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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1837-1838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00271]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC402

Nominations for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 
Commission Advisory Committee

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Request for nominations.

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[[Page 1838]]

SUMMARY: NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, is seeking 
nominations for the advisory committee established under the Western 
and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (Act). The 
advisory committee, to be composed of individuals from groups concerned 
with the fisheries covered by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 
Convention (Convention), will be given the opportunity to provide input 
to the United States Commissioners to the Western and Central Pacific 
Fisheries Commission (Commission) regarding the deliberations and 
decisions of the Commission.

DATES: Nominations must be received no later than February 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be directed to Michael Tosatto, Acting 
Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, and may 
be submitted by any of the following means:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line the 
following document identifier: ``Advisory committee nominations''. 
Email comments, with or without attachments, are limited to 5 
megabytes.
     Mail or hand delivery: 1601 Kapiolani Blvd. Suite 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814.
     Facsimile: 808-973-2941.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Oriana Villar, NMFS Pacific Islands 
Regional Office; telephone: 808-944-2256; facsimile: 808-973-2941; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Convention and the Commission

    The objective of the Convention is to ensure, through effective 
management, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of highly 
migratory fish stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean in 
accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 
10 December 1982 (UNCLOS) and the Agreement for the Implementation of 
the Provisions of the UNCLOS Relating to the Conservation and 
Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. 
The Convention establishes the Commission, the secretariat of which is 
based in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.
    The Convention applies to all highly migratory fish stocks (defined 
as all fish stocks of the species listed in Annex I of the UNCLOS 
occurring in the Convention Area, and such other species of fish as the 
Commission may determine), except sauries.
    The United States actively supported the negotiations and the 
development of the Convention and signed the Convention in 2000. It 
participated as a cooperating non-member of the Commission since 2005 
and became a Contracting Party to the Convention and a full member of 
the Commission when it ratified the Convention in January 2007. Under 
the Act, the United States will be represented on the Commission by 
five Commissioners.

Advisory Committee

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 6902) provides (in section 6902(d)) that the 
Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the United States 
Commissioners to the Commission, will appoint certain members of the 
advisory committee established under the Act.
    The members to be appointed to the advisory committee are to 
include not less than 15 nor more than 20 individuals selected from the 
various groups concerned with the fisheries covered by the Convention, 
providing, to the extent practicable, an equitable balance among such 
groups. On behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, NMFS is now seeking 
nominations for these appointments.
    In addition to the 15-20 appointed members, the advisory committee 
also includes the chair of the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council's Advisory Committee (or designee), and officials of the 
fisheries management authorities of American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Northern Mariana Islands (or their designees).
    Members of the advisory committee will be invited to attend all 
non-executive meetings of the United States Commissioners to the 
Commission and at such meetings will be given opportunity to examine 
and be heard on all proposed programs of investigation, reports, 
recommendations, and regulations of the Commission.
    Each appointed member of the advisory committee will serve for a 
term of two years and is eligible for reappointment. This request for 
nominations is for the term to begin on or after August 2, 2013 and is 
for a term of two consecutive years.
    The Secretaries of Commerce and State will furnish the advisory 
committee with relevant information concerning fisheries and 
international fishery agreements.
    NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, will provide to the 
advisory committee administrative and technical support services as are 
necessary for its effective functioning.
    Appointed members of the advisory committee will serve without pay, 
but while away from their homes or regular places of business in the 
performance of services for the advisory committee will be allowed 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same 
manner as persons employed intermittently in the Government service are 
allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States Code. 
They will not be considered Federal employees while performing service 
as members of the advisory committee except for the purposes of injury 
compensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of 
title 5, United States Code and Chapter 171 of title 28, United States 
Code.

Procedure for Submitting Nominations

    Nominations for the advisory committee should be submitted to NMFS 
(see ADDRESSES). This request for nominations is for first time 
nominees as well as current Advisory Committee members. Self 
nominations are acceptable. Nominations should include the following 
information: (1) Full name, address, telephone, facsimile, and email of 
nominee; (2) nominee's organization(s) or professional affiliation(s) 
serving as the basis for the nomination, if any; and (3) a background 
statement, not to exceed one page in length, describing the nominee's 
qualifications, experience and interests, specifically as related to 
the fisheries covered by the Convention.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 6902.

    Dated: January 4, 2013.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-00271 Filed 1-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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