Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices 3505 

In Draft Amendment 14, NMFS 

considered management options in 

order to revise the ABC framework that 

was established in Amendment 3. The 

management options considered 

included modifying the ABC control 

rule, revising processes for the 

implementation of an ABC, and 

modifying carry-over and phase-in 

provisions and multi-year overfishing 

status determinations. Full descriptions 

of the management options considered, 

including the preferred management 

options, are provided in Draft 

Amendment 14. 

In Draft Amendment 14, NMFS 

preferred Management Option A3, 

which would adopt a general tiered 

approach to ABC control rules based on 

stocks that are categorized into tiers 

depending on the availability and 

quality of scientific data. NMFS did not 

provide details for its application, 

instead explaining that the shark ABC 

control rule would be similar to the 

South Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council’s tiered ABC control rule for 

Amendment 29 to the snapper grouper 

fishery FMP. 

During the comment period for Draft 

Amendment 14, the agency received ten 

written comments and a variety of 

verbal comments on preferred 

management options. Regarding the 

ABC control rule specifically, several 

commenters asked questions and 

requested additional information 

regarding Management Option A3. 

Based on these comments, NMFS has 

revised Management Option A3 and is 

providing further details in a 

supplement to Draft Amendment 14. 

These tiers apply to all sharks that have 

a stock status of healthy (i.e., not subject 

to overfishing and not overfished), 

experiencing overfishing, or unknown. 

For shark stocks that are: (1) Under a 

rebuilding plan, (2) assessed (or could 

be assessed) by the scientific body of the 

International Commission for the 

Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), 

or (3)in the prohibited shark complex, 

different approaches would apply. 

The supplemental document provides 

further details regarding preferred 

Management Option A3 on the ABC 

control rule. The remaining options 

published in Draft Amendment 14 are 

still being considered to establish the 

general framework through which 

specific management measures would 

later be developed and adopted. Any 

changes to the actual management and 

quotas of HMS-managed Atlantic shark 

stocks or management complexes would 

occur in future FMP amendments or 

regulatory actions, as appropriate. 

NMFS is requesting public comment 

on the additional details provided in the 

supplement on preferred Management 

Option A3 and the other management 

options considered under the ABC 

control rule from Draft Amendment 14. 

Comments on any other topic (phase-in 

ABC control rule, ACL development, 

carry-over of underharvested ACL, or 

multi-year overfishing status 

determination criteria) within Draft 

Amendment 14 are not specifically 

being sought at this time. However, 

NOAA Fisheries would consider new 

comments if the additional details 

provided in this document affect how 

the public might comment on other 

issues in Draft Amendment 14. 

Previously-submitted comments should 

not be re-submitted during this 

comment period. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires 

the establishment of APs and requires 

NMFS to consult with and consider the 

comments and views of AP members 

during the preparation and 

implementation of FMPs or FMP 

amendments. 16 U.S.C. 1854(g)(1)(A)– 

(B). NMFS meets with the HMS AP 

approximately twice each year to 

consider potential alternatives for the 

conservation and management of 

Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and 

shark fisheries, consistent with the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act. 

For the upcoming HMS AP meeting, 

we will focus on the supplement to 

Draft Amendment 14 and the ABC 

control rule for Atlantic HMS shark 

fisheries. Additional information and a 

copy of the draft agenda will be posted 

prior to the meeting at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/event/february2022-hms-advisory-panel-meeting. 

Public Hearings 

NMFS will take into consideration 

public comments on Draft Amendment 

14 and the supplemental document 

before finalizing the preferred 

management options. The preferred 

management options may be altered or 

different management options may be 

adopted at the final Amendment stage, 

although any significant changes would 

require additional notice and 

opportunity for public comment. NMFS 

anticipates that Final Amendment 14 

and its related documents would be 

available in 2022. 

Comments on supplement to Draft 

Amendment 14 may be submitted via 

www.regulations.gov, and comments 

may also be submitted at the public 

hearing. NMFS solicits comments on 

this action by March 10, 2022. During 

the comment period, NMFS will hold 

one public hearing via webinar. 

Information on the webinar will be 

posted at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/ 

amendment-14-2006-consolidated-hmsfishery-management-plan-shark-quotamanagement. Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Guy DuBeck at 

guy.dubeck@noaa.gov or 301–427–8503, 

at least 7 days prior to the meeting. In 

addition, NMFS will make a 

presentation on the supplement to the 

HMS AP on February 11, 2022. 

Information on the HMS AP meeting 

will be posted prior to the meeting at: 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/event/ 

february-2022-hms-advisory-panelmeeting. 

The public is reminded that NMFS 

expects participants at public webinar 

to conduct themselves appropriately. At 

the beginning of the webinar, the 

moderator will explain how the webinar 

will be conducted and how and when 

participants can provide comments. 

NMFS representative(s) will structure 

the webinars so that all members of the 

public will be able to comment, if they 

so choose, regardless of the 

controversial nature of the subject(s). 

Participants are expected to respect the 

ground rules, and those that do not may 

be asked to leave the webinar. 

(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq., and 1801 

et seq.) 

Dated: January 18, 2022. 

Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01282 Filed 1–21–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB734] 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold a one-and-a-half-day meeting of its 

Coral Advisory Panel (AP) and 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

(SSC) via webinar. 

DATES: The meeting will take place 

Monday, February 7, 2022, from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, February 8, 

2022, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., EST. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. Registration information 

will be available on the Council’s 


jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
3506 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 15 / Monday, January 24, 2022 / Notices 

website by visiting www.gulfcouncil.org 

and clicking on the Meetings Tab and 

selecting Advisory Panel meetings, then 

Coral AP/SSC meeting. 

Council address: Gulf of Mexico 

Fishery Management Council, 4107 W 

Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL 

33607; telephone: (813) 348–1630. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Carrie Simmons, Executive Director, 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; carrie.simmons@

gulfcouncil.org, telephone: (813) 348– 

1630. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Monday, February 7, 2022; 9 a.m.–5 

p.m., EST 

The meeting will begin with 

Introductions of Members, Adoption of 

Agenda, Approval of Minutes from the 

September 10, 2021 meeting, and review 

of Scope of Work and Contract, Roles 

and Responsibilities of the Coral AP and 

Coral SSC. 

The AP and SSCs will review the Gulf 

of Mexico Fishery Management Council 

Mesophotic and Deepwater Coral 

Assessment; Introduction and 

Methodology for the Project, Site 

Selection and Literature Review of 

Potential Habitat Areas of Particular 

Concern (HAPC), Results of Site 

Prioritization for Management Purposes: 

Ecological and Vulnerability 

Assessment, Data Visualization 

Dashboard and Panel Feedback. 

Tuesday, February 8, 2022; 9 a.m.–12 

p.m., EST 

The AP and SSC will review and 

discuss Deepwater Horizon Mesophotic 

and Deep Benthic Communities 

Restoration and upcoming activities and 

products and receive an overview of the 

Coral Reef Conservation Program 

Outcomes and Products titled: A 

proposal addressing changes in coral 

reef habitats and potential management 

implications to ensure the sustainability 

of coral reefs and associated fisheries 

habitats in the Gulf of Mexico; and, hold 

Panel discussion and feedback. 

The AP and SSC will receive Public 

Comment and discuss any Other 

Business items. The meeting will 

adjourn by 12 p.m. EST on February 8, 

2022. 

The meeting will be via webinar only. 

You may register for the webinar by 

visiting www.gulfcouncil.org and 

clicking on the Advisory Panel meeting 

on the calendar. The Agenda is subject 

to change, and the latest version along 

with other meeting materials will be 

posted on www.gulfcouncil.org as they 

become available. 

Although other non-emergency issues 

not on the agenda may come before the 

Advisory Panel and Scientific and 

Statistical Committee for discussion, in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act, those issues may not be the subject 

of formal action during this meeting. 

Actions of the Advisory Panel and 

Scientific and Statistical Committee will 

be restricted to those issues specifically 

identified in the agenda and any issues 

arising after publication of this notice 

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 Council’s intent to takeaction to address the emergency. 

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

Dated: January 18, 2022. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–01194 Filed 1–21–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XB739] 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 

Council (MAFMC); Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold public meetings of the Council 

including a joint session with the 

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 

Commission’s Interstate Fisheries 

Management Program (ISFMP) Policy 

Board. 

DATES: The meetings will be held 

Tuesday, February 8, 2022 through 

Wednesday, February 9, 2022. For 

agenda details, see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be 

conducted entirely by webinar. Webinar 

registration details will be available on 

the Council’s website at https://

www.mafmc.org/council-events. 

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council, 800 N State St., 

Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: 

(302) 674–2331; www.mafmc.org. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D. Executive 

Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council; telephone: (302) 

526–5255. The Council’s website, 

www.mafmc.org also has details on the 

meeting location, proposed agenda, 

webinar listen-in access, and briefing 

materials. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

following items are on the agenda, 

although agenda items may be 

addressed out of order (changes will be 

noted on the Council’s website when 

possible.) 

Tuesday, February 8, 2022 

Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Working Group 

Presentation on the formation and planned 

activities of the Atlantic Sturgeon 

Bycatch Working Group and request for 

public input 

Recusal Briefing 

John Almeida, NOAA General Counsel 

2022 Recreational Management Measures for 

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea 

Bass 

Review action taken by ASMFC Summer 

Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass 

Management Board regarding 2022 

recreational management measures 

Consider revising Council recommendation 

for 2022 recreational management 

measures if needed in response to Board 

action 

Council Meeting with the Atlantic States 

Marine Fisheries Commission’s ISFMP 

Policy Board 

Recreational Harvest Control Rule 

Framework/Addenda for Summer 

Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and 

Bluefish 

Review draft range of alternatives 

Consider splitting range of alternatives into 

multiple actions 

Approve final range of alternatives for 

framework/addenda 

Approve draft addenda for public hearings 

Wednesday, February 9, 2022 

Business Session 

Committee Reports (SSC, RSC); Executive 

Director’s Report; Organization Reports; 

and Liaison Reports 

Other Business and General Public Comment 

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). 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aid 

should be directed to Shelley Spedden, 


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