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 Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648-XD556]
 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
 ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
 SUMMARY: NMFS will convene the Research Track Assessment Peer Review Meeting for the purpose of reviewing Black Sea Bass. The Research Track Assessment Peer Review is a formal scientific peer-review process for evaluating and presenting stock assessment results to managers for fish stocks in the offshore U.S. waters of the northwest Atlantic. Assessments are prepared by the research track working group and reviewed by an independent panel of stock assessment experts from the Center of Independent Experts (CIE). The public is invited to attend the presentations and discussions between the review panel and the scientists who have participated in the stock assessment process.
 DATES: The public portion of the Research Track Assessment Peer Review Meeting will be held from December 5, 2023-December 7, 2023. The meeting will conclude on December 7, 2023 at 4 p.m. eastern standard time. Please see 
                        **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION**
                         for the daily meeting agenda.
 ADDRESSES:  The meeting will be held via 
                        *WebEx: https://noaanmfs-meets.webex.com/​noaanmfs-meets/​j.php?​MTID=​m6913d2c21375690b5235caba3fbd2829.* *Meeting number (access code):*
                         2760 957 5065. *Meeting password:*
                         HMzTG9qhd73.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Traver, 508-495-2195; 
                        *michele.traver@noaa.gov.*


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For further information, please visit the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) website at 
                    *https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​new-england-mid-atlantic/​population-assessments/​fishery-stock-assessments-new-england-and-mid-atlantic.*
                     For additional information about research track assessment peer review, please visit the NEFSC web page at 
                    *https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​new-england-mid-atlantic/​population-assessments/​research-track-stock-assessments.* Daily Meeting Agenda—Research Track Peer Review Meeting The agenda is subject to change; all times are approximate and may be changed at the discretion of the Peer Review Chair. Time
Topic
Presenter(s)
Notes**Tuesday, December 5, 2023**9 a.m.-9:15 a.m
Welcome/Logistics Introductions/Agenda/Conduct of Meeting
Michele Traver, Assessment Process Lead; Larry Alade, Acting PopDy Branch Chief; Olaf Jensen, Panel Chair9:15 a.m.-9:45 a.m
Introduction/Executive Summary
Anna Mercer (WG chair)/Kiersten Curti (assessment lead)
Biology, movement, management overview, flag areas of major progress in the Research Track (new data sources, indices, M exploration, discard mortality exploration, new model, 
                            *etc.*).( print page 84130)9:45 a.m.-10:30 a.m
Term of Reference (TOR) #2
Kiersten Curti
Commercial catch, Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation Research Fleet data.10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m
Break10:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m
TOR #2 cont
Kiersten Curti, Sam Truesdell, Julia Beaty
Recreational catch Discard Mortality.11:30 a.m.-12 p.m
Discussion/Summary
Review Panel12 p.m.-12:15 p.m
Public Comment
Public12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m
Lunch1:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m
TOR #3
Kiersten Curti, Sam Truesdell, Alex Hansell
NEFSC Bottom Trawl Survey, NorthEast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program, State Surveys, Ventless Trap Survey, Vector Autoregressive Spatio Temporal indices.2:45 p.m.-3 p.m
Break3 p.m.-3:45 p.m
TOR #3
Jeff Brust, Andy Jones
Recreational CPA and Commercial Catch Per Unit Effort.3:45 p.m.-4 p.m
Discussion/Summary
Review Panel4 p.m.-4:15 p.m
Public Comment
Public4:15 p.m
Adjourn**Wednesday, December 6, 2023**9 a.m.-9:05 a.m
Welcome/Logistics Introductions/Agenda
Michele Traver, Assessment Process Lead; Olaf Jensen, Panel Chair9:05 a.m.-10:30 a.m
TOR #1
Scott Large, Kiersten Curti, Jason McNamee, Anna Mercer
Time varying growth and maturity, Spatiotemporal modeling, Ecosystem indicators, Trophic ecology, Natural Mortality, Stakeholder engagement.10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m
Break10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m
TOR #4
Tim Miller, Kiersten Curti
Woods Hole Assessment Model.12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m
Lunch1:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m
TOR #5
Tim Miller, Kiersten Curti
Reference Points.2:45 p.m.-3:30 p.m
TOR #6
Tim Miller, Kiersten Curti
Projections.3:30 p.m.-4 p.m
Discussion/Summary
Review Panel4 p.m.-4:15 p.m
Public Comment
Public4:15 p.m
Adjourn**Thursday, December 7, 2023**9 a.m.-9:05 a.m
Welcome/Logistics, Introductions/Agenda
Michele Traver, Assessment Process Lead; Olaf Jensen, Panel Chair9:05 a.m.-10:15 a.m
TOR #4 cont'
Gavin Fay, Jason McNamee
Stock Structure.10:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m
Break10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m
TOR #8
Kiersten Curti
Summarize Woods Hole Assessment Model recommended model; Alternative Assessment Approach.10:45 a.m.-11:30 a.m
TOR #7
Julia Beaty
Research Recommendations.11:30 a.m.-12 p.m
Discussion/Summary
Panel12 p.m.-12:15 p.m
Public Comment
Public12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m
Lunch1:15 p.m.-4 p.m
Report writing
Panel4 p.m
Adjourn
 The meeting is open to the public; however, during the `Report Writing' session on Thursday, December 7th, the public should not engage in discussion with the Peer Review Panel. Special Accommodations This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Special requests should be directed to Michele Traver, via email (see 
                    **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT**
                    ). Dated: November 29, 2023. Michael P. Ruccio, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.


[FR Doc. 2023-26565 Filed 12-1-23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P