11066 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 37 / Friday, February 24, 2012 / Notices 

Webinar Date Day Time 

(Eastern) 

1 .......... March 14, 2012 ................................................................................... Wednesday .......................................................... 1 pm–5 pm. 

2 .......... April 4, 2012 ........................................................................................ Wednesday .......................................................... 1 pm–5 pm. 

3 .......... May 22, 2012 ...................................................................................... Tuesday ............................................................... 1 pm–5 pm. 

4 .......... June 5, 2012 ....................................................................................... Tuesday ............................................................... 1 pm–5 pm. 

5 .......... June 19, 2012 ..................................................................................... Tuesday ............................................................... 1 pm–5 pm. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held 

via webinar. The webinar is open to 

members of the public. Those interested 

in participating should contact Kari 

Fenske 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kari 

Fenske, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 Faber 

Place Dr. Suite 201; phone (843) 571– 

4366. Email: kari.fenske@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 a threestep process including: (1) Data 

Workshop, (2) Assessment Process 

utilizing 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, 

HMS Management Division, and 

Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 

Participants include data collectors and 

database managers; stock assessment 

scientists, biologists, and researchers; 

constituency representatives including 

fishermen, environmentalists, and 

NGO’s; International experts; and staff 

of Councils, Commissions, and state and 

federal agencies. 

Using datasets recommended from the 

Data Workshop, participants will 

employ assessment models to evaluate 

stock status, estimate population 

benchmarks and management criteria, 

and project future conditions. 

Participants will recommend the most 

appropriate methods and configurations 

for determining stock status and 

estimating population parameters. 

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 these meetings. 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 MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act, provided the public 

has been notified of the Council’s intent 

to take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to the Council office 

(see ADDRESSES) at least 10 business 

days prior to the meeting. 

Dated: February 21, 2012. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4291 Filed 2–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA924 

Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; 

Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR); Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of SEDAR Data/ 

Assessment Workshop for Highly 

Migratory Species (HMS) blacktip 

sharks. 

SUMMARY: The SEDAR assessment of the 

HMS stocks of Gulf of Mexico blacktip 

sharks will consist of one workshop and 

a series of webinars. 

DATES: The SEDAR Workshop will take 

place March 19–23, 2012. See 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 

dates and times. 

ADDRESSES: The Workshop will be held 

at Wyndham Bay Point Resort, 4114 Jan 

Cooley Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 

32408, United States; telephone: (850) 

236–6000. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

Neer, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 Faber 

Place Drive, Suite 201, North 

Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843) 

571–4366; email: Julie.neer@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 a multistep process including: (1) Data/ 

Assessment Workshop, and (2) a series 

of webinars. The product of the Data/ 

Assessment Workshop is a report which 

compiles and evaluates potential 

datasets and recommends which 

datasets are appropriate for assessment 

analyses, and describes the fisheries, 

evaluates the status of the stock, 

estimates biological benchmarks, 

projects future population conditions, 

and recommends research and 

monitoring needs. Participants for 

SEDAR Workshops are appointed by the 

Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and 

Caribbean Fishery Management 

Councils and NOAA Fisheries Southeast 

Regional Office, HMS Management 

Division, and Southeast Fisheries 

Science Center. Participants include 

data collectors and database managers; 

stock assessment scientists, biologists, 

and researchers; constituency 

representatives including fishermen, 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 37 / Friday, February 24, 2012 / Notices 11067 

environmentalists, and NGO’s; 

International experts; and staff of 

Councils, Commissions, and state and 

federal agencies. 

SEDAR 29 Data/Assessment 

Workshop Schedule: March 19, 2012: 1 

p.m.–8 p.m.; March 20–22, 2012: 8 a.m.– 

8 p.m.; March 23, 2012: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. 

An assessment data set and associated 

documentation will be developed 

during the Workshop. Participants will 

evaluate proposed data and select 

appropriate sources for providing 

information on life history 

characteristics, catch statistics, discard 

estimates, length and age composition, 

and fishery dependent and fishery 

independent measures of stock 

abundance. Using datasets selected, 

participants will develop population 

models to evaluate stock status, estimate 

population benchmarks and 

management criteria, and project future 

conditions. Participants will 

recommend the most appropriate 

methods and configurations for 

determining stock status and estimating 

population parameters. Participants will 

prepare a workshop report, 

documenting the data incorporated and 

all decisions made during the process, 

and complete results of the assessment. 

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 these meetings. 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 MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act, provided the public 

has been notified of the Council’s intent 

to take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to the Council office 

(see ADDRESSES) at least 10 business 

days prior to each workshop. 

Dated: February 21, 2012. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4292 Filed 2–23–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA912 

Taking and Importing Marine 

Mammals; U.S. Navy Training in the 

Hawaii Range Complex 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of issuance of a Letter of 

Authorization. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA), as amended, and 

implementing regulations, notice is 

hereby given that NMFS has issued a 

Letter of Authorization (LOA) to the 

U.S. Navy (Navy) to take marine 

mammals incidental to training and 

research activities conducted within the 

Hawaii Range Complex (HRC) for the 

period of February 9, 2012, through 

January 5, 2014. 

DATES: This Authorization is effective 

from February 9, 2012, through January 

5, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting 

documentation may be obtained by 

writing to P. Michael Payne, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 

20910, or by telephoning one of the 

contacts listed here. 

A copy of the application used in this 

document may be obtained by writing to 

the address specified above, telephoning 

the contact listed below (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT), or 

visiting the internet at: http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ 

incidental.htm. Documents cited in this 

notice may also be viewed, by 

appointment, during regular business 

hours, at the aforementioned address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michelle Magliocca, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 

U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs NMFS to 

allow, upon request, the incidental 

taking of marine mammals by U.S. 

citizens who engage in a specified 

activity (other than commercial fishing), 

if certain findings are made by NMFS 

and regulations are issued. Under the 

MMPA, the term ‘‘take’’ means to 

harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to 

attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill 

marine mammals. 

Authorization may be granted for 

periods of 5 years or less if NMFS finds 

that the taking will have a negligible 

impact on the species or stock(s), and 

will not have an unmitigable adverse 

impact on the availability of the species 

or stock(s) for certain subsistence uses, 

and if the permissible methods of taking 

and requirements pertaining to the 

monitoring and reporting of such taking 

are set forth. 

Regulations governing the taking of 

marine mammals by the Navy incidental 

to training and research activities 

conducted within the Hawaii Range 

Complex (HRC) became effective on 

January 5, 2009 (74 FR 1456, January 12, 

2009). An interim final rule (amending 

regulations to allow for greater 

flexibility in the types and amount of 

sound sources used by the Navy) 

became effective on February 7, 2011 

(76 FR 6699, February 8, 2011), and was 

finalized on February 1, 2012 (77 FR 

4917) in a final rule modification that 

also amended regulations to allow for 

multi-year LOAs. NMFS issued the 

Navy a 1-year LOA on January 10, 2012, 

which is superseded by the 2-year LOA 

detailed in this notice. For more 

information, please refer to those 

documents. These regulations include 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting 

requirements and establish a framework 

to authorize incidental take through the 

issuance of LOAs. 

Summary of Request 

On August 15, 2011, NMFS received 

a request from the Navy for a 2-year 

renewal of an LOA issued on February 

7, 2011, for the taking of marine 

mammals incidental to training and 

research activities conducted within the 

HRC under regulations issued on 

January 5, 2009 (74 FR 1456, January 12, 

2009). The request also proposed 

additional mitigation measures tailored 

to the use of timed-delay firing devices 

(TDFDs) during mine neutralization 

training to ensure that effects to marine 

mammals resulting from these activities 

would not exceed what was originally 

analyzed in the final rule (74 FR 1456, 

January 12, 2009). The potential effects 

of mine neutralization training on 

marine mammals were comprehensively 

analyzed in the Navy’s 2009 final rule 

and mine neutralization training has 

been included in the specified activity 

in the associated 2009, 2010, and 2011 

LOAs. However, the use of TDFDs and 

the associated mitigation measures had 

not been previously contemplated, 

which is why NMFS provided the 

proposed modifications to the public for 

review. A detailed description of 

TDFDs, underwater detonation training, 

and how the Navy derived their new 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES