16626 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 2015 / Notices 

9 a.m.–10:30 a.m. 

Golden Tilefish 

—Review 2016 specifications 

—Discuss timetable for Framework 

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. 

2015 Implementation Plan 

—Consider initiation of Deepwater 

Complex FMP 

—Review and approve possible 

revisions to the Plan 

11:30 a.m.–12 p.m. 

Control Rule Clarifications 

—Review staff and SSC 

recommendations 

—Approve changes in regulatory 

language 

1:30 p.m.–2 p.m. 

Industry Funded Observer Amendment 

—Discuss and approve additional 

alternatives for Public Hearing 

Document 

2 p.m.–2:30 p.m. 

River Herring Technical Expert Working 

Group (TEWG) 

—Update on recent activities 

2:30 p.m.–3 p.m. 

Delaware River Herring/Shad 

Recreational Fishery, John Punola 

3 p.m.–4 p.m. 

Bycatch Reduction in Summer Flounder 

Recreational Fishery, Dr. Jim 

Salierno and Carl Benson 

4 p.m.–5 p.m. 

Proposed Rule—National Standards 1, 

3, and 7, Deb Lambert 

5 p.m.–6 p.m. 

Listening Session—Squid Capacity 

Amendment Scoping, Jason Didden 

Thursday, April 16, 2015 

9 a.m. 

Council Convenes 

9 a.m.–1 p.m. 

Business Session 

Organization Reports 

—NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional 

Office 

—NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science 

Center 

—NOAA Office of General Counsel 

—NOAA Office of Law Enforcement 

—U.S. Coast Guard 

—Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 

Commission 

Liaison Reports 

—New England Council 

—South Atlantic Council 

Executive Director’s Report, Chris 

Moore 

—Review and approve changes to 

Council SOPPs 

Science Report, Rich Seagraves 

Committee Reports 

—SSC 

Continuing and New Business 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in this agenda may come 

before this group for discussion, in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during these meetings. Actions 

will be restricted to those issues 

specifically identified in this notice and 

any issues arising after publication of 

this notice that require emergency 

action under section 305(c) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the 

public has been notified of the Council’s 

intent to take final action to address the 

emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aid 

should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, 

(302) 526–5251, at least 5 days prior to 

the meeting date. 

Dated: March 25, 2015. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07157 Filed 3–27–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD849 

Fisheries of the South Atlantic; South 

Atlantic Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a joint meeting of the 

South Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council’s (Council) Shrimp Advisory 

Panel and Deepwater Shrimp Advisory 

Panel (AP). 

SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council will hold a joint 

meeting of its Shrimp and Deepwater 

Shrimp APs in North Charleston, SC. 

The meeting is open to the public. 

DATES: The meeting will be held from 9 

a.m. until 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 

2015. 

ADDRESSES: 

Meeting address: The meeting will be 

held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 

International Blvd., N. Charleston, SC 

29418; telephone: (843) 308–9330. 

Council address: South Atlantic 

Fishery Management Council, 4055 

Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N. 

Charleston, SC, 29405. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim 

Iverson, Public Information Officer, 

South Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 

201, N. Charleston, SC, 29405; 

telephone: (843) 571–4366 or toll free 

(866) SAFMC–10; fax: (843) 769–4520; 

email: kim.iverson@safmc.net. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Shrimp and Deepwater Shrimp 

Advisory Panels will meet jointly and 

receive an update on the NOAA 

Fisheries Biological Opinion for shrimp 

that includes the status of terms and 

conditions for the fishery, the Southeast 

Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 

2014 Shrimp Procedural Workshop 

including data and procedures for a 

shrimp stock assessment and bycatch 

estimations, and the Oculina Evaluation 

Team Report which includes a response 

by the team to consider a shrimp access 

area within the area currently closed to 

fishing. The AP members will provide 

comments and recommendations on 

these agenda items as appropriate. The 

AP members will also receive an update 

on the status of Amendment 8 to the 

Coral Fishery Management Plan to 

expand coral protected areas and 

address other business as necessary. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

auxiliary aids should be directed to the 

council office (see ADDRESSES) 3 days 

prior to the meeting. 

Note: The times and sequence specified in 

this agenda are subject to change. 

Dated: March 26, 2015. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07310 Filed 3–27–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Final Updated Framework for the 

National System of Marine Protected 

Areas and Response to Comments 

AGENCY: National Marine Protected 

Areas Center, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 2015 / Notices 16627 

Administration, Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of the final 

updated Framework for the National 

System of Marine Protected Areas of the 

United States and response to comments 

on Draft Updated Framework. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce 

and the Department of the Interior (DOI) 

jointly propose an updated Framework 

for the National System of Marine 

Protected Areas of the United States 

(Framework). The Framework is 

required by Executive Order 13158 on 

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This 

Framework provides overarching 

guidance for collaborative efforts among 

federal, state, commonwealth, 

territorial, tribal and local governments 

and stakeholders to implement an 

effective National System of MPAs 

(National System) from existing sites, 

build management capacity among MPA 

programs, coordinate collaborative 

efforts to address common management 

issues and identify ecosystem-based 

gaps in the protection of significant 

natural and cultural resources for 

possible future action by the nation’s 

MPA authorities. This document 

updates the previous version of the 

Framework, completed in November 

2008, using experience gained 

implementing the National System and 

advice from the Marine Protected Areas 

Federal Advisory Committee and MPA 

programs. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lauren Wenzel, Acting Director, 

National Marine Protected Areas Center, 

301–713–7265 or lauren.wenzel@

noaa.gov. 

Copies of the updated Framework can 

be downloaded or viewed on the 

Internet at 

marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov. Copies 

can also be obtained through the contact 

person noted above. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background on MPA Framework 

The National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 

National Marine Protected Areas Center 

(MPA Center), within the Office of 

National Marine Sanctuaries, in 

cooperation with the Department of the 

Interior (DOl), completed the 

Framework for the National System of 

Marine Protected Areas of the United 

States (Framework) to meet 

requirements under Executive Order 

13158 on Marine Protected Areas 

(Order) in November 2008. NOAA and 

DOI updated this Framework to reflect 

five years of implementation experience 

as well as advice from MPA 

management agencies and the Marine 

Protected Areas Federal Advisory 

Committee. The purpose of this notice 

is to notify the public of the availability 

of the updated Framework and to 

respond to public comment received on 

a draft update published October 27, 

2014. 

Executive Order 13158 calls for the 

development of a National System of 

MPAs to ‘‘enhance the conservation of 

our Nation’s natural and cultural marine 

heritage and the ecologically and 

economically sustainable use of the 

marine environment for future 

generations.’’ Established in November 

2008, the National System provides a 

mechanism for MPA managers to 

voluntarily collaborate on shared 

management challenges; strengthen 

linkages among sites to enhance the 

management of marine resources; and 

build management capacity. 

This proposed updated Framework is 

streamlined for greater clarity and 

readability, has an increased focus on 

the functions of the National System, 

and describes the role of the MPA 

Center in coordinating and supporting 

the National System. It also includes 

substantial revisions to the criteria for 

cultural resources, adding a criterion 

that allows MPAs created by tribes and 

indigenous people to be eligible for the 

National System. 

II. Comments and Responses 

On October 27, 2014, NOAA and DOI 

(agencies) published the updated 

Framework for public comment (79 FR 

63899). By the end of the two-month 

comment period, five individual 

submissions had been received. Several 

of the comments raised more than one 

issue, so related comments have been 

summarized and grouped below into 

thematic categories. For each of the 

categories listed below, a summary of 

comments is provided, and a 

corresponding response provides an 

explanation and rationale about changes 

that were or were not made in the final 

updated Framework. 

MPA Networks and New MPAs 

Comment: The updated Framework 

puts a greater emphasis on expanding 

MPA networks and creating new MPAs, 

moving the focus from more pressing 

needs of existing sites. Moreover, the 

focus on ecosystem connectivity may 

not be appropriate for existing MPAs, 

and may not serve a larger conservation 

purpose. 

Response: The development of MPA 

networks is a widely recognized marine 

conservation tool, acknowledged to be 

effective in providing the spatial links 

needed to maintain ecosystem processes 

and connectivity, as well as improving 

resilience of ecosystems and the 

communities that depend on them. 

NOAA and DOI believe that 

encouraging the science-based creation 

of MPA networks is fundamental to 

fulfilling the goals of the National 

System of MPAs. This focus on 

enhancing ecosystem connectivity will 

actually help realize the achievement of 

existing conservation objectives of 

MPAs. 

The updated Framework notes the 

importance of fostering effective 

management of existing MPAs as well as 

identifying priorities for conservation 

where new MPAs may be an appropriate 

solution. Contributing to planning for 

new MPAs is not a major focus of the 

updated Framework, but part of an 

overall approach to developing an 

effective and representative National 

System of MPAs. 

Defining and Implementing ‘‘Avoid 

Harm’’ Provision 

Comment: The updated Framework 

should provide more clarity regarding 

definitions and implementation of the 

requirement in Executive Order 13158 

for federal agencies to ‘‘avoid harm’’ to 

the resources protected by an MPA. 

Response: The updated Framework 

notes that the Executive Order does not 

provide new legal authority for any 

federal agency or the MPA Center to 

review activities of any other federal 

agency or to create different standards 

for existing reviews. Instead, the 

implementation of Section 5, and the 

national policy it articulates, is achieved 

using existing legal authorities that 

shape how federal action agencies 

identify, review, mitigate, or otherwise 

alter their activities based on impacts to 

natural or cultural resources of National 

System MPAs. NOAA and DOI believe 

that given the importance of individual 

agency authorities in implementing this 

requirement of Executive Order 13158, 

no single definition of ‘‘harm’’ is 

possible. The important context of each 

agency’s authorities will govern 

agencies’ analyses of harm, including 

major versus minor or direct versus 

indirect harm. 

The language in the Executive Order 

that stipulates that federal agencies 

avoid harm ‘‘to the maximum extent 

practicable’’ allows for the 

consideration of important social and 

economic implications of proposed 

activities within an MPA. Where 

appropriate, and upon request by one or 

more agency, the MPA Center may 

provide technical assistance (e.g., 

guidance on best practices), 

coordination, or facilitation to agencies 

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16628 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 2015 / Notices 

seeking to avoid harm to National 

System MPAs. 

Social and Economic Importance of the 

Marine Environment 

Comment: The updated Framework 

lacks a discussion about the social and 

economic importance of the marine 

environment to local communities and 

economies. 

Response: The agencies have 

modified the Framework to more fully 

acknowledge the social and economic 

importance of the marine environment 

in the section on ‘‘Benefits of an 

Effective National System’’ as well as 

the introduction. 

Role of Regional Planning Bodies 

Comment: The updated Framework 

should not reference linkages between 

the National System of MPAs in 

assisting Regional Planning Bodies in 

potential work to plan new MPAs, as 

these Bodies have not been established 

by statute and could unnecessarily 

restrict access for certain human uses. 

Response: Regional Planning Bodies 

(RPBs) were called for in the Final 

Recommendations of the Interagency 

Ocean Policy Task Force, and are a key 

component of the National Ocean Policy 

and the Framework for Effective Coastal 

and Marine Spatial Planning. Insofar as 

the RPBs, or equivalent regional 

planning efforts may consider MPAs 

and other forms of place-based 

conservation within the broader mosaic 

of ocean management, NOAA and DOI 

will provide expertise on MPA issues 

and provide information and tools to 

support decisions about place-based 

management. The Framework has been 

updated to recognize that regional 

planning bodies are but one type of 

regional marine management initiative, 

and they are referenced as such. 

National System of MPAs and 

Magnuson-Stevens Act 

Comment: The updated Framework 

should clarify that MPAs must be 

managed in a manner consistent with 

existing laws. NOAA and DOI should 

clarify that the concept of ‘‘sustainable 

fisheries’’ is to be implemented within 

the context of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act. 

Response: The purpose of the updated 

Framework is to provide a common 

reference for all federal, state, territorial 

and tribal programs who wish to 

participate in the National System of 

MPAs. As such, it must address all 

authorities relevant to MPA governance, 

not solely the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act. The updated Framework makes 

clear that it is to be implemented in the 

context of existing authorities. 

Monitoring and Evaluation 

Comment: Monitoring and evaluation 

efforts to determine the effectiveness of 

the current National System of MPAs 

should be a priority. The MPA Center 

should provide an analytical basis for 

identifying which MPAs that are 

accomplishing their goals and which are 

not. The MPA Center should publish a 

biennial ‘‘State of the National System’’ 

report as called for in the Executive 

Order. 

Response: The role of the MPA Center 

related to monitoring and evaluation is 

to build the capacity of federal and state 

marine protected area programs to more 

effectively manage natural and cultural 

marine resources, and to serve as a 

unique and neutral source of marine 

protected area-related science, 

information and tools for coastal and 

ocean decision-makers. Individual MPA 

programs are responsible for conducting 

their own monitoring and evaluation, 

and assessing progress toward program 

and site-level goals. Periodically, the 

MPA Center may undertake an 

evaluation of the National System itself, 

with the aim of identifying 

opportunities for improving the 

collaboration among the nation’s MPA 

programs, including addressing gaps in 

spatial protection for important areas. 

For example, in October 2013, the MPA 

Center published, Marine Protected 

Areas of the United States: Conserving 

Our Oceans, One Place at a Time—a 

summary of the state of all US MPAs 

and of the National System. 

Tribal Representation 

Comment: The updated Framework 

should consider including more than 

one tribal representative to the National 

System Programs Workgroup. Tribal 

interests are diverse, and having a single 

representative appointed to speak for 

other tribes is a concern. 

Response: The updated Framework 

states that there will be one member of 

the National System Workgroup for each 

participating MPA program. Therefore, 

each tribal government formally 

participating in the National System of 

MPAs would have membership on the 

Workgroup. In addition, the Marine 

Protected Areas Federal Advisory 

Committee advises NOAA and DOI on 

issues related to cultural resource 

management, including areas managed 

by and important to tribes, and has 

established a Cultural Heritage 

Resources Workgroup to provide 

expertise on these issues. 

Funding 

Summary: NOAA should be realistic 

about what funding will be available 

and what can be accomplished with 

existing funding. It should also include 

an estimate of funding needed to guide 

implementation of the updated 

Framework. 

Response: NOAA and DOI believe 

that the updated Framework is not 

intended to be an implementation plan, 

and detailed information on funding is 

not appropriate for this document. The 

updated Framework does note that 

implementation of activities will be 

dependent on levels of funding. 

Dated: March 11, 2015. 

Daniel J. Basta, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07262 Filed 3–27–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Interagency Working Group on the 

Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia 

Research and Control Amendments 

Act 

AGENCY: National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice, Webinars. 

SUMMARY: The National Ocean Service 

(NOS) of the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

publishes this notice to announce a 

series of webinars designed to initiate 

conversation between federal 

representatives and stakeholders on a 

number of topics related to harmful 

algal blooms (HABs) and hypoxia, as 

mandated by the Harmful Algal Bloom 

and Hypoxia Research and Control 

Amendments Act of 2014 (HABHRCA). 

HABHRCA tasks federal agencies to 

advance the understanding of HAB and 

hypoxia events, and to respond to, 

detect, predict, control, and mitigate 

these events to the greatest extent 

possible. 

The Interagency Working Group on 

HABHRCA (IWG–HABHRCA) is 

comprised of representatives from a 

number of federal agencies. Through 

these webinars, the group seeks to 

connect and speak with a wide range of 

stakeholders, including relevant 

management and planning bodies, 

resource officials, economists, tribal 

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