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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16812-16813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6897]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XB099

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 29 assessment webinars for Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS) blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus).

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SUMMARY: The SEDAR 29 assessment of HMS blacktip shark will consist of 
a workshop and series of webinars. This notice is for webinars 
associated with the workshop portion of the SEDAR process.

DATES: The SEDAR 29 webinars will be held between April 12th and May 
24th, 2012. Please see list below for exact dates and times. The 
established times may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the 
timely completion of discussion relevant to the assessment process. 
Such adjustments may result in the meeting being extended from, or 
completed prior to the times established by this notice.

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              Webinar                         Date                     Day                  Time (central)
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1..................................  April 12, 2012........  Thursday..............  10 a.m.-1 p.m.
2..................................  April 26, 2012........  Thursday..............  10 a.m.-1 p.m.
3..................................  May 24, 2012..........  Thursday..............  10 a.m.-1 p.m.
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ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held via webinar. The webinar is open 
to the public. Those interested in participating should contact Julie 
A. Neer at SEDAR (See Contact Information Below) to request an 
invitation providing webinar access information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie A. Neer, SEDAR Coordinator, 4055 
Faber Place, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843) 
571-4366; email: [email protected].

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 multi-step 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, environmentalists, and NGO's; International experts; and 
staff of Councils, Commissions, and state and federal agencies.
    SEDAR 29 Assessment webinar series:
    Using datasets and initial assessment analysis recommended from the 
Workshop, Panelists will employ assessment models to evaluate stock 
status, estimate population benchmarks and management criteria, and 
project future conditions. Panelists will recommend the most 
appropriate methods and configurations for determining stock status and 
estimating population parameters.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids

[[Page 16813]]

should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) at least 10 
business days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: March 19, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-6897 Filed 3-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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