Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 9, 2024 / Notices 81893 

(Secretarial Amendment) under certain 

circumstances. Section 304(c)(1)(A) of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Act provides that 

the Secretary may prepare an FMP or 

FMP amendment in accordance with the 

national standards, the other provisions 

of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and any 

other applicable law, ‘‘if the appropriate 

Council fails to develop and submit to 

the Secretary, after a reasonable period 

of time’’ an FMP for such fishery, or any 

necessary amendment to such an FMP, 

if such fishery requires conservation 

and management. 

The status of the South Atlantic red 

snapper stock was evaluated in the 

Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR) 73 stock assessment 

that was completed in 2021. The results 

of SEDAR 73 indicated that the South 

Atlantic red snapper stock remains 

overfished and is experiencing 

overfishing, and the overfishing is being 

primarily driven by high numbers of 

dead discards in the recreational sector. 

Because the South Atlantic red snapper 

stock is overfished, it is managed under 

a rebuilding plan implemented through 

Amendment 17A to the SnapperGrouper FMP (75 FR 76874, December 

9, 2010), which specified a 35-year 

rebuilding schedule with the rebuilding 

timeframe to end in 2044. In a letter 

dated July 23, 2021, NMFS notified the 

South Atlantic Council of the results of 

SEDAR 73 and that overfishing of red 

snapper was occurring. The South 

Atlantic Council has discussed how to 

address or end overfishing of this stock 

since receiving the overfishing 

notification from NMFS, but it has not 

taken action to meet the MagnusonStevens Act requirements to end 

overfishing. To reduce overfishing of 

South Atlantic red snapper in the 2024 

fishing year, NMFS implemented 

interim measures that included 

reducing the commercial and 

recreational annual catch limits (89 FR 

50530, June 14, 2024). 

NMFS has determined that red 

snapper requires conservation and 

management measures to end the 

overfishing, and is therefore developing 

a Secretarial Amendment to end 

overfishing of red snapper in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act. While developing the EIS and 

Secretarial Amendment, NMFS will 

consider new information that has 

become available since 2021 for 

revisions to South Atlantic red snapper 

management. At this time, NMFS 

intends for this action to be in place 

during the 2025 commercial and 

recreational fishing seasons. 

The EIS to support the Secretarial 

Amendment would explore 

management strategies to end 

overfishing of South Atlantic red 

snapper while also considering 

alternatives to increase fishing 

opportunities for landing red snapper by 

reducing the amount of fish released 

dead. NMFS will develop an EIS to 

describe and analyze alternatives to 

address the management needs 

previously described, including the 

current or ‘‘no action’’ alternatives. 

Possible actions that NMFS may 

consider to include in the EIS are, but 

are not limited to, adjusting catch levels, 

adjusting accountability measures, and 

discard reduction measures. 

In accordance with the Companion 

Manual to NOAA Administrative Order 

216–6A, NMFS has identified 

preliminary environmental issues as a 

means to initiate discussion for scoping 

purposes only. The public is invited to 

provide written comments on the 

preliminary issues, which are identified 

as actions in the EIS. These preliminary 

issues may not represent the full range 

of issues that eventually will be 

evaluated in the final EIS associated 

with the Secretarial Amendment. 

After the draft EIS associated with the 

Secretarial Amendment is completed, it 

will be filed with the Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA). After filing, 

the EPA will publish a notice of 

availability of the draft EIS for public 

comment in the Federal Register. The 

draft EIS will have a 45-day comment 

period. NMFS currently anticipates 

publishing the draft EIS by January 24, 

2025, with the comment period to 

expected to end on March 10, 2025. 

This procedure is pursuant to 

regulations issued by the Council on 

Environmental Quality or implementing 

the procedural provisions of the 

National Environmental Policy Act (40 

CFR parts 1500–1508) and the 

Companion Manual to NOAA 

Administrative Order 216–6A. 

NMFS will consider public comments 

received on the draft EIS in developing 

the final environmental impact 

statement (FEIS) and the record of 

decision. NMFS will announce, through 

a document published in the Federal 

Register, all additional public comment 

periods on the final Secretarial 

Amendment, its proposed implementing 

regulations, and the availability of its 

associated FEIS. NMFS will consider all 

public comments received, whether 

they are on the draft EIS, final 

amendment, the proposed regulations, 

or the FEIS, prior to final agency action. 

NMFS anticipates publishing the FEIS 

by April 25, 2025, with a record of 

decision signed by NMFS by May 25, 

2025. These specific dates are 

preliminary and are subject to change 

based on NMFS administrative needs. 

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

Dated: October 3, 2024. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23320 Filed 10–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE340] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a hybrid meeting of its 

Scallop Committee to consider actions 

affecting New England fisheries in the 

exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

Recommendations from this group will 

be brought to the full Council for formal 

consideration and action, if appropriate. 

DATES: This meeting will be held on 

Friday, October 25, 2024 at 9 a.m. 

ADDRESSES: 

Meeting address: This meeting will be 

held at Fairfield Inn & Suites, 185 

MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 

02740; telephone: (777) 634–2000. 

Webinar registration URL 

information: https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/ 

meeting/register/tJMtcOytrDoqGt0YV2

v3M2JP8pZDbsFyXmar. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cate 

O’Keefe, Executive Director, New 

England Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

The Scallop Committee will meet to 

discuss: Framework Adjustment 39: 

Receive an update on plan development 

team (PDT) tasking and provide input 

on the range of potential access area and 

days-at-sea (DAS) allocations for the 

2025 and 2026 fishing years. Framework 

39 will set specifications including 

ABC/ACLs, days-at-sea, access area 

allocations, total allowable landings for 

the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) 

management area, targets for General 

Category incidental catch, General 

Category access area trips, and setVerDate Sep<11>2014 17:05 Oct 08, 2024 Jkt 265001 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\09OCN1.SGM 09OCN1

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81894 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 9, 2024 / Notices 

asides for the observer and research 

programs for fishing year 2025 and 

default specifications for fishing year 

2026. This action will also consider 

modifying the current seasonal flatfish 

closure in Closed Area II, and adjusting 

regulations to allow NGOM permitted 

vessels to possess scallops outside of the 

management unit. They will also receive 

an update on ongoing 2024 scallop work 

priorities. Other business will be 

discussed, if necessary. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained on the agenda may come 

before this Council for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this 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 the public has 

been notified of the Council’s intent to 

take final action to address the 

emergency. The public also should be 

aware that the meeting will be recorded. 

Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy 

of the recording is available upon 

request. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate 

O’Keefe, Executive Director, at (978) 

465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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

Dated: October 3, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23278 Filed 10–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE366] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Pacific Council) 

will convene a joint webinar meeting of 

its Groundfish Management Team 

(GMT) and its Groundfish Advisory 

Subpanel (GAP). The GAP and the GMT 

will discuss items on the Pacific 

Council’s November 2024 meeting 

agenda. This meeting is open to the 

public. 

DATES: The joint GMT/GAP online 

meeting will be held on Monday, 

October 28, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Pacific Time. The scheduled ending 

times for this meeting is an estimate. 

The meeting will adjourn when 

business for the day is completed. 

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held 

online. Specific meeting information, 

including directions on how to attend 

the meeting and system requirements 

will be provided in the meeting 

announcement on the Pacific Council’s 

website (see www.pcouncil.org). You 

may send an email to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov) or contact him at (503) 820– 

2412 for technical assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220–1384. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Todd Phillips, Staff Officer, Pacific 

Council; todd.phillips@noaa.gov; 

telephone: (503) 820–2426. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

primary purpose of the GAP and GMT 

webinar is to prepare for the Pacific 

Council’s November 2024 meeting 

agenda items. This joint meeting is 

expected to focus on groundfish and 

cross fishery management plan agenda 

items. 

A detailed agenda for the webinar will 

be available on the Pacific Council’s 

website prior to the meeting. The GAP 

and GMT may also address other 

assignments relating to groundfish 

management. No management actions 

will be decided by the GMT and GAP. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may be 

discussed, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during this 

meeting. Action will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

document and any issues arising after 

publication of this document that 

require emergency action under section 

305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

provided the public has been notified of 

the intent to take final action to address 

the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov; (503) 820–2412) at least 10 

days prior to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: October 3, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23305 Filed 10–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Patent and Trademark Office 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Matters Related To First 

Inventor To File 

AGENCY: United States Patent and 

Trademark Office, Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection; 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and 

Trademark Office (USPTO), as required 

by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995, invites comments on the 

extension and revision of an existing 

information collection: 0651–0071 

(Matters Related to First Inventor to 

File). The purpose of this notice is to 

allow 60 days for public comment 

preceding submission of the information 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this information 

collection must be received on or before 

December 9, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments by 

any of the following methods. Do not 

submit Confidential Business 

Information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. 

• Email: InformationCollection@

uspto.gov. Include ‘‘0651–0071 

comment’’ in the subject line of the 

message. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

• Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the 

Chief Administrative Officer, United 

States Patent and Trademark Office, 

P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313– 

1450. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Request for additional information 

should be directed to Raul Tamayo, 

Senior Legal Advisor, Office of Patent 

Legal Administration, United States 

Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 

1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450; by 

telephone at 571–272–7728; or by email 

at raul.tamayo@uspto.gov with ‘‘0651– 

0071 comment’’ in the subject line. 

Additional information about this 

information collection is also available 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES