20792 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 67 / Friday, April 6, 2012 / Notices 

exceed 2,250 lb (1,020.58 kg) for all trips 

combined. 

Spiny Dogfish—whole fish would be 

retained for reproductive biology 

research. The spiny dogfish retained 

would not exceed 50 fish per month 

from each of the two stock areas (GOM, 

SNE/MA), or 1,200 fish total for all 

trips. The maximum weight on any trip 

would not exceed 390 lb (176.9 kg), and 

would not exceed 9,360 lb (4,245.62 kg) 

total for all trips. 

Monkfish—whole fish would be 

retained for maturity and fecundity 

research. Monkfish retained would not 

exceed 10 fish per trip, or 120 fish total 

for all trips. The maximum weight on 

any trip would not exceed 100 lb (45.36 

kg) total weight, and would not exceed 

1,200 lb (544.31 kg) for all trips 

combined. 

Cod—whole fish would be retained 

for tagging demonstrations and 

educational purposes. Cod to be 

retained would not exceed 15 fish per 

trip, or 60 cod for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 150 lb (68.04 kg) total weight, 

and would not exceed 600 lb (272.16 kg) 

for all trips combined. 

Barndoor Skate—whole and, in some 

cases, live skates would be retained for 

age and growth research and species 

confirmation. The barndoor skates 

retained would not exceed 20 fish per 

3-month period, or 80 skates total for all 

trips. The maximum weight on any trip 

would not exceed 75 lb (34.02 kg) total 

weight, and would not exceed 300 lb 

(136.08 kg) total for all trips combined. 

Thorny Skate—whole and, in some 

cases, live skates would be retained for 

age and growth research and species 

confirmation. Thorny skates retained 

would not exceed 20 fish per 3-month 

period, or 80 skates total for all trips. 

The maximum weight on any trip would 

not exceed 75 lb (34.02 kg) whole 

weight, and would not exceed 300 lb 

(136.08 kg) total for all trips combined. 

Black Sea Bass—whole fish would be 

retained for examination of seasonal and 

latitudinal patterns in energy allocation. 

This effort is in support of an ongoing 

study at the NEFSC to evaluate BIA to 

measure fish energy density and 

reproductive potential for stock 

assessment. Black sea bass retained 

would not exceed 75 fish per trip or 300 

black sea bass total for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 250 lb (113.40 kg) total weight, 

and would not exceed 1,000 lb (453.59 

kg) total for all trips combined. 

Atlantic wolffish—whole fish would 

be retained for maturity, fecundity, and 

life history research. Atlantic wolffish 

retained would not exceed 30 fish per 

month or 360 fish total for all trips. The 

maximum weight on any trip would not 

exceed 120 lb (54.4 kg) and would not 

exceed 3,000 lb (1,360.8 kg) total for all 

trips combined. 

Cusk—whole fish would be retained 

for maturity, fecundity, and life history 

research. Cusk retained would not 

exceed 30 fish per month or 360 fish 

total for all trips. The maximum weight 

on any trip would not exceed 100 lb 

(45.4 kg) and would not exceed 2,300 lb 

(1,043.3 kg) total for all trips combined. 

If approved, the applicant may 

request minor modifications and 

extensions to the EFP throughout the 

year. EFP modifications and extensions 

may be granted without further notice if 

they are deemed essential to facilitate 

completion of the proposed research 

and have minimal impact that do not 

change the scope or impact of the 

initially approved EFP request. Any 

fishing activity conducted outside the 

scope of the exempted fishing activity 

would be prohibited. 

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

Dated: April 3, 2012. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8374 Filed 4–5–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB151 

New England Fishery Management 

Council (NEFMC); Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold a 3-day meeting from Tuesday 

through Thursday, April 24–April 26, 

2012, to consider actions affecting New 

England fisheries in the exclusive 

economic zone (EEZ). 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Tuesday, April 24th, Wednesday, April 

25th and Thursday, April 26th 

beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, and 

8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard, 

Mystic, CT 06355–1900; telephone: 

(860) 572–0731; fax: (860) 572–0328. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

J. Howard, Executive Director, New 

England Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012 

Following introductions and any 

announcements, brief reports will be 

presented by the Council Chairman and 

Executive Director, NOAA Fisheries 

Regional Administrator (Northeast 

Region), Northeast Fisheries Science 

Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council liaisons, as well as 

NOAA General Counsel, representatives 

of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Atlantic 

States Marine Fisheries Commission, 

and staff from the Vessel Monitoring 

Systems Operations and NOAA’s Law 

Enforcement offices. During this period, 

the Council will receive an overview of 

activities related to the development of 

a Standard Bycatch Reporting 

Methodology amendment and the 

possible establishment of a joint MidAtlantic and New England Council 

Committee. That discussion will be 

followed by a review of any 

experimental fishery permit 

applications that have been made 

available since the January 2012 Council 

meeting. 

Prior to a lunch break, the Council 

will discuss revising its list of 

management priorities for 2012 in the 

context of an Endangered Species Act 

listing for Atlantic sturgeon and the 

Council resources that may be required 

to address that issue. 

