow gear research 

to be conducted by vessels on 

compensation fishing trips associated 

with projects funded by the 2018 

Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) 

program. The exemptions would allow 

commercial fishing vessels to exceed the 

crew size regulations at 50 CFR 

648.51(c) to place a researcher on the 

vessel and temporarily exempt the 

participating vessels from possession 

limits and minimum size requirements 

specified in 50 CFR part 648, subpart B 

and subparts D through O, for biological 

sampling purposes. Any fishing activity 

conducted outside the scope of the 

exempted fishing activity would be 

prohibited, including landing fish in 

excess of a possession limit or below the 

minimum size. 

Experimental fishing activity would 

test a one-way extended link gear 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES