14350 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 47 / Friday, March 9, 2012 / Notices 

verifying the completion of mitigation 

activities. 

Eelgrass warrants a strong protection 

strategy because of the important 

biological, physical, and economic 

values it provides, as well as its 

importance to managed species under 

the MSA. NMFS developed this policy 

to establish and support a goal of 

protecting this resource and its 

functions, including spatial coverage 

and density of eelgrass beds. Further, it 

is the intent of this policy to ensure that 

there is no net loss of habitat functions 

associated with delays in establishing 

compensatory mitigation. This is to be 

accomplished by creating a greater 

amount of eelgrass than is lost, if the 

mitigation is performed 

contemporaneously or after the impacts 

occur. 

This policy will serve as the guidance 

for staff and managers within NMFS 

SWR for developing recommendations 

concerning eelgrass issues through EFH 

and FWCA consultations and NEPA 

reviews throughout California. It is also 

contemplated that this policy inform 

SWR’s position on eelgrass issues in 

other roles as a responsible, advisory, or 

funding agency or trustee. In addition, 

this document provides guidance on the 

procedures developed to assist NMFS 

SWR in performing its consultative role 

under the statutes described above. 

Finally, pursuant to NMFS obligation to 

provide information to federal agencies 

under section 305(b)(1)(D) of the MSA, 

this policy serves that role by providing 

information intended to further the 

conservation and enhancement of EFH. 

Should this policy be inconsistent with 

any formally-promulgated NMFS 

regulations, those formally-promulgated 

regulations will supplant any 

inconsistent provisions of this policy. 

While many of the activities 

impacting eelgrass are similar across 

California, eelgrass stressors and growth 

characteristics differ between southern 

California (U.S./Mexico border to Pt. 

Conception), central California (Point 

Conception to San Francisco Bay 

entrance), San Francisco Bay, and 

northern California (San Francisco Bay 

to the California/Oregon border). The 

amount of scientific information 

available to base management decisions 

on also differs among areas within 

California, with considerably more 

information and history with eelgrass 

habitat management in southern 

California than the other regions. Gaps 

in region-specific scientific information 

do not override the need to be protective 

of all eelgrass while relying on the best 

information currently available from 

areas within and outside of California. 

Although the primary orientation of this 

policy is toward statewide use, specific 

elements of this policy may differ 

between southern California, central 

California, northern California and San 

Francisco Bay. 

This policy is consistent with NMFS 

support for developing comprehensive 

resource protection strategies that are 

protective of eelgrass resources within 

the context of broader ecosystem needs 

and management objectives. As such, 

this policy provides for the modified 

application of policy elements for plans 

that provide comparable eelgrass 

resource protection. 

For all of California, eelgrass 

compensatory mitigation should be 

considered only after avoidance and 

minimization of effects to eelgrass have 

been pursued to the fullest extent 

possible. Mitigation should be 

recommended for the loss of existing 

vegetated areas and the loss of 

unvegetated areas that have been 

demonstrated capable of supporting 

eelgrass based on recent history of 

eelgrass investigations, unless physical 

manipulation of the environment has 

permanently altered site suitability for 

eelgrass or a change in the baseline has 

occurred. 

Under this policy, as is the case with 

the present Southern California Eelgrass 

Mitigation Policy, the burden for 

successful mitigation rests with the 

action party. As such, the action party 

should fully consider and evaluate the 

costs and risks associated with eelgrass 

mitigation and should take appropriate 

measures to ensure success in achieving 

required performance milestones. While 

NMFS staff can provide technical 

assistance, action parties are advised 

that they are ultimately responsible for 

achieving mitigation success under this 

policy, irrespective of advice or 

technical assistance provided by NMFS, 

other agencies, or technical experts. 

Authority 

The authorities for publication of this 

policy notification are the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1855), the 

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 

U.S.C. 661), and the National 

Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 

4321). 

Dated: March 5, 2012. 

Brian T. Pawlak, 

Acting Director, Office of Habitat 

Conservation, National Marine Fisheries 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–5811 Filed 3–8–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB072 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of meetings of the North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council 

Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) 

Implementation Team. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) IFQ 

Implementation Team will meet March 

26, 2012 in Anchorage, AK. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

March 26, 2012, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 West 

3rd Avenue, King Salmon/Illiamna 

Room, Anchorage, AK. 

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 

4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99501–2252. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane 

DiCosimo, Council staff; telephone: 

(907) 271–2809. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Team 

will review the discussion papers on 

Vessel Monitoring System requirement 

and a discussion paper on proposed 

changes to the Halibut and sablefish IFQ 

Program. 

The Agenda posted at http:// 

www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc/. 

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 

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 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Gail 

Bendixen at (907) 271–2809 at least 7 

working days prior to the meeting date. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 47 / Friday, March 9, 2012 / Notices 14351 

Dated: March 6, 2012. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–5795 Filed 3–8–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB073 

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 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

(SSC), on March 28, 2012, 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: This meeting will be held on 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 8 a.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Providence Biltmore Hotel, 11 

Dorrance Street, Providence, RI 02903; 

telephone: (401) 421–0700; fax: (401) 

455–3050. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

J. Howard, Executive Director, New 

England Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The NEFMC’s Scientific and 

Statistical Committee will: 

a. Review the paper, ‘‘An 

Investigation of Differences Amongst 

SCAA and ASAP Assessment (including 

Reference Point) Estimates for Gulf of 

Maine Cod’’ by Dr. Butterworth and 

Rebecca Rademeyer and advise the 

Council on its applicability to 

management reference points and stock 

assessments for Gulf of Maine cod; 

b. Discuss the performance of 

projections for groundfish stocks based 

on the February 2012 groundfish 

assessment updates; 

c. Review assessments and develop 

ABC recommendations for the Council 

for redfish, Georges Bank haddock, Gulf 

of Maine/Georges Bank windowpane 

flounder, Southern New England/MidAtlantic windowpane flounder, ocean 

pout, wolffish and halibut; and 

d. Other business may be discussed. 

The public is invited to participate in 

the SSC meeting via webinar. For online 

access to the meeting, please reserve 

your webinar seat now at https:// 

www3.gotomeeting.com/register/ 

45053222. 

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 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul 

J. Howard, Executive Director, at (978) 

465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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

Dated: March 6, 2012. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–5740 Filed 3–8–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB071 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of meetings of the North 

Pacific Fishery Management Council 

and its advisory committees. 

SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) and its 

advisory committees will hold public 

meetings, March 26 through April 3, 

2012. 

DATES: The meetings will be held March 

26 through April 3, 2012. See 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 

dates and times. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

the Anchorage Hilton Hotel, 500 West 

3rd Avenue, Anchorage, AK. 

Council address: North Pacific 

Fishery Management Council, 605 W. 

4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 

99501–2252. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Witherell, Council staff; 

telephone: (907) 271–2809. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Council will begin its plenary session at 

8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28 

continuing through Tuesday, April 1. 

Council’s Advisory Panel (AP) will 

begin at 8 a.m., Monday, March 26 and 

continue through Friday, March 30. The 

Scientific Statistical Committee (SSC) 

will begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 

26 and continue through Wednesday, 

March 28. The Halibut Implementation 

Committee will meet March 26 at 4 p.m. 

The Ecosystem Committee will meet 

March 27, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. The 

Enforcement Committee will meet 

March 27 at 1 p.m.–4 p.m. All meetings 

are open to the public, except executive 

sessions. 

Council Plenary Session: The agenda 

for the Council’s plenary session will 

include the following issues. The 

Council may take appropriate action on 

any of the issues identified. 

Reports: 

1. Executive Director’s Report 

NMFS Management Report (incl. report 

on observer program implementation) 

Alaska Department of Fish & Game 

Report 

NOAA Enforcement Report 

United States Coast Guard Report 

United States Fish & Wildlife Service 

Report 

Protected Species Report (including 

review of Steller Sea Lion (SSL) 

Notice of Intent for Environmental 

Impact Statement) 

2. Cooperative Reports: Receive 

Amendment 80 Cooperative Reports; 

Receive Central Gulf of Alaska (CGOA) 

Rockfish Cooperative Reports; Receive 

American Fisheries Act (AFA) Pollock 

Cooperative and Incentive Program 

Agreements (IPA) Reports. 

3. Bering Sea Aleutian Island (BSAI) 

Chum Salmon Bycatch: Update on 

salmon genetics (T); Initial review of 

chum salmon bycatch measures. 

4. Habitat Conservation Issues: Initial 

Review of Habitat Area of Particular 

Concern (HAPC) skate sites; Final action 

on Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Flatfish Trawl 

Sweep Modification; Review Bering Sea 

(BS) Habitat Conservation Area 

boundary; Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 

consultation criteria: Ecosystem 

Committee Report. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES