Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 / Notices 34851

to deliver a report to Congress on the

implementation of a national fishing

vessel registration and information

management system.

NMFS, the U.S. Coast Guard, coastal

states, the three regional commissions

(Pacific States Marine Fisheries

Commission, Gulf States Marine

Fisheries Commission, and Atlantic

States Marine Fisheries Commission),

and the eight regional Fishery

Management Councils (New England,

Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of

Mexico, Caribbean, Pacific, North

Pacific, and Western Pacific) play

various roles in commercial fishing

vessel registration and marine fisheries

data collection. Consistent with

previous directions from the Assistant

Administrator of NMFS, NMFS has been

engaged in collaborative processes to

develop joint regional data collection

and planning activities with these

organizations. Section 401 of the

Magnuson-Stevens Act directs the

Secretary to create a plan that will

coordinate the techniques used to

collect and disseminate data and to

integrate these vessel registration and

fisheries information systems on a

national basis. This is to be

accomplished while taking into account

the unique characteristics of regional

fisheries.

Section 401 of the Magnuson-Stevens

Act sets a number of benchmarks for a

national vessel registration and fisheries

information system. It also defines

several principles that should guide the

system’s development. These include

the reduction of duplicative information

reporting burdens on the fishing

industry and the integration of existing

data collection and information

management systems to the furthest

extent possible.

NMFS organized the implementation

plan into two components: the Vessel

Registration System and the Fisheries

Information System (FIS). Within these

components, the proposed System

addresses information management

architecture, integration and

harmonization of data collection

programs, and the institutional

arrangements and accountability issues.

Vessel Registration System

Vessel registration, licensing, and

permitting systems among the coastal

states, territories, tribal entities and the

U.S. Coast Guard have been reviewed.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requests a

plan for a national system that contains

the following information for each

fishing vessel: (1) The name and official

number or other identification, together

with the address of the owner or

operator or both; (2) gross tonnage,

vessel capacity, type and quantity of

fishing gear, mode of operation, and

other such pertinent information with

respect to vessel characteristics as the

Secretary may require; and (3)

identification of the fisheries in which

the fishing vessel participates.

Currently, no vessel registration system

at any level fully satisfies these criteria.

Fisheries Information System

State and Federal data collection

programs and information management

systems have developed over time to

meet specific regional needs and reflect

varying degrees of integration and

management efficiency. These efforts,

often state-Federal partnerships, have

definite time frames and outcomes.

NMFS has relied on these processes to

support development of the section 401

FIS.

Process

The creation of the proposed system

has targeted the highest level of detail

possible in the draft report to produce

specific and justifiable estimates of

implementation steps and resource

requirements. NMFS has consulted

many major stakeholders, and has

gathered input through a series of

presentations and meetings with

stakeholders, using a ‘‘discussion draft’’

paper to highlight critical issues and

options. These stakeholders included

internal NMFS organizational units as

well as external entities. NMFS has, to

the extent possible, reconciled the

comments of the various stakeholders in

the draft implementation plan.

Authority: Pub. L. 104–297.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

William W. Fox, Jr.,

Director, Office of Science and Technology,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–17128 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

National Sea Grant Review Panel;

Public Meeting

AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and

Atmospheric Research (OAR), National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the

schedule and proposed agenda of a

forthcoming meeting of the Sea Grant

Review Panel. The meeting will have

several purposes. Panel members will

discuss and provide advice on the

National Sea Grant College Program in

the areas of program management and

evaluation, national strategic

investments, education and extension,

technology problems, legislative

changes and other matters as described

below.

DATES: The announced meeting is

scheduled during two days: Wednesday,

July 8, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday,

July 9, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration Silver

Spring Metro Center III; 1315 East-West

Highway, Room 11836; Silver Spring,

Maryland 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Ronald C. Baird, Director; National

Sea Grant College Program; National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration 1315 East-West

Highway, Room 11716; Silver Spring,

Maryland 20910;301) 713–2448

extension 163.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Panel,

which consists of a balanced

representation from academia, industry,

state government and citizens groups,

was established in 1976 by Section 209

of the Sea Grant Improvement Act (Pub.

L. 94–461, 33 U.S.C. 1128) and advises

the Secretary of Commerce, the Under

Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere,

also the Administrator of NOAA, and

the Director of the National Sea Grant

College Program with respect to

operations under the act, and such other

matters as the Secretary refers to the

Panel for review and advice. The agenda

for the meeting is as follows:

Wednesday, July 8, 1998

8:30 a.m.—Welcoming and Opening

Formalities

9:00 a.m.—NOAA and National Sea

Grant Office Update

10:30 a.m.—Sea Grant Association

Update

12:00 p.m.—Working Lunch

1:30 p.m.—Program Evaluation

3:45 p.m.—Historically Black Colleges

and Universities Evaluation Report

4:15 p.m.—Recognition Ceremony for

Outgoing Review Panel Members

5:00 p.m.—Adjourn

Thursday, July 9, 1998

8:30 a.m.—National Strategic Initiatives

Discussion

10:30 a.m.—Technology Update

11:30 a.m.—30th Anniversary

Committee Update

11:45 a.m.—Working Lunch

1:30 p.m.—Sea Grant Review Panel

Liaison Reports

2:00 p.m.—Sea Grant Review Panel

Comments
34852 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 / Notices

2:30 p.m.—Summarization and Action

Items

3:00 p.m.—Adjourn

This meeting will be open to the

public.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and

Atmospheric Research.

[FR Doc. 98–16985 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–12–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 062298A]

Endangered Species; Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of an application for a

scientific research permit (1160).

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Washington Department of Fish and

Wildlife at Vancouver, WA (WDFW) has

applied in due form for a permit that

would authorize takes of an ESA-listed

anadromous fish species for the purpose

of scientific research.

DATES: Written comments or requests for

a public hearing on this application

must be received on or before July 27,

1998.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review in

the following offices, by appointment:

Protected Resources Division (PRD),

F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite

500, Portland, OR 97232–4169 (503–

230–5400); and

Office of Protected Resources, F/PR3,

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910–3226 (301–713–

1401).

Written comments or requests for a

public hearing should be submitted to

the Chief, PRD, in Portland, OR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Koch, PRD (503–230–5424).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: WDFW

requests a permit under the authority of

section 10 of the Endangered Species

Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531–1543) and

the NMFS regulations governing ESAlisted fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR

parts 217-227).

WDFW requests a 5-year permit

(1160) that would authorize annual

takes of adult and juvenile, threatened,

lower Columbia River steelhead

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) associated with

scientific research designed to monitor

steelhead genetic and biological

parameters in the Wind River Basin in

WA. The monitoring effort is an integral

part of the Wind River Watershed

Project, a federally funded watershed

recovery program intended to rebuild

depressed populations of Wind River

summer steelhead. The scientific

research is essential to contain risks

associated with conservation actions

proposed in the Wind River and to

detect both desired and unintended

consequences. ESA-listed adult fish are

proposed to be observed/harassed

during redd counts and snorkel surveys.

ESA-listed adult fish are also proposed

to be captured, handled (examined,

sampled for tissues and/or scales, and/

or marked/tagged), and released. ESAlisted juvenile fish are proposed to be

observed during snorkel surveys or

captured, handled (examined, sampled

for tissues and/or scales, and/or

marked/tagged), and released. ESAlisted juvenile fish indirect mortalities

associated with the scientific research

activities are also requested.

To date, protective regulations for

threatened lower Columbia River

steelhead under section 4(d) of the ESA

have not been promulgated by NMFS.

This notice of receipt of an application

requesting takes of this species is issued

as a precaution in the event that NMFS

issues protective regulations that

prohibit takes of lower Columbia River

steelhead. The initiation of a 30-day

public comment period on the

application, including its proposed

takes of lower Columbia River

steelhead, does not presuppose the

contents of the eventual protective

regulations. Those individuals

requesting a hearing on this application

should set out the specific reasons why

a hearing would be appropriate (see

ADDRESSES). The holding of such a

hearing is at the discretion of the

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

NOAA. All statements and opinions

contained in the above application

summary are those of the applicant and

do not necessarily reflect the views of

NMFS.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

Patricia A. Montanio,

Deputy Director, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–17130 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Availability of Invention for

Licensing; Government Owned

Invention

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The inventions listed below

are assigned to the United States

Government as represented by the

Secretary of the Navy and are available

for licensing by the Department of the

Navy.

Patent Application entitled ‘‘Force

Discrimination Assay,’’ filed January 20,

1998, Navy Case No. 78183.

Patent Application entitled

‘‘Apparatus and Method for Measuring

Intermolecular Interactions By Atomic

Force Microscopy,’’ filed May 8, 1998,

Navy Case No. 78838.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the

patent applications cited should be

directed to the Office of Naval Research,

ONR 00CC, Ballston Tower One, 800

North Quincy Street, Arlington, Virginia

22217–5660, and must include the Navy

Case numbers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

R. J. Erickson, Staff Patent Attorney,

Office of Naval Research, ONR 00CC,

Ballston Tower One, 800 North Quincy

Street, Arlington, Virginia 22217–5660,

telephone (703) 696–4001.

(Authority: 35 U.S C. 207, 37 CFR Part 404)

Matthew G. Shirley,

LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison

Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–17018 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Closed Meeting of the Naval Research

Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD.

ACTION: Meeting.

SUMMARY: The Naval Research Advisory

Committee Panel on Information

Technology Interoperaility will meet to

assess technologies and interoperability

implications associated with

information transfer and interaction

among systems as well as between

systems, especially among and between

NATO and coalition forces. All sessions

of this meeting will be closed to the

public.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Tuesday, July 7, 1998 from 8:00 a.m. to