Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 62 / Friday, March 30, 2012 / Notices 19227 

jurisdiction that target or incidentally 

catch sharks and the nation has not 

adopted a regulatory program to provide 

for the conservation of sharks, including 

measures to prohibit removal of any of 

the fins of a shark (including the tail) 

and discarding the carcass of the shark 

at sea, that is comparable to that of the 

United States, taking into account 

different conditions. 

The second biennial report to 

Congress was submitted in January 2011 

and is available online at http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/docs/ 

biennia_report_to_congress.pdf. The 

report identified six nations for IUU 

fishing. 

The Moratorium Protection Act also 

requires the Secretary to establish 

procedures to certify whether each 

nation identified in the biennial report 

is taking the necessary actions to 

address IUU fishing, bycatch of PLMRs, 

and/or shark catch. If an identified 

nation fails to take such action and 

therefore fails to receive a positive 

certification, the fishing vessels of that 

nation would be subject to trade 

restrictive measures under the High 

Seas Driftnet Fisheries Enforcement Act 

(16 U.S.C. 1826a). Such measures could 

include denial of entry into U.S. ports 

and import prohibitions on certain 

fisheries products. On January 12, 2011, 

NMFS published a final rule (76 FR 

2011) to implement both the 

identification and certification 

procedures for IUU fishing and bycatch 

of PLMRs. That final rule is available 

online at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/ 

FR-2011-01-12/pdf/2011-507.pdf. The 

rule provides information regarding the 

identification process and how the 

information received will be used in 

that process. 

In fulfillment of its requirements 

under the Moratorium Protection Act, 

NMFS is preparing the third biennial 

report to Congress, which will identify 

nations whose fishing vessels are 

engaged in IUU fishing or fishing 

practices that result in bycatch of 

PLMRs or shark catch in waters beyond 

any national jurisdiction without a 

regulatory program comparable to the 

United States. NMFS is soliciting 

information from the public that could 

assist in its identification of nations 

engaged in activities that meet the 

criteria described above for IUU fishing, 

PLMR bycatch, or shark catch in waters 

beyond any national jurisdiction. Some 

types of information that may prove 

useful to NMFS include: 

• Documentation (photographs, etc.) 

of IUU activity or fishing vessels 

engaged in PLMR bycatch or catch of 

sharks on the high seas; 

• Fishing vessel records; 

• Trade data supporting evidence that 

a nation’s vessels are engaged in shark 

catch; 

• Reports from off-loading facilities, 

port-side government officials, 

enforcement agents, military personnel, 

port inspectors, transshipment vessel 

workers and fish importers; 

• Sightings of vessels on RFMO IUU 

vessel lists; 

• RFMO catch documents and 

statistical document programs; 

• Nation’s domestic regulations for 

bycatch and shark conservation and 

management; 

• Appropriate certification programs; 

• Action or inaction at the national 

level, resulting in non-compliance with 

RFMO conservation and management 

measures, such as exceeding quotas or 

catch limits, or failing to report or 

misreporting data of the nation’s fishing 

activities; and 

• Reports from governments, 

international organizations, or 

nongovernmental organizations. 

NMFS will consider all available 

information, as appropriate, when 

making a determination whether or not 

to identify a particular nation in the 

biennial report to Congress. As stated 

previously, NMFS is limited in the data 

it may use as the basis of a nation’s 

identification. This information 

includes IUU fishing activity in 2011 

and 2012, bycatch of PLMRs in 2012, 

and shark fishing activity in waters 

beyond any national jurisdiction in 

2012. Information should be as specific 

as possible as this will assist NMFS in 

its review. NMFS will consider several 

criteria when determining whether 

information is appropriate for use in 

making identifications, including: 

• Corroboration of information; 

• Whether multiple sources have 

been able to provide information in 

support of an identification; 

• The methodology used to collect 

the information; 

• Specificity of the information 

provided; 

• Susceptibility of the information to 

falsification and alteration; and 

• Credibility of the individuals or 

organization providing the information. 

Dated: March 26, 2012. 

Cheri McCarty, 

Acting Director, Office of International 

Affairs, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7718 Filed 3–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB130 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

convene a public meeting. 

DATES: The meeting will be held April 

16–19, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Omni Bayfront Hotel, 900 N. 

Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 

78401; telephone: (361) 887–1600. 

Council address: Gulf of Mexico 

Fishery Management Council, 2203 

North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, 

FL 33607. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Stephen Bortone, Executive Director, 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (813) 348–1630. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Committees 

Monday, April 16, 2012 

1 p.m.–2 p.m.—Scientific & Statistical 

Committee (SSC) Selection 

Committee will discuss duties and 

responsibilities of the SSC and 

receive a presentation on Detailed 

‘‘Option 3’’. 

2 p.m.–3 p.m.—Budget/Personnel 

Committee will review the 

Executive Director’s Evaluation 

Process, the 2012 Proposed Budget 

and an Overview of Future 

Funding. 

3 p.m.–4 p.m.—Outreach and Education 

Committee will review the Crisis 

Communication Plan and receive an 

update on the Stakeholder’s Survey. 

4 p.m.–4:30 p.m.—Artificial Reef 

Committee will discuss Artificial 

Reefs as Essential Fish Habitat. 

4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.—Budget/Personnel 

Committee—Full Council (CLOSED 

SESSION) 

—Recess— 

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 

8:30 a.m.–12 noon and 1:30 p.m.—5:30 

p.m.—Reef Fish Management 

Committee will meet to discuss the 

Update of the Red Snapper 5-Year 

IFQ Review; review Scoping 

Documents for Amendment 28— 

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19228 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 62 / Friday, March 30, 2012 / Notices 

Grouper Allocation and 

Amendment 33—Limited Access 

Privilege Program; take Final Action 

on Amendment 35—Greater 

Amberjack; review a Scoping 

Document for Red Snapper 

Provisions for Overage 

Adjustments; discuss an Interim 

Rule on Gray Triggerfish Annual 

Catch Limit & In-Season Closure 

Authority; review a Draft Options 

Paper for Amendment 37—Gray 

Triggerfish Management Measures; 

discuss a Framework Action on 

Contractual Services for the ForHire Sector; discuss Sector 

Separation; review an Options 

Paper for Amendment 38—Revise 

Post-Season Recreational 

Accountability Measures for 

Shallow-water Grouper; receive a 

summary from the Goliath Grouper 

Workgroup Meeting and review and 

discuss the Pilot Studies Design for 

Headboat IFQ and Days at Sea. 

—Recess— 

Immediately following the Committee 

Recess will be the Informal Question & 

Answer Session on Gulf of Mexico 

Fishery Management Issues. 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 

8:30 a.m.–9 a.m.—The Coral 

Management Committee will review 

a report from the Special Coral 

Scientific & Statistical Committee. 

9 a.m.–10 a.m.—The Data Collection 

Committee will review the MRIP 

Calibration Workshop summary; 

discuss a Generic Amendment for 

Dealer Permit/Electronic Logbook 

Reporting Requirements; receive an 

update on Electronic Reporting for 

Headboats and for the For-Hire 

Sector. 

10 a.m.–11:30 a.m.—The Mackerel 

Management Committee will review 

Options Papers for Amendment 

19—No Sale and Permits and for 

Amendment 20—Boundaries and 

Transit Provisions. 

—Recess— 

Council 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 

1 p.m.—The Council meeting will 

begin with a Call to Order and 

Introductions. 

1:05 p.m.–1:15 p.m.—The Council 

will review the agenda and approve the 

minutes. 

1:15 p.m.–1:45 p.m.—The Council 

will approve a revised Committee 

Roster; review the Action Schedule; and 

review Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP), 

if any. 

1:45 p.m.–5:30 p.m.—The Council 

will receive public testimony on Final 

Reef Fish Amendment 35—Greater 

Amberjack; an Interim Rule for Gray 

Triggerfish Annual Catch Limit & InSeason Closure Authority; and 

exempted fishing permits (EFPs), if any. 

The Council will also hold an open 

public comment period regarding any 

other fishery issues of concern. People 

wishing to speak before the Council 

should complete a public comment card 

prior to the comment period. 

Thursday, April 19, 2012 

8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.—The Council will 

review and discuss reports from the 

committee meetings as follows: 

Scientific & Statistical Committee 

Selection, Outreach & Education, Reef 

Fish, Budget/Personnel, Artificial Reef, 

Coral, Data Collection, and Mackerel. 

3 p.m.–3:15 p.m.—Discussion on 

Exempted Fishing Permits (if any) will 

take place. 

3:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m.—Other Business 

items will follow. 

The Council will conclude its meeting 

at approximately 3:45 p.m. 

Although other non-emergency issues 

not on the agendas may come before the 

Council and Committees for discussion, 

in accordance with the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens 

Act), those issues may not be the subject 

of formal action during these meetings. 

Actions of the Council and Committees 

will be restricted to those issues 

specifically identified in the agendas 

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 action to address the 

emergency. 

The established times for addressing 

items on the agenda may be adjusted as 

necessary to accommodate the timely 

completion of discussion relevant to the 

agenda items. In order to further allow 

for such adjustments and completion of 

all items on the agenda, the meeting 

may be extended from, or completed 

prior to the date/time established in this 

notice. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Kathy Pereira at 

the Council (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 

working days prior to the meeting. 

Dated: March 27, 2012. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7659 Filed 3–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB137 

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’s (Council) 

Groundfish Committee will meet to 

consider actions affecting New England 

fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 

(EEZ). 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 9 a.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring 

Street, Portland, ME 04101; telephone: 

(207) 775–2311; fax: (207) 772–4017. 

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 items 

of discussion in the committee’s agenda 

are as follows: 

The Groundfish Committee will meet 

to continue development of several 

management actions. The Committee 

will continue development of an action 

to modify measures that apply to 

sectors. This discussion is expected to 

focus primarily on monitoring issues, 

and may include discussion of Annual 

Catch Entitlement (ACE) carryover 

provisions and other measures relevant 

to sector operations. The Committee 

will discuss an action to establish 

acceptable biological catches (ABCs) 

and annual catch limits (ACLs) for 

fishing years 2013 and 2014. Setting 

ABCs/ACLs may require modification of 

recreational fishing measures, and the 

Committee may discuss this issue. The 

Committee may also discuss adopting 

additional sub-ACLs for the scallop 

fishery and pursuing the Mixed Stock 

Exception for SNE/MA windowpane 

flounder. The Committee may discuss 

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