Following a lunch break, the Council 

may revise its policies concerning 

procedures for advisory panel and plan 

development team operations. The Sea 

Scallop Committee will ask for approval 

of research priorities to be used in 

soliciting proposals funded through the 

NEFMC’s sea scallop research set-aside 

program. During this report, the 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center will 

present information about future plans 

for the federal sea scallop survey, 

including the integration of Habcam 

(towed underwater camera) results with 

existing survey technologies. The 

Enforcement Committee will provide 

recommendations and ask for approval 

of comments related to: Amendment 5 

to the Atlantic Herring Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP), NOAA’s 

revised enforcement priorities, issues 

related to coral reef protection, sector 

landings monitoring and 

correspondence to the Secretary of 

Commerce requesting NOAA General 

Counsel/Northeast participation in 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 67 / Friday, April 6, 2012 / Notices 20793 

NEFMC Enforcement Committee 

meetings and the continuation of efforts 

to address the case backlog in New 

England. The day will conclude with a 

public listening session during which 

the Council will hold an informal 

question and answer session for 

stakeholders and the public. There also 

will be an opportunity for anyone to 

briefly comment on items relevant to 

Council business that is not otherwise 

listed on the agenda. 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 

The second day of the meeting will 

begin with an overview of the status of 

Atlantic sturgeon and the implications 

of its Endangered Species Act listing for 

NEFMC fishery management plans, as 

well as other protected species-related 

updates. The Monkfish Committee will 

report next and summarize its 

discussions about potential remedies to 

the bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the 

monkfish fishery. There also will be an 

update on progress to develop 

Amendment 6 to the Monkfish FMP, an 

action that will include a catch share 

management alternative. Prior to a 

lunch break, representatives of the 

Northeast Fisheries Science Center will 

summarize the recent assessment and 

data updates to 13 Northeast groundfish 

stocks. The Council’s Scientific and 

Statistical Committee will add to this 

information by reporting on its review 

of additional information relating to the 

status of Gulf of Maine cod. The 

committee also will provide 

recommendations for fishing year 2013 

Acceptable Biological Catches for a 

number of stocks in the multispecies 

complex. The day will conclude with a 

report from the Groundfish Committee. 

That group will continue discussions 

about the management of Gulf of Maine 

cod, provide an update on the 

committee’s efforts to develop a number 

of solutions and remedies concerning 

the sector management program and 

update the Council about other 

committee activities. 

Thursday, February 2, 2012 

The final day of the Council meeting 

will begin with a report from the 

Whiting Committee. It will review the 

recent public hearing comments and 

then approve final action on the 

management measures to be included in 

Amendment 19 to the Northeast 

Multispecies FMP. The action would 

establish annual catch limits and 

accountability measures for stocks of 

red hake, silver hake and offshore hake. 

The Habitat Committee will ask for 

approval of deep sea coral management 

alternatives to be analyzed further for 

potential inclusion in Essential Fish 

Habitat (EFH) Omnibus 2. Following a 

lunch break, there will be a report on 

the Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management 

Plan during which the Council will be 

asked to approve a range of alternatives 

for inclusion in the Draft Environmental 

Impact Statement for Amendment 3 to 

the plan. The document will be the 

subject of public review and further 

decision-making by the Mid-Atlantic 

and New England Councils. The day 

will conclude with an update on the 

development of Draft Amendment 5 to 

the Herring FMP and its Draft 

Environmental l Impact Statement 

including a review of comments 

received during the Amendment 5 

public hearings held in March, 2012 and 

the Amendment 5 timeline and 

schedule for completion. The Council 

also may address any other outstanding 

business that related to this agenda. 

Although other non-emergency issues 

not contained in this agenda may come 

before this Council for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subjects of formal 

action during the meeting. Council 

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 Act, provided that 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 Paul 

J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 

days prior to the meeting date. 

Dated: April 3, 2012. 

William D. Chappell, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–8378 Filed 4–5–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA905 

Marine Mammals; File No. 16599 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

that a permit has been issued to Dorian 

Houser, Ph.D., National Marine 

Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter 

Island Drive, #200, San Diego, CA 

92106, to conduct scientific research on 

cetaceans stranded or in rehabilitation 

facilities in the U.S. 

ADDRESSES: The permit and related 

documents are available for review 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the following offices: See 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Laura Morse or Amy Sloan (301)427– 

8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

January 18, 2012, notice was published 

in the Federal Register (77 FR 2512) 

that a request for a permit to conduct 

research on all species of stranded and 

rehabilitating cetaceans had been 

submitted by the above-named 

applicant. The requested permit has 

been issued under the authority of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 

as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et 

seq.), the regulations governing the 

taking and importing of marine 

mammals (50 CFR part 216), the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 

amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), 

and the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226). 

Researchers may take auditory evoked 

potential measurements with suction 

cup sensors or subcutaneous pin 

electrodes on up to 15 individuals of 

each species of cetacean. Research will 

occur in waters or on beaches in the 

U.S. and in rehabilitation facilities in 

the U.S. The permit is valid through 

April 1, 2017. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Documents may be reviewed in the 

following locations: 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, 

Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 

427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376; 

Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand 

Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, 

Seattle, WA 98115–0700; phone (206) 

526–6150; fax (206) 526–6426; 

Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 

21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone 

(907) 586–7221; fax (907) 586–7249; 

Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West 

Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, 

CA 90802–4213; phone (562) 980–4001; 

fax (562) 980–4018; 

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