90674 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2024 / Notices 

Commerce, in consultation with the 

Secretary of State, shall appoint a 

‘‘General Advisory Committee’’ to 

advise the U.S. delegation to the IATTC. 

The GAC shall be composed of no more 

than 25 individuals who shall be 

representative of the various groups 

concerned with the fisheries covered by 

the IATTC, including non-governmental 

conservation organizations, providing 

an equitable balance among such groups 

to the maximum extent practicable. 

Members of the GAC shall be invited to 

attend all non-executive meetings of the 

U.S. delegation to the IATTC and at 

such meetings shall be given the 

opportunity to examine and be heard on 

all proposed programs of investigation, 

reports, recommendations, and 

regulations of the Commission. 

The Chair of the Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Advisory Subpanel for Highly Migratory 

Fisheries and the Chair of the Western 

Pacific Fishery Management Council’s 

(Western Pacific Council) Advisory 

Committee shall be ex-officio members 

of the GAC by virtue of their positions 

advising those Councils. GAC members 

will be eligible to participate as 

members of the U.S. delegation to the 

Commission and its working groups to 

the extent that the Commission rules 

and space for delegations allow. 

Meetings of the GAC, except when in 

executive session, shall be open to the 

public, and prior notice of meetings 

shall be made public in timely fashion. 

In accordance with Public Law 114–81, 

the GAC shall not be subject to the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 

U.S.C. app.). 

Individuals appointed to serve as a 

member of the GAC shall serve without 

pay. While away from their homes or 

regular places of business to attend 

meetings of the GAC, they shall be 

allowed travel expenses, including per 

diem in lieu of subsistence, in the same 

manner as persons employed 

intermittently by the Federal 

Government are allowed expenses 

under 5 U.S.C. 5703. In addition, 

individuals appointed to serve as a 

member of the GAC shall not be 

considered Federal employees except 

for the purposes of injury compensation 

or tort. 

Scientific Advisory Subcommittee 

The TCA also provides that the 

Secretary of Commerce, in consultation 

with the Secretary of State, shall 

appoint persons to serve on the 

subcommittee of the GAC, referred to 

here as the ‘‘Scientific Advisory 

Subcommittee.’’ The SAS shall be 

composed of no fewer than 5 and no 

more than 15 qualified scientists with 

balanced representation from the public 

and private sectors, including nongovernmental conservation 

organizations. In determining whether a 

person is a qualified scientist the 

Secretary may consider, among other 

things, advanced degrees and/or 

publications in fields such as fisheries 

or marine science. 

National Scientific Advisory Committee 

The SAS shall also function as the 

National Scientific Advisory Committee 

which is required to be established 

pursuant to Article XI of the Agreement 

on the International Dolphin 

Conservation Program (AIDCP). In this 

regard, the SAS shall perform the 

functions of the National Scientific 

Advisory Committee as specified in 

Annex VI of the AIDCP. These functions 

include, but are not limited to: (1) 

Receiving and reviewing relevant data, 

including data provided to NMFS by 

IATTC staff; (2) Advising and 

recommending measures and actions to 

the U.S. Government that should be 

undertaken to conserve and manage 

stocks of living marine resources in the 

eastern Pacific Ocean; (3) Making 

recommendations to the U.S. 

Government regarding research needs 

related to the eastern Pacific Ocean tuna 

purse seine fishery; (4) Promoting the 

regular and timely full exchange of data 

among the AIDCP Parties on a variety of 

matters related to the implementation of 

the AIDCP; and (5) Consulting with 

other experts, as necessary, in order to 

achieve the objectives of the AIDCP. 

Members of the SAS/National 

Scientific Advisory Committee shall 

receive no compensation for their 

service. 

General Provisions 

Each member of the GAC shall be 

appointed for a term of 3 years, starting 

from the date of the appointment, and 

may be reappointed. The Secretary of 

Commerce and the Secretary of State 

shall provide the GAC with relevant 

information concerning fisheries and 

international fishery agreements. The 

Secretary of Commerce shall provide to 

the GAC such administrative and 

technical support services that are 

necessary for its effective functioning in 

a timely manner. 

Procedures for Submitting Applications 

Applications for the GAC and the 

SAS/National Scientific Advisory 

Committee should be submitted to 

NMFS West Coast Region (see 

ADDRESSES). This request for 

applications is for first time nominees, 

current members whose appointments 

will end in May 2025, and previous 

members. Self-nomination applications 

are acceptable. Applications should 

include all of the following information: 

(1) Full name, address (home and 

business, if different), telephone, and 

email address of nominee; 

(2) Specification about whether the 

application is for the GAC or the SAS/ 

National Scientific Advisory Committee 

or both; (3) Nominee’s organization(s) or 

professional affiliation(s) serving as the 

basis for the nomination; (4) 

Background statement describing the 

nominee’s qualifications and 

experience, especially as related to 

fisheries for tuna and tuna-like species 

in the eastern Pacific Ocean or other 

factors relevant to the implementation 

of the Convention Establishing the 

IATTC or the AIDCP. Applications to 

the SAS should highlight advanced 

degrees and academic publications; and 

(5) A written statement from the 

nominee of intent to participate actively 

and in good faith in the meetings and 

activities of either the GAC or the SAS/ 

National Scientific Advisory Committee, 

or both. 

Applicants who submitted material in 

response to the Federal Register notice 

published by NMFS on October 30, 

2018 (83 FR 54573), or prior, should 

resubmit their applications pursuant to 

this notice. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq. 

Dated: November 13, 2024. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26813 Filed 11–15–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–23–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE476] 

Western Pacific 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 Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold its American Samoa Archipelago 

Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) Advisory 

Panel (AP), Non-Commercial Fisheries 

Advisory Committee (NCFAC), Mariana 

Archipelago FEP Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) AP, 

Fishing Industry Advisory Committee 

(FIAC), Hawaii Archipelago FEP AP, 

and the Mariana Archipelago FEP Guam 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2024 / Notices 90675 

AP to discuss and make 

recommendations on fishery 

management issues in the Western 

Pacific Region. 

DATES: The meetings will be held 

between December 3 and December 7, 

2024. For specific times and agendas, 

see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at 

different locations. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for specific locations. 

Instructions for connecting to the web 

conference and providing oral public 

comments will be posted on the Council 

website at www.wpcouncil.org. For 

assistance with the web conference 

connection, contact the Council office at 

(808) 522–8220. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Contact Kitty M. Simonds, Executive 

Director, Western Pacific Fishery 

Management Council; phone: (808) 522– 

8220. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Meeting Locations 

The Council will hold its American 

Samoa Archipelago FEP AP, NCFAC, 

Mariana Archipelago FEP CNMI AP, 

FIAC, Hawaii Archipelago FEP AP, and 

the Mariana Archipelago FEP Guam AP 

meetings in a hybrid format with inperson and remote participation 

(Webex) options available for the 

members and the public. In-person 

attendance for the American Samoa 

Archipelago FEP AP members and 

public will be hosted at the Tedi of 

Samoa Suite 208B, P8C6+V2F, Fagotogo 

Village, AS 96799. In-person attendance 

for the NCFAC and public will be 

hosted at the Council office, 1164 

Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 

96813. In-person attendance for Mariana 

Archipelago FEP CNMI AP members 

and public will be hosted at BRI 

Building Suite 205, Kopa Di Oru St., 

Garapan, Saipan 96950. In person 

attendance for FIAC and Hawaii 

Archipelago FEP AP members and 

public will be hosted at the Council 

office, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, 

Honolulu, HI 96813. In-person 

attendance for Mariana Archipelago FEP 

Guam AP members and public will be 

hosted at Cliff Pointe, 304 W O’Brien 

Drive, Hagatn ̃ a, GU 96910. 

The American Samoa FEP AP will 

meet on Tuesday, December 3, from 5 

p.m. to 7 p.m. (Samoa Standard Time); 

the NCFAC will meet on Wednesday, 

December 4, 2024 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 

p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time[HST]); the 

Mariana Archipelago FEP CNMI AP will 

meet on Thursday, December 5, from 6 

p.m. to 8 p.m. (Chamorro Standard Time 

[ChST]); the FIAC will meet on 

Thursday, December 5, from 2 p.m. to 

5 p.m. (HST); the Hawaii Archipelago 

FEP AP will meet on Friday, December 

6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (HST); and the 

Mariana Archipelago Guam AP will 

meet on Saturday, December 7, from 11 

a.m. to 1 p.m. (ChST). 

Public Comment periods will be 

provided in the agendas. The order in 

which agenda items are addressed may 

change. The meetings will run as late as 

necessary to complete scheduled 

business. 

Schedule and Agenda for the American 

Samoa Archipelago FEP AP Meeting 

Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 5 p.m.–7 

p.m. (Samoa Standard Time) 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review of the Last Advisory Panel 

(AP) Recommendation and 

Meetings 

3. Feedback from the Fleet 

A. Fourth Quarter Fisher Observations 

B. Fisheries Issues 

4. Council Fisheries Issues 

A. Options for Hawaii and American 

Samoa Longline Fisheries Crew 

Training Requirement 

B. Longline Electronic Monitoring 

Implementation Feasibility 

5. Updates from NOAA Fisheries’ 

Social-Ecological and Economic 

Systems (SEES) Program 

6. Review of 2023–2026 AP Action Plan 

7. Updates on the Council Inflation 

Reduction Act (IRA) Projects 

8. Other Business 

9. Public Comment 

10. Discussion and Recommendations 

Schedule and Agenda for the NonCommercial Fisheries Advisory 

Committee 

Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 1:30 

p.m.–4:30 p.m. 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review of the Last NCFAC Meeting 

3. Feedback from the Fleet 

4. National Initiatives 

A. NOAA Re-envisioning Recreational 

Fishing Data Collection 

B. Marine Recreational Information 

Program Pacific Islands Regional 

Implementation Plan 

5. Updates on Regional Initiatives 

A. Territorial Creel Survey and Annual 

Report Modules 

B. Hawaii 

i. Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing 

Survey 

ii. Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) Uku 

Project 

6. Updates on Council IRA Projects 

7. Other Business 

8. Public Comment 

9. Discussion and Recommendations 

Schedule and Agenda for the Mariana 

Archipelago FEP CNMI AP Meeting 

Thursday, December 5, 2024, 6 p.m.–8 

p.m. (Chamorro Standard Time) 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review of the Last AP 

Recommendation and Meetings 

3. Feedback from the Fleet 

A. Fourth Quarter Fisher Observations 

B. Fisheries Issues 

4. Council Fisheries Issues 

A. Status of Fisheries Development 

5. Updates from NOAA Fisheries’ SEES 

Program 

6. Review of 2023–2026 AP Action Plan 

7. Updates on the Council IRA Projects 

8. Other Business 

9. Public Comment 

10. Discussion and Recommendations 

Schedule and Agenda for the FIAC 

Meeting 

Thursday, December 5, 2024, 2 p.m.–5 

p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time) 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Status Review on Previous FIAC 

recommendations 

3. Roundtable update on Fishing/Market 

Issues/Impacts 

4. U.S. Catch Limits for North Pacific 

Striped Marlin 

5. Options for Hawaii and American 

Samoa Longline Fisheries Crew 

Training Requirement 

6. Development of an Electronic 

Monitoring Program for Western 

Pacific Fisheries 

7. MHI Bottomfish Market Snapshot 

8. Updates on US and Pacific Island 

Trade Issues 

9. Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 

Commission Updates 

10. Other Business 

11. Public Comment 

12. Discussion and Recommendations 

Schedule and Agenda for the Hawaii 

Archipelago FEP AP Meeting 

Friday, December 6, 2024, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 

(Hawaii Standard Time) 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review of the Last AP 

Recommendation and Meetings 

3. Feedback from the Fleet 

A. Fourth Quarter Fisher Observations 

B. Fisheries Issues 

4. Council Fisheries Issues 

A. Options for Hawaii and American 

Samoa Longline Fisheries Crew 

Training Requirement 

B. Development of an Electronic 

Monitoring Program for Western 

Pacific Fisheries 

5. Updates from NOAA Fisheries’ SEES 

Program 

6. MHI Bottomfish Independent Survey 

in Hawaii Strategic Shift 


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90676 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2024 / Notices 

7. Review of 2023–2026 AP Action Plan 

8. Updates on the Council IRA Projects 

9. Other Business 

10. Public Comment 

11. Discussion and Recommendations 

Schedule and Agenda for the Mariana 

Archipelago FEP Guam AP Meeting 

Saturday, December 7, 2024, 11 a.m.–1 

p.m. (Chamorro Standard Time) 

1. Welcome and Introductions 

2. Review of the Last AP 

Recommendation and Meetings 

3. Feedback from the Fleet 

A. Fourth Quarter Fisher Observations 

B. Fisheries Issues 

4. Council Fisheries Issues 

A. Modifying the Guam Bottomfish 

Rebuilding Plan 

5. Guam Military Working Group 

Update 

6. Updates from NOAA Fisheries’ SEES 

Program 

7. Review of 2023–2026 AP Action Plan 

8. Updates on the Council IRA Projects 

9. Other Business 

10. Public Comment 

11. Discussion and Recommendations 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are accessible to 

people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to 

Kitty M. Simonds, (808) 522–8220 

(voice) or (808) 522–8226 (fax), at least 

5 days prior to the meeting date. 

