Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 247 / Thursday, December 26, 2024 / Notices 105005 

request for the development and 

implementation of regulations 

governing the incidental taking of 

marine mammals. NMFS invites the 

public to provide information, 

suggestions, and comments on the 

ALDCNR’s application and request. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received no later than January 27, 

2025. 

ADDRESSES: Comments on the 

applications should be addressed to 

Jolie Harrison, Chief, Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. Physical comments 

should be sent to 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and 

electronic comments should be sent to 

ITP.cockrell@noaa.gov. 

Instructions: NMFS is not responsible 

for comments sent by any other method, 

to any other address or individual, or 

received after the end of the comment 

period. Comments received 

electronically, including all 

attachments, must not exceed a 25- 

megabyte file size. Attachments to 

electronic comments will be accepted in 

Microsoft Word or Excel or Adobe PDF 

file formats only. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted online at 

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

national/marine-mammal-protection/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-researchand-other-activities without change. All 

personal identifying information (e.g., 

name, address) voluntarily submitted by 

the commenter may be publicly 

accessible. Do not submit confidential 

business information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Craig Cockrell, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. An 

electronic copy of the ALDCNR’s 

application may be obtained online at: 

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

national/marine-mammal-protection/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-researchand-other-activities. In case of problems 

accessing these documents, please call 

the contact listed above. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the 

MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct 

the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated 

to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the 

incidental, but not intentional, taking of 

small numbers of marine mammals by 

U.S. citizens who engage in a specified 

activity (other than commercial fishing) 

within a specified geographical region if 

certain findings are made and either 

regulations are issued or, if the taking is 

limited to harassment, a notice of a 

proposed authorization is provided to 

the public for review. 

An incidental take authorization shall 

be granted if NMFS finds that the taking 

will have a negligible impact on the 

species or stock(s), will not have an 

unmitigable adverse impact on the 

availability of the species or stock(s) for 

subsistence uses (where relevant), and if 

the permissible methods of taking and 

requirements pertaining to the 

mitigation, monitoring and reporting of 

such takings are set forth. 

NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible 

impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact 

resulting from the specified activity that 

cannot be reasonably expected to, and is 

not reasonably likely to, adversely affect 

the species or stock through effects on 

annual rates of recruitment or survival. 

The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ 

means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or 

attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill 

any marine mammal. 

Except with respect to certain 

activities not pertinent here, the MMPA 

defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: any act of 

pursuit, torment, or annoyance, which 

(i) has the potential to injure a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has 

the potential to disturb a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild by causing disruption of behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering (Level B 

harassment). 

Summary of Request 

On April 12, 2024, NMFS received an 

application from the ALDCNR 

requesting authorization for take of 

marine mammals incidental to their 

fisheries independent research programs 

related to sampling activities with 

gillnet and trawl gear in Mobile Bay and 

adjacent waters of Alabama. Following 

NMFS’ review of the application, 

ALDCNR provided responses to NMFS 

initial questions on July 11, 2024 and 

responses to follow up questions on 

December 10, 2024. NMFS determined 

the application was adequate and 

complete on December 12, 2024. The 

requested regulations would be valid for 

five years from the date of issuance. The 

ALDCNR plans to conduct the research 

in Mobile Bay and adjacent waters 

including Mississippi Sound, Perdido 

Bay, Wolf Bay, and Little Lagoon. It is 

possible that marine mammals may 

interact with fishing gear (e.g. gillnets 

and trawl gear) proposed for use in 

ALDCNR’s fishery independent 

resulting in injury, serious injury, or 

mortality. Therefore, the ALDCNR 

requests authorization to incidentally 

take marine mammals. 

Specified Activities 

The ALDCNR conducts fishery 

independent surveys throughout the 

inshore and coastal waters of Alabama, 

in the northern Gulf of Mexico, to 

produce scientific information 

necessary for the management and 

conservation of living marine resources 

in that area. The fisheries independent 

research programs use sampling gear 

including gillnets, seines, and otter 

trawls to assess marine organisms in 

different habitats and trophic levels and 

provides data about post-larval, 

juvenile, and adult populations of 

marine organisms in Alabama inshore 

and coastal waters. The collective data 

is used by fisheries scientists to monitor 

growth, seasonal and geographical 

distribution, changes in population 

structures, and correlation of abundance 

with some abiotic factors for all 

Alabama marine fauna. These proposed 

activities by ALDCNR would be 

conducted over the 5-year period of the 

regulations and subsequent LOA. 

Information Solicited 

Interested persons may submit 

information, suggestions, and comments 

concerning the ALDCNR’s request (see 

ADDRESSES). NMFS will consider all 

information, suggestions, and comments 

related to the request during the 

development of proposed regulations 

governing the incidental taking of 

marine mammals by the ALDCNR, if 

appropriate. 

Dated: December 18, 2024. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30726 Filed 12–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE536] 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting open to the 

public. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold a second Recreational Initiative 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
105006 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 247 / Thursday, December 26, 2024 / Notices 

Public Engagement Workshop via 

webinar. 

DATES: The webinar will convene 

Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 6 p.m. 

to 9 p.m., EST. 

ADDRESSES: The workshop will take 

place via webinar. You may participate 

by accessing the log-on information by 

visiting our website at 

www.gulfcouncil.org. 

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: 

Emily Muehlstein, Public Information 

Officer, Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council; telephone: (813) 

348–1630; Emily.Muehlstein@

gulfcouncil.org. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Thursday, January 16, 2025; 6 p.m.–9 

a.m., EST 

The meeting will begin with a brief 

presentation on the purpose of the 

Recreational Initiative, provide a brief 

overview of results of the second 

Working Group Meeting, and outline the 

meeting format and expected outcomes. 

Staff will ask a series of open-ended 

questions and allow for open public 

comment on the Recreational Initiative. 

Visit the Gulf Council’s website for 

meeting registration information: 

https://gulfcouncil.org/recreationalinitiative/. After registering, you will 

receive a confirmation email containing 

information about joining the webinar. 

Public feedback on the Recreational 

Initiative will also be gathered online 

through an online feedback tool located 

at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/ 

1FAIpQLSfwnQ6AgzIBmgx0k18

yzcPpDm0RDUVzyybR05mxoJVRmBdQg/viewform. 

The meeting will be via webinar only. 

You may register for the webinar by 

visiting www.gulfcouncil.org and click 

on the meeting on the calendar. 

The timing and order in which agenda 

items are addressed may change as 

required to effectively address the issue, 

and the latest version along with other 

meeting materials will be posted on the 

website as they become available. 

Special Accommodations 

The meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aid or accommodations should 

be directed to Kathy Pereira, (813) 348– 

1630, at least 15 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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

Dated: December 18, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30626 Filed 12–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE534] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a public meeting of its 

Scallop Committee via webinar to 

consider actions affecting New England 

fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 

(EEZ). Recommendations from this 

group will be brought to the full Council 

for formal consideration and action, if 

appropriate. 

DATES: This meeting will be held on 

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 1 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: Webinar registration URL 

information: https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/ 

meeting/register/tJwlcuyqrj8vG9PZk_

BAqawjkMxGEXiGZc44. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cate 

O’Keefe, Executive Director, New 

England Fishery Management Council; 

telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

The Scallop Committee will meet to 

Review 2025 Scallop Work Priorities, 

including a work plan for this calendar 

year. The discussion will focus on the 

development of a Long-Term Strategic 

Plan. Other business will be discussed, 

if necessary. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained on the agenda may come 

before this Council for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Council 

action will be restricted to those issues 

specifically listed in this notice and any 

issues arising after publication of this 

notice that require emergency action 

under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has 

been notified of the Council’s intent to 

take final action to address the 

emergency. The public also should be 

aware that the meeting will be recorded. 

Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy 

of the recording is available upon 

request. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate 

O’Keefe, Executive Director, at (978) 

465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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

Dated: December 18, 2024. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30625 Filed 12–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE518] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; North Pacific Halibut 

and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota 

Cost Recovery Program 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS); National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of standard prices and 

fee percentage. 

SUMMARY: NMFS publishes the 

individual fishing quota (IFQ) standard 

prices and fee percentage for cost 

recovery for the IFQ Program for the 

halibut and sablefish fisheries of the 

North Pacific (IFQ Program). The fee 

percentage for 2024 is 3.0 percent. This 

action is intended to provide holders of 

halibut and sablefish IFQ permits with 

the 2024 standard prices and fee 

percentage to calculate the required 

payment for IFQ cost recovery fees due 

by January 31, 2025. 

DATES: The standard prices and fee 

percentages are valid on December 26, 

2024 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Charmaine Weeks, Fee Coordinator, 

907–586–7231. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

NMFS Alaska Region administers the 

IFQ Program in the North Pacific. The 

IFQ Program is a limited access system 

authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1