Document headings vary by document type but may contain
                    the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
the number of the CFR title and the number of each part
                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly
                      related to
the agency docket number / agency internal file number
the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in
                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory
                      Actions See the
                    Document Drafting Handbook
                    for more details.
 Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648-XB646]
 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
 ACTION: Notification of approved monitoring service providers.
 SUMMARY: NMFS has approved two additional companies to provide Northeast multispecies sector electronic monitoring services in fishing year 2022. Regulations implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan require at-sea and electronic monitoring companies to be approved by NMFS to provide monitoring services to sectors. This action will allow sectors to contract for electronic monitoring services with any of the approved service providers for fishing year 2022.
 ADDRESSES: The list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring service providers is available at:
                        *https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​resource/​data/​observer-providers-northeast-and-mid-atlantic-programs.*
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Samantha Tolken, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 675-2176, email 
                        *Samantha.Tolken@noaa.gov.*


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan includes a requirement for industry-funded monitoring of catch by sector vessels. Sectors must contract with independent third-party service providers who provide at-sea and/or electronic monitoring services to their vessels. In order to provide at-sea or electronic monitoring services to sectors, monitoring companies must be approved by NMFS. The regulations at 50 CFR 648.87(b)(4) describe the criteria for approval of at-sea and electronic monitoring service provider applications. We approve service providers based on: (1) Completeness and sufficiency of applications; and (2) determination of the applicant's ability to meet the performance requirements of a sector monitoring service provider. Once approved, service providers must meet specified performance requirements outlined in § 648.87(b)(4), including required coverage levels, in order to maintain eligibility. We must notify service providers, in writing, if NMFS withdraws approval for any reason. Approved Monitoring Service Providers NMFS previously approved seven companies to provide monitoring services to the Northeast multispecies sectors in fishing years 2021 and 2022. 
                    ( print page 3082)
                    Four of the seven approved companies provide both at-sea and electronic monitoring services: A.I.S., Inc.; East West Technical Services, LLC; Fathom Research, LLC; and Saltwater, Inc. The other three approved companies provide electronic monitoring services: Flywire Cameras; New England Marine Monitoring; and Teem Fish. On September 18, 2021, NMFS announced an additional opportunity for monitoring companies to apply for approval to provide at-sea monitoring and/or electronic monitoring services in fishing year 2022. NMFS approved two additional companies to provide electronic monitoring services to the Northeast multispecies sectors in fishing year 2022: Archipelago Marine Research, Ltd.; and Satlink US, LLC. Table 1 includes the revised list of approved monitoring providers for fishing year 2022. We approved the additional two companies to provide electronic monitoring services in fishing year 2022 because they have met the application requirements and documented their ability to comply with service provider standards. We will closely monitor the performance of approved providers, and we will withdraw approval during the current approval term if we determine performance standards are not being met. Table 1—Approved Providers for Fishing Year 2022
Provider
Services
Address
Phone
Fax
WebsiteA.I.S., Inc
ASM/EM
540 Hawthorn St., Dartmouth, MA 02747
508-990-9054
508-990-9055
*https://aisobservers.com/​.*Archipelago Marine Research, Ltd
EM
525 Head St., Victoria, BC V9A 5S1, Canada
250-383-4535
250-383-0103
*https://www.archipelago.ca/​.*East West Technical Services, LLC
ASM/EM
91 Point Judith Rd., Suite 26, Unit 347, Narragansett, RI 02882
860-910-4957
860-223-6005
*https://www.ewts.com/​.*Fathom Resources, LLC
ASM/EM
855 Aquidneck Ave., Unit 9, Middletown, RI 02842
508-990-0997
508-991-7372
*https://fathomresources.com/​.*Flywire Cameras
EM
P.O. BOX 55048, Lexington, KY 40511
888-315-7796
502-861-6568
*https://www.flywirecameras.com/​.*New England Marine Monitoring
EM
350 Commercial St., Portland, ME 04101
508-269-8138

*https://www.nemarinemonitoring .com/.*Saltwater, Inc
ASM/EM
733 N St., Anchorage, AK 99501
907-276-3241
907-258-5999
*https://www.saltwaterinc.com/​.*Satlink US, LLC
EM
16423 Sawgrass Drive, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
703-447-5287

*https://www.satlink.es/​en/​.*Teem Fish
EM
90—425 Carrall St., Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3, Canada
778-884-2598

*https://teem.fish/​.*ASM/EM = At-sea and electronic monitoring; EM = Electronic monitoring only.
 (Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 
                        *et seq.*) Dated: January 13, 2022. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.


[FR Doc. 2022-00977 Filed 1-19-22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P