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

Dated: November 13, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–26844 Filed 11–15–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE408] 

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of 

Mexico, and South Atlantic; Shrimp 

Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Request 

for an Exempted Fishing Permit 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt of an 

application for an exempted fishing 

permit; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the receipt 

of an application for an exempted 

fishing permit (EFP) from Texas Sea 

Grant. If granted by NMFS, the EFP 

would authorize the continued testing 

of new designs for bycatch reduction 

devices (BRDs) for finfish, in the 

commercial shrimp fishery in Federal 

waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). The 

Better BRDs for the Gulf Shrimp Fleet 

Project is a collaborative effort to restore 

finfish populations and reduce finfish 

bycatch mortality through the 

development and certification of new 

BRDs for use by the commercial shrimp 

industry throughout the Gulf. This 

notice gives the public an opportunity 

to provide comments to NMFS 

regarding the request for an EFP. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received no later than December 3, 

2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the application, identified by 

NOAA–NMFS–2024–0128 by either of 

the following methods: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and type 

NOAA–NMFS–2024–0128 in the Search 

box. Click the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

• Mail: Submit all written public 

comments to Frank Helies, Southeast 

Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th 

Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on https://www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments—enter 

‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish 

to remain anonymous. 

An electronic copy of the application 

may be obtained from the Southeast 

Regional Office website at https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/ 

commercial-fishing/better-bycatchreduction-device-gulf-shrimp-fleetproject/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Frank Helies, phone: 727–824–5305, 

email: frank.helies@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EFP is 

requested under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C 1801 

et seq.), and regulations at 50 CFR 

600.745(b) concerning exempted 

fishing. 

The EFP application submitted to 

NMFS involves the use of experimental 

fishing gear (BRDs) on shrimp trawls in 

Federal waters. Federal regulations 

require fishermen on shrimp vessels to 

use NMFS certified BRDs while trawling 

for shrimp in Gulf Federal waters [50 

CFR 622.53(a)]. The applicant is seeking 

an EFP that would exempt these 

research activities from the regulations 

requiring the use of certified BRDs in 

Federal waters of the Gulf at 50 CFR 

622.53(a), and would allow the 

applicant to replace an existing 

approved BRD with one of four 

experimental BRD configurations as 

determined by the applicant. The 

specific EFP request is further described 

below. 

The Better BRDs for the Gulf Shrimp 

Fleet Project is a collaborative effort 

between Louisiana Sea Grant, Texas Sea 

Grant, NOAA Restoration Center, and 

NMFS to restore finfish populations 

injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil 

spill through the development and 

certification of new BRDs for the 

commercial shrimp industry throughout 

the Gulf. The project involves the 

phased testing of new BRD designs in 

the commercial shrimp fishery in 

Federal waters of the Gulf. The new 

BRD designs could demonstrate a 

greater reduction in bycatch of finfish, 

over the federally certified Fisheye BRD, 

which may also lead to an overall 

increase in shrimp catch. 

The project would further identify 

and develop new bycatch-reducing 

technology to reduce finfish discard 

mortality in commercial shrimp trawls. 

Additionally, the project seeks to 

advance cost-effective solutions for the 

Gulf shrimp fleet that would maximize 

the adoption and use by fishermen of 

any improved designs for BRDs that 

could be certified for use in the fishery. 

The project is separated into several 

phases. The first phase that began in 

2022 included proof-of-concept testing 

of new BRD designs by NMFS Gear 

Research Branch partners. This proof-ofconcept testing included both dive and 

vessel testing aboard the research vessel 

Caretta. The dive testing was conducted 

off Panama City, Florida, and the vessel 

testing was conducted off Pascagoula, 

Mississippi. New BRD designs that 

showed the potential to be effective 

during proof-of-concept testing were 

accepted for further evaluation during 

the project’s next phase, which involved 

stakeholder testing. A final phase 

planned for the future would be precertification and certification testing of 

the selected BRDs, consistent with the 

requirements in 50 CFR 622.53(a)(2) and 